By Grace Ademulegun
Clove basil, African basil, and wild basil are other names for Ocimum gratissimum, also known as scent leaves in Nigeria, efinrin in Yoruba, nchanwu in Igbo, and daidoya in Hausa.
Although it has become naturalised in a few other countries, this variety of basil is indigenous to southern Asia, Africa, Madagascar, and the Bismarck Archipelago.
In West Africa, it is commonly grown in and around village huts and gardens for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Strongly scented, the leaves are often used to flavour soup and season meat, especially game.
In the southeast of Nigeria and elsewhere, the leaves are used extensively as a necessary spice in soups, particularly “pepper soup,” and other meals of a similar nature.
Numerous medical qualities of Ocimum gratissimum leaf are attributed to the substantial levels of eugenol, thymol, camphor, pinene, limonene, and other chemical components found in its essential oil.
Ocimum gratissimum’s essential oil is responsible for the majority of its therapeutic benefits. Therefore, before sunrises in the morning is the ideal time to gather this plant. The majority of the volatile essential oils would have leaked into the atmosphere once the sun had set.
It is also used to cure a number of ailments, including fever, pains, diarrhoea, anaemia, inflammation, and bacterial and fungal infections, according to study conducted in 2019 by Shedoeva, Leavesley, Upton, and Fan.
It contains a sufficient amount of macronutrients that are beneficial to the body. When consumed in moderation and in the proper amount, the leaf contains a great deal of nutritional value.
Due to its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifertility qualities, among other things, scent leaf has long been utilized in herbal therapy. In the treatment of piles from the traditional knowledge of Oyo State and Cross River State, it has emerged as a major theme.
Eating the stem of Ocimum gratissimum leaves helps maintain teeth strong and avoid bad breath because fragrance leaves contain oral microbes that fight tooth decay, according to a research by Mbegbu, Nwajinka, and Amaefule from 2021.
There are numerous health benefits associated with scent leaves. It contains magnesium and calcium, which both help to reduce blood sugar.
A study conducted in 2023 by Ademiluyi, Ogunsuyi, Akinduro, Aro, and Oboh revealed that fragrance leaves protect the islets that produce insulin for the body. It lowers blood sugar and shields the insulin-producing pancreatic islets from damage.
Additionally, it helps the heart work properly by eliminating cholesterol and other toxins that the body doesn’t require. The intestinal evacuation process is aided by Ocimum gratissimum. It facilitates faster food digestion and has a calming effect on the stomach.
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Recent studies by Ugbogu et al. in 2021 have demonstrated that Ocimum gratissimum is utilised as a medicine for those who have HIV and AIDS.
Scent leaves can be used to prevent vomiting, diarrhoea, dysentery, and stomachaches. Additionally, it facilitates rapid meal digestion. One of the amazing health benefits of fragrance leaves is that they can help blood sugar levels return to normal when consumed on a daily basis.
According to a 2018 study by Agholor, Lucy, Idris, Lucy, and Rakiya, fragrance leaves can heal the damage that smoking and nicotine have caused to the body.
Ocimum gratissimum has a variety of therapeutic advantages that have long been used in conventional therapy.
Diarrhoea is typically thought of as a brief, minor annoyance. Diarrhoea is a severe, chronic issue for a large number of other people. In fact, diarrhoeal illnesses rank as the second most common cause of mortality for children under five, according to the World Health Organisation.
Despite being sometimes overlooked, the use of fragrance leaf is one of many remedies for diarrhoea. According to current research by Das, Islam, Faruk, Ashaduzzaman, and Dungani in 2020, it can be used to cure diarrhoea.
The active ingredient of Ocimum gratissimum is eugenol, a chemical that has antibacterial and antispasmodic properties. To put it another way, it can help eliminate the bacteria causing diarrhoea and also relieve the cramps and bloating that are often associated with it.
Because of its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-ulcer qualities, scent leaf extract has long been used to treat ulcers. The phenolic chemicals carvacrol and eugenol are the particular components of fragrance leaf extract that are thought to be in charge of its anti-ulcer properties.
It has been demonstrated that the natural substance eugenol has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities. It is known to suppress the activity of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an enzyme that is essential for ulcer development.
Another phenolic component that has been demonstrated to have antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory qualities is carvacrol, which is present in fragrance leaf extract.
By boosting mucus formation and decreasing stomach acid release, it is thought to protect the gastric mucosa. These substances cooperate to shield the stomach mucosa from harm and encourage the repair of pre-existing ulcers.
Due to the antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial properties of its oil, which were discovered by Irshad, Ali Subhani, Ali, and Hussain in 2020, scent leaf is sometimes referred to as the “fever” leaf.
Scent leaf’s antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial properties make it a treatment for skin conditions. When crushed into a skin care paste, it combats skin conditions like ringworm.
Ocimum gratissimum’s outstanding nutritional and pharmacological applications make it a great functional ingredient for use in the treatment of a wide spectrum of health problems.
Numerous researchers are presently conducting extensive research on the health-promoting properties of this plant.
