Evaluation of some Chemical and Biochemical Constituents in Ocimum Basilicum Available in Msallata City- Libya

The total phenolic, total antioxidant, ash, moisture, and metal contents of basil leaves collected within Msallata, Libya, were evaluated. To investigate the bioactive compounds, the basils were extracted using four solvents: water, ethanol, chloroform, and ethyl acetate. Phytochemical screening experiments revealed the presence of a variety of bioactive compounds in ethanolic and aqueous extracts, including coumarins, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, phenols, carbohydrates, and proteins. Folin-Ciocalteu method was used to determine the total phenolic content of basil ethanolic extract. Furthermore, antioxidant activities were measured using phosphomolybdenum method. The total antioxidant capacity of basil was determined to be (49.8 14.7 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/g dry weight), while the total phenols were 39.75 (mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight). Likewise after dry digestion, the macro- and micro-metals; i.e. potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, iron, copper, and zinc, in basil leaves were determined using Flame Photometry and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The mineral composition revealed that potassium (58288.33 370.32 mg/kg) had the highest concentration, while zinc had the lowest (18.39 0.37 mg/kg). The results showed that basil aqueous extract had the highest yield (14.80%) and ethyl acetate extract had the lowest (2.41%). However, the moisture and ash contents were determined to be 16.00% and 15.31%, respectively. Finally, the basil extracts demonstrated the potential for use as health-promoting food ingredients.