Triterpenoid Saponins from the Methanol Extract of Ocimum basilicum Aerial Parts.

Effect of Ocimum basilicum methanol aerial parts extract, its fractions and three pure compounds ursolic acid, 3-epi-ursolic acid and oleanolic acid on human cancer cell lines HT-144, MCF-7, NCI-H460 and SF-268 cell lines using Sulforhodamine B assay was reported earlier by this group. As a result of further phytochemical studies, one new (ocimuside, 1) and one known (ilexoside, 2) triterpenoid saponins were isolated from the methanol extract of the aerial parts of Ocimum basilicum. The structure of the new compound, ocimuside (1) was elucidated by spectroscopic techniques. This may be noted that this is the first report of isolation and structure elucidation of saponins from Ocimum basilicum, although earlier phytochemical analysis indicated the presence of saponins in Ocimum basilicum and other species of this genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]