| Summary: | The yield of essential oils in plants is not high and postdistillation wastes rich in phenolic compounds could be used to enhance the profitability of essential oil-bearing plants. The aim of the study was to evaluate polyphenols in a dry extract obtained from the postdistillation waste of the American basil (<i>Ocimum americanum</i> L.) herb, and to conduct the screening of its pharmacological activities. Rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid and rutin were identified in the extract using high-performance thin-layer chromatography. The high-performance liquid chromatography analysis found the presence of a plethora of polyphenols in the extract. Rosmarinic acid, luteolin-7-<i>O</i>-glucoside and rutin were as the main compounds. The total phenolic content in the extract was 106.31 mg GAE/g and free radical scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl evaluated as IC<sub>50</sub> was 0.298 mg/mL. The tested extract dose-dependently decreased the paw edema in rats, suggesting its potent anti-inflammatory property. The acute toxicity study indicates its safety. Thus, the <i>O. americanum</i> hydrodistilled residue by-product is the promising source of biologically active compounds with significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
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