COMPARATIVE PHARMACOGNOSTIC ANALYSIS OF ROMANIAN
OCIMUM BASILICUM L. AND O. BASILICUM VAR. PURPURASCENS
BENTH. AERIAL PARTS
CERASELA-ELENA GÎRD1, TEODORA COSTEA1*, IOANA NENCU1, LIGIA ELENA DUŢU1,
MARIA LIDIA POPESCU1, TEODORA DALILA BALACI2
“Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, 6 Traian Vuia Street, 020956, Bucharest,
Romania
1Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Phytotherapy Department,
2Pharmaceutical Technology Department
*corresponding author: teodoracostea85@yahoo.com
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Abstract:
A comparative pharmacognostic study of two indigenous basil species herbs (Ocimum basilicum L. and O. basilicum var.
purpurascens Benth.) cultivated for culinary purposes was performed. The objectives of the research were: the determination
of morphological and anatomic characteristics; phytochemical screening and evaluation of antioxidant activity (scavenger
activity of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhidrazyl = DPPH and 2,2’-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) = ABTS•+ free
radicals) of both herbal drugs. Caffeic acid (Rf - 0.96), rosmarinic acid (Rf - 0.96) and ursolic acid (Rf - 0.60) were identified
in both herbal drugs, by means of thin layer chromatography (TLC) specific techniques. O. basilicum var. purpurascens
Benth. has a higher content of total polyphenols (1.9630 ± 0.1340 g% tannic acid) and rosmarinic acid (620.952 mg%) than
Ocimum basilicum L. (0.8184 ± 0.0350 g% tannic acid and 19.45 mg% rosmarinic acid). The higher content of polyphenols
in O. basilicum var. purpurascens Benth. might explain its better antioxidant activity.

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