Basil

(Ocimum Basilicum)

Basil is usually cultivated in the temperate latitudes as an annual plant. It is an upright, annual to perennial herbaceous plant that reaches heights of growth of 20 to 60 centimeters. All parts of the plant smell aromatic. Stems, bracts and often the leaves are hairy (indument). The deciduous leaves are divided into petiole and leaf blade. The short petioles have a length of 5 to 20 millimeters. The simple leaf blade is often egg-shaped with a length of 1.5 to 5 centimeters and a width of 0.8 to 3.2 centimeters. The sheet edge is smooth.

Ingredients

The content and composition of the essential oil vary greatly depending on the variety, origin and harvest time. The content of the oil varies between 0.04 and 0.70%, whereby the German Pharmacopoeia prescribes a minimum content of 0.4% (based on the dry substance). The most important components of the essential oil are linalool with up to 85% share, estragol with up to 90% and eugenol with up to 20%. Other monoterpenes such as ocimene and cineol are also included, sesquiterpenes and phenylpropanes such as chavicol. In addition to essential oil tannins, flavonoids, caffeic acid and esculoside are contained in appreciable quantities.