PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS, PHARMACOLOGICAL AND TRADITIONAL USES OF OCIMUM GRATISSIMUM L IN TROPICS

Ocimum gratissimum L is a popular medicinal plant with a wide therapeutic potential. The chemical compounds derived from the plant and leave contain essential oil with various pharmacological applications. The plant is generally antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antidiarrheal, antiurolithiatic antioxidant antimutagenic, insecticidal and anti cancerous in nature. The plant likewise consumes as a dietary supplement and flavoring agent in various subtropical and tropical and even warm temperate countries. The whole plant mainly the leaves or even seed have various ethnomedicinal properties. This comprehensive review focuses on chemical composition, ecological adaptation, pharmacological, nutritional and ethnobotanical importance of the plant to explore numerous therapeutic applications. Keywords: Ocimum gratissimum, phytochemical constituents, pharmacology, ethnobotany