Molecules (Oct 2008)

Variation of Ursolic Acid Content in Eight Ocimum Species from Northeastern Brazil

  • Selene M. Morais,
  • Fábio O. Silva,
  • Rogério N. dos Santos,
  • Irineu L. Albuquerque,
  • Francisca N. P. Mendes,
  • Icaro G. P. Vieira,
  • M. Goretti V. Silva

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules13102482
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 10
pp. 2482 – 2487

Abstract

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Ursolic acid is a very important compound due to its biological potential as an anti-inflammatory, trypanocidal, antirheumatic, antiviral, antioxidant and antitumoral agent. This study presents the HPLC analysis of ursolic acid (UA) content in eight different Ocimum species: O. americanum L., O. basilicum L, O. basilicum var purpurascens Benth, O. basilicum var. minimum L, O. gratissimum L, O. micranthum Willd, O. selloi Benth. and O. tenuiflorum L. grown in Northeastern Brazil. In these Ocimum species, UA was detected in different yields, with O. tenuiflorum showing the highest content (2.02%). This yield is very significant when compared with other sources of UA.

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