Abstract
Qualitative and quantitative analytical studies of the steam volatile oil from the
leaves of the medicinal plant - Ocimum viride, were undertaken by means of gas chromatography (GC) and computerised GC-MS. The
essential oil comprised of twenty-eight components and thymol was isolated as the
major constituent (47.98%).
Other nineteen mono- and sesquiterpenoids were also identified and thirteen of these
have not been previously reported as constituents of O. viride essential oil. On chemical grounds, the Nigerian grown Ocimum viride is not synonymous with Ocimum gratissimum L.
