Chromatographic fingerprinting of some basils and the evaluation of their antioxidant properties with chemometric calculations

Abstract

The quality of 12 basils (Ocimum basilicum L.) extracts was evaluated based on content of phenolics, antioxidant activity, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint combined with chemometrics. Evaluation of antioxidant activity was performed using DPPH technique and total phenolic was determined using Folin–Ciocalteau reagent. Highest antioxidant activity was obtained for O. basilicum L. “Petit Anis Blanc”, O. basilicum L. “Fine Verde”, O. basilicum L. var. Lactucaefolium, O. basilicum L. “Siam Queen” and two species from market. The evaluation of chemical similarity was performed using similarity and distance measures, principle component analysis and cluster analysis (CA). Similarity between O. basilicum L. “Fine Verde” and O. basilicum L. ‘Siam Queen’ was confirmed using chemometric techniques. Similarity between one of the market species and Ocimum tenuiflorum L. was confirmed based on similarity measures and CA. The relationship between chromatographic data and antioxidant activity was determined using partial least squares. High value of correlation coefficient between chromatographic data and total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were obtained. These results confirm the usefulness of statistical method for predicting the relationship between chemical composition of samples and their biological activity. In conclusion, applied chromatographic and chemometric techniques have been proved suitable for estimation of phytochemical similarity of selected basils and for predicting their antioxidant activities.

Graphical abstract

Keywords:

• Antioxidants
• basils
• chemometrics
• fingerprint
• HPLC

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).