Evaluation of chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and antibacterial activity of essential oil from aerial parts of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) in Yen Bai province, Vietnam

This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and biological activities of essential oil (EO) extracted from the aerial parts of Ocimum basilicum L. grown in Yen Bai province, Vietnam-a region where the properties of basil EO have not yet been characterized. The EO extracted from the aerial parts of Ocimum basilicum L. using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 21 chemical constituents were identified, among which estragole was the most abundant compound (84.44%), followed by α-bergamotene (4.47%) and other bioactive compounds. The novelty of this work lies in the fact that basil essential oil from this geographic area may possess distinct chemical and biological characteristics. This study also determined the physicochemical properties (fragrance, acid value, saponification value, freezing point, density, refractive index), antioxidant capacity, and antibacterial ability of this material. It was found to have antioxidant and antibacterial properties, which were determined by DPPH assay and the agar disk diffusion method, respectively. The essential oil from O. basilicum (ObEO) inhibited the growth of gram-positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Bacillus cereus (ATCC 11778), and gram-negative bacteria: Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 25923).