Chemical characterization of Ocimum basilicum L. extracts obtained by high pressure Co2 extraction.

This work reports extraction yield and chemical characterization of the extracts obtained by high-pressure CO2 extraction of a cultivar of Ocimum basilicum L. The experiments were performed in the temperature range of 20 to 50 degrees C, from 100 to 250 arm of pressure. Chemical analyses were carried out by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, permitting to identify 23 compounds that were grouped into five chemical classes. Results showed that temperature and solvent density influenced positively the extraction yield. At 20 degrees C and 0.41 g cm(-3) occurred a rise in the concentration of monoterpenes, oxygenated monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and oxygenated sesquiterpenes.