Volatile constituents in oil from different plant parts of methyl eugenol-rich Ocimum tenuiflorum Lf (syn. O. sanctum L.) grown in south India

Ocimum tenuiflorum L.f. (syn. O. sanctum L.) (Lamiaceae) is an indigenous ayurvedic medicinal plant of India and is popularly known as holy basil/sacred basil. Oils obtained by hydrodistillation from leaves, stems, inflorescence and whole herb were analyzed by GC and GC/M S and retention indices. M ethyl eugenol was the major constituent of all the oils (72.5%, 75.3%, 83.7% and 65.2% in oils from whole herb, leaf, stem and inflorescence, respectively). beta-Caryophyllene was the second most dominant constituent and the respective concentration in each oil (5.5%, 6.4%, 2.7% and 12.0%).