Ocimum gratissimum

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Ocimum gratissimum, commonly known as African basil, clove basil, or wild basil, is a fragrant basil species in the mint family. It is native to Africa and Madagascar, extends into southern Asia and the Bismarck Archipelago, and has become naturalized in Polynesia, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama, the West Indies, Brazil, and Bolivia.

Other names:
The plant is known by many local names across Africa and the Caribbean and is often called scent leaf in West Africa.

Uses:
- Culinary herb: It is widely used for flavor in West African cooking and in Caribbean cuisines.
- In Nigeria, scent leaf is commonly used to season pepper soup, local rice, beans, plantain, soups, and other dishes.

Seed germination:
- The seeds typically need strong sunlight to germinate, though germination can occur in a normal UK summer.

Phytochemical compounds:
- Contains polyphenols such as gallic acid and rosmarinic acid.
- Flavonoids include compounds like quercetin, rutin, and catechin.
- Also has alkaloids and terpenoids, along with other compounds such as naringin and apigenin.

Pharmacology of extracts and essential oils:
- The essential oil contains eugenol and has shown antibacterial activity in laboratory studies.
- It has potential as a natural food preservative and has been reported to be toxic to Leishmania parasites.

Insect repellent:
- Ocimum gratissimum essential oil can repel certain insects, such as Thrips tabaci, making it useful as an insect repellent in crops.