Author(s):

Ngari Ann G, Omolo Maurice V, Tarus Paul K, Ng’ang’a Margaret M, and Hassanali Ahmed

Abstract: Plants of genus Ocimum have unique aromas hence the likelihood of chemical profiles of their fresh volatiles being different. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of head space volatiles of fresh aerial parts of O. kenyense, O. kilimandscharicum and O. lamiifolium species led to identification of four major classes of chemical constituents namely; monoterpenoids (15.16-56.01%), benzenoids (16.68-43.41%), sesquiterpenoids (3.35-22.77%) and non-terpenoids (7.62-15.62%). Fresh aromas of O. kenyense species from Laikipia and Nyeri Counties contained major constituents such as β-pinene (13.0-13.3%), p-ethylacetophenone (9.65-11.3%), p-methoxyacetophenone (8.74-11.6%), eucalyptol (6.10-8.80%) and ethyl isovalerate (7.62-7.80%). Limonene (9.94%) and camphor (19.4%); and eucalyptol (19.93%) and linalool (19.2%) were identified as major constituents of O. kilimandscharicum species from Kirinyaga and Nyeri Counties, respectively. α-Phellandrene (11.92%), limonene (7.65%) and (E)-β-ocimene (7.04%) were identified as major constituents of O. lamiifolium species (Nyandarua County) while α-phellandrene (18.69%) and β-sabinene (15.73%) were identified as major compounds of O. lamiifolium species (Nakuru County).

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