Composition of the essential oil of Ocimum canum grown in Rwanda.

The essential oil from leaves and flowers of Ocimum canum Sims, growing wild in Rwanda, was investigated by LSC, GLC and GC-MS. All samples were characterized by a high content of linalool (60-90%). Neither camphor nor citral and methyl cinnamate, compounds reported to be characteristic for different types of O. canum, could be detected. All monoterpene hydrocarbons were present in minor amounts (less than 1.5%). The oil samples with the lowest linalool content consisted of relatively large amounts of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons such as bergamotene (about 10%) and beta-caryophyllene (about 5%). Oct-1-en-3-ol and 3-octanol were the only oxygen-containing components, besides linalool, that amounted to more than 1% in most of the oil samples.