Phytochemical screening, antibacterial activity and antioxidant activity of Ocimum sanctum leaf extract

Ocimum sanctum has a rich and fanciful history known since the Vedic age for its immense curative and multi-purpose utility. The phytochemical results show the presence of Amino Acid, Carbohydrate, Phenol and Terpenoids in all the four solvent extracts of the O. santum. Except Aqueous extract of the plant all other extracts show the positive results for alkaloids, Coumarin, Flavonoids and Glycoside. Saponin is present in the benzene and water solvent extracts of O. sanctum. The four solvent extracts are showing the absence of following phytochemical’s such as Tannins, Phlobatanins, Quinones and Anthocyanin. The higher concentration Acetone extract, Benzene extract, Methanol extract and Water extract of the O. sanctum show the activity against the tested pathogens by the following order from the highest zone of inhibition P. aeruginosa (8.5 mm), S. typhi (5 mm) and E. coli (3.5 mm) for Acetone extract, E. coli (4 mm) only for Benzene extract, whereas P. aeruginosa (14 mm), S. typhi (8 mm) and E. coli (7 mm) for Methanol extract and there is no activity for the water extract for all the three pathogens were observed. The antioxidant activity of the O. sanctum solvent extracts was high to Methanol followed by Benzene, Acetone, Water extracts. The results of the study indicate that the Ocimum sanctum possesses phyto-constituents having antibacterial activity thus it can be utilized as a natural plant based antimicrobials.