PHYTOCHEMICAL, TOTAL PHENOLIC CONTENTS, AND ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF OCIMUMBASILICUM L. LEAF EXTRACT IN AL-BAHA AREA, SAUDI ARABIA

The aim of this study is to determine the phytochemical and total phenolic contents in addition to investigating the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Ocimumbasilicum leaf extracts. The leaves were air-dried and extracted with ethanol, petroleum ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate. The contents of phytochemicals and total phenols were determined in addition to determining the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The results showed that ethanol, petroleum ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts contained flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, tannins, saponins and reducing sugars. The petroleum ether extract had the highest total phenolic content (182.90%), followed by chloroform (171.67%), ethanol (166.03%) and ethyl acetate (106.33%) extracts. DPPH scavenging activity was highest in ethyl acetate extract (46.00%) and lowest in ethanol extract (29.93%). The bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were resistant to ethanol, petroleum ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts, while Pseudomonas aeruginosa was resistant to all extracts except chloroform, and Bacillus cereus was resistant to ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts. Candida albicans was resistant to all extracts except ethanol. The study concluded that, although O. basilicum was not active against most microorganisms tested, it had appreciable concentrations of phytochemicals, total phenols, in addition to antioxidant activity.