GC-MS ANALYSIS OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL
OBTAINED FROM OCIMUM BASILICUM L.
“HOLLAND” CULTIVAR
DANIELA BENEDEC1, ILIOARA ONIGA1*, ANCA TOIU1,
BRÎNDUŞA TIPERCIUC1, MIRCEA TĂMAŞ1, ION DAN VÂRBAN2,
GIANINA CRIŞAN
1Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu
Hatieganu”, 12 I. Creanga Street, 400023, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
2University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5
Manastur Street, 400372, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
*corresponding author: ilioara4@yahoo.com
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Abstract:

This paper presents the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the essential oils obtained from a “Holland” cultivar of Ocimum basilicum L (basil). The vegetal material was harvested from the experimental fields of the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca (Romania) at different times of the year: June (sample 1), August (sample 2) and September (sample 3), 2008. The essential oils obtained by
steam distillation were analyzed by gas-chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The content in essential oils ranged from 0.4% to 0.8%; the maximum amounts were observed in June while the minimum in September. The most important components identified in essential oils were: linalool, α-cadinol, trans-α-bergamotene, γ-cadinene, β-
elemene, methylchavicol and delta-guaiene. We can consider that the „Holland” cultivar of Ocimum basilicum may be considered as „linalool-rich” chemotype [10], because for all essential oil samples the major constituent was linalool. The amount of essential oil of basil, and the chemical composition depend on the harvesting time, June being the optimal
period for the volatile oil content (0.8%) and August for linalool.

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