Author: N. Khati, Mohammad S. Javed, D. Parihar, V. Parcha, O. Prakash

DOI: http://doi.org/10.31788/RJC.2026.19510080

Ocimum basilicum L. (Sweet Basil), belonging to the Lamiaceae family, is an important culinary herb with wideindustrial and therapeutic uses. The present study investigates how different maturity stages affect thephytoconstituents and bioactive ability of the plant’s essential oil. The oil was obtained from three consecutivematurity stages of sweet basil cultivated 30, 60 and 90 days after transplantation by the hydro-distillation method. The phytoconstituents of the volatile oil were analysed through Gas Chromatography and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry. Methyl chavicol and linalool were the dominant constituents (93–94% of total composition), showing opposite trends: linalool content declined whereas methyl chavicol increased with maturity. Bioassaysrevealed that the first-stage oil exhibited the highest anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities, which diminishedat later stages. These findings emphasise the ontogenic regulation of phytochemical profiles in O. basilicumandsuggest the first stage as optimal for harvesting to maximize bioactivity. These results contribute to boostingproduction, improving financial outcomes, ensuring long-term viability and offering potential uses to provide natural healthcare goods, cosmetics, and food preservation

Keywords: Ocimum basilicum, Essential oil, Hydro-distillation, Anti-inflammatory, Antibacterial