Toxicity, Antioxidant Activity, and Phytochemicals of Basil (<i>Ocimum basilicum</i> L.) Leaves Cultivated in Southern Punjab, Pakistan
Basil <i>(Ocimum basilicum</i> L.) is one of the most common aromatic herbs, a rich source of bioactive compounds, and is used extensively to add aroma and flavor to food. The leaves, both in fresh and dried form, are used as a culinary ingredient in different cultures. <i>O. basil...
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/9/1239 |
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| author | Hafiz Rehan Nadeem Saeed Akhtar Piero Sestili Tariq Ismail Susanne Neugart Muhammad Qamar Tuba Esatbeyoglu |
| author_facet | Hafiz Rehan Nadeem Saeed Akhtar Piero Sestili Tariq Ismail Susanne Neugart Muhammad Qamar Tuba Esatbeyoglu |
| author_sort | Hafiz Rehan Nadeem |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Basil <i>(Ocimum basilicum</i> L.) is one of the most common aromatic herbs, a rich source of bioactive compounds, and is used extensively to add aroma and flavor to food. The leaves, both in fresh and dried form, are used as a culinary ingredient in different cultures. <i>O. basilicum</i> is also famous for its therapeutic potential and preservation effects. The present study investigated the cytotoxicity of basil at three different growth stages (GS), i.e., GS-1 (58 days of growth), GS-2 (69 days of growth), and GS-3 (93 days of growth) using the brine shrimp lethality assay. The results revealed that cytotoxicity was influenced by GS and the concentration of extracts. Aqueous extracts of basil at a concentration of 10 to 1000 µg/mL did not show notable toxicity. The lowest mortality rate, i.e., 8.9%, was recorded for GS-2 at the highest tested dose of basil extracts. The mortality rate at GS-1, GS-2, and GS-3 was found to be 26.7 ± 3.34%, 8.91 ± 0.10%, and 16.7 ± 0.34%, respectively, at 1000 µg/mL. GS-2 basil powder with the lowest toxicological risk was extracted with different solvents, viz., <i>n</i>-hexane, dichloromethane, ethanol, and water. The highest concentration of plant secondary metabolites including total phenolic acid, flavonoids, and tannin content was observed in ethanol extracts. Ethanol extracts also exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in DPPH, FRAP and H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> assays. LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis presented ethanol extracts of basil as a promising source of known health-promoting and therapeutic compounds such as rosmarinic acid, ellagic acid, catechin, liquiritigenin, and umbelliferone. The results suggest basil, a culinary ingredient, as a potential source of bioactive compounds which may offer an array of health promoting and therapeutic properties. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:10:36Z |
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| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:10:36Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-e67efbda283d47bfa78e590ba2f46dd42023-11-23T08:12:42ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582022-04-01119123910.3390/foods11091239Toxicity, Antioxidant Activity, and Phytochemicals of Basil (<i>Ocimum basilicum</i> L.) Leaves Cultivated in Southern Punjab, PakistanHafiz Rehan Nadeem0Saeed Akhtar1Piero Sestili2Tariq Ismail3Susanne Neugart4Muhammad Qamar5Tuba Esatbeyoglu6Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, PakistanInstitute of Food Science and Nutrition, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, PakistanDepartment of Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, ItalyInstitute of Food Science and Nutrition, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, PakistanDepartment of Crop Sciences, Division Quality and Sensory of Plant Products, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Carl-Sprengel-Weg 1, 37075 Goettingen, GermanyInstitute of Food Science and Nutrition, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, PakistanInstitute of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Department of Food Development and Food Quality, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University Hannover, Am Kleinen Felde 30, 30167 Hannover, GermanyBasil <i>(Ocimum basilicum</i> L.) is one of the most common aromatic herbs, a rich source of bioactive compounds, and is used extensively to add aroma and flavor to food. The leaves, both in fresh and dried form, are used as a culinary ingredient in different cultures. <i>O. basilicum</i> is also famous for its therapeutic potential and preservation effects. The present study investigated the cytotoxicity of basil at three different growth stages (GS), i.e., GS-1 (58 days of growth), GS-2 (69 days of growth), and GS-3 (93 days of growth) using the brine shrimp lethality assay. The results revealed that cytotoxicity was influenced by GS and the concentration of extracts. Aqueous extracts of basil at a concentration of 10 to 1000 µg/mL did not show notable toxicity. The lowest mortality rate, i.e., 8.9%, was recorded for GS-2 at the highest tested dose of basil extracts. The mortality rate at GS-1, GS-2, and GS-3 was found to be 26.7 ± 3.34%, 8.91 ± 0.10%, and 16.7 ± 0.34%, respectively, at 1000 µg/mL. GS-2 basil powder with the lowest toxicological risk was extracted with different solvents, viz., <i>n</i>-hexane, dichloromethane, ethanol, and water. The highest concentration of plant secondary metabolites including total phenolic acid, flavonoids, and tannin content was observed in ethanol extracts. Ethanol extracts also exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in DPPH, FRAP and H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> assays. LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis presented ethanol extracts of basil as a promising source of known health-promoting and therapeutic compounds such as rosmarinic acid, ellagic acid, catechin, liquiritigenin, and umbelliferone. The results suggest basil, a culinary ingredient, as a potential source of bioactive compounds which may offer an array of health promoting and therapeutic properties.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/9/1239<i>Artemia salina</i>brine shrimpcoumarinDPPHFRAPmass spectrometry |
| spellingShingle | Hafiz Rehan Nadeem Saeed Akhtar Piero Sestili Tariq Ismail Susanne Neugart Muhammad Qamar Tuba Esatbeyoglu Toxicity, Antioxidant Activity, and Phytochemicals of Basil (<i>Ocimum basilicum</i> L.) Leaves Cultivated in Southern Punjab, Pakistan Foods <i>Artemia salina</i> brine shrimp coumarin DPPH FRAP mass spectrometry |
| title | Toxicity, Antioxidant Activity, and Phytochemicals of Basil (<i>Ocimum basilicum</i> L.) Leaves Cultivated in Southern Punjab, Pakistan |
| title_full | Toxicity, Antioxidant Activity, and Phytochemicals of Basil (<i>Ocimum basilicum</i> L.) Leaves Cultivated in Southern Punjab, Pakistan |
| title_fullStr | Toxicity, Antioxidant Activity, and Phytochemicals of Basil (<i>Ocimum basilicum</i> L.) Leaves Cultivated in Southern Punjab, Pakistan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Toxicity, Antioxidant Activity, and Phytochemicals of Basil (<i>Ocimum basilicum</i> L.) Leaves Cultivated in Southern Punjab, Pakistan |
| title_short | Toxicity, Antioxidant Activity, and Phytochemicals of Basil (<i>Ocimum basilicum</i> L.) Leaves Cultivated in Southern Punjab, Pakistan |
| title_sort | toxicity antioxidant activity and phytochemicals of basil i ocimum basilicum i l leaves cultivated in southern punjab pakistan |
| topic | <i>Artemia salina</i> brine shrimp coumarin DPPH FRAP mass spectrometry |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/9/1239 |
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