Investigation of Total Phenolic and Flavonoid Content Present in the Leaf and Stalk Extracts of Ocimum Gratissimum (Scent Leaf) Cultivated In Jos, Nigeria

The present study examines the total phenolic and flavonoid content in the leaf and stalk of Ocimum gratissimum grown in Jos by using the maceration method for extraction. Ethanol and ethyl acetate were used as solvents for the extraction of bioactive compounds from the plant material. Total phenolic content (TPC) of the extracts was determined as Gallic Acid Equivalent (GAE). The results showed that the TPC of the ethyl acetate extract was significantly higher (231.78 ± 2.3609 mg/100g GAE) than that obtained from ethanol extract (182.61 ± 0.7765 mg/100g GAE). Ethyl acetate, hence, proved to be a better solvent in extracting phenolic compounds from this plant material. The study also determined the total flavonoid content (TFC) of the extracts. The results revealed that the ethanol extract gave a higher TFC for the stalk (345.23 ± 1.80 mg/100g GAE) compared to the ethyl acetate extract, while the ethyl acetate extract had a higher TFC for the leaf (124.86 ± 2.44 mg/100g GAE). These differences establish that both solvent type and plant part affect the efficiency of flavonoid extraction. The results generally reveal that O. gratissimum grown in Jos contained considerable amounts of phenolic and flavonoid compounds, comparable to those cultivated in other parts of the world. The study also highlighted the fact that the solvent employed played an important role in optimizing the extraction of the bioactive compounds. Ethyl acetate is more efficient at extracting phenolic, whereas ethanol is more effective for flavonoids in specific plant parts. This adds valuable information about the phytochemical profile of Ocimum gratissimum, which has pointed out its potential applications in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals.