Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences
 

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THE CHEMICAL PROFILE OF BASIL BIOVARIETIES AND ITS IMPLICATION ON THE BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY

VERONICA GRĂDINARIU1, OANA CIOANCĂ1*, ELVIRA GILLE2, ANA CLARA APROTOSOAIE1, LUCIAN HRIȚCU3, MONICA HĂNCIANU1

1University of Medicine and Pharmacy „Gr. T. Popa” Iaşi, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy, Universitatii 16, Iasi, Romania
2INCDSB/“Stejarul” Biological Research Centre Piatra-Neamț, Romania
3University „Al. I. Cuza” Iaşi, Faculty of Biology, Department of Biology and Animal Physiology, Bv. Carol I, no. 20A, Iaşi, Romania

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Three species of basil were investigated in order to establish their antioxidant potential. The analyses were performed on the hidroalcoholic (50%) extracts from Ocimum basilicum L. (Ob), Ocimum basilicum var. purpurascens (Obr), and Ocimum sanctum L. (Os), included in bio-cultures from Romania. The phenolic content was quantified by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. A high performance liquid chromatography method (HPLC) was used to identify the main compounds of the hidroalcoholic extracts. In addition, the antioxidant activity was assessed by the diphenylpycrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical method and metal chelating method. All extracts exhibited high ability for chelating metals, with Obr sample being the most efficient. The extracts were also effective as DPPH scavengers.