Isolation of Methyl Eugenol from Ocimum basilicum Leaves and Inflorescence Growing in Shendi and its Potentiality as Fruitfly Attractant

Abstract

This study was carried out at Shendi area to assess the potentiality of Ocimum basilicum L. (Basil) as fruit fly attractant. Basil plant parts were extracted using soxhlet apparatus and the highest oil percentage was produced from the flowers and leaves (5.75 and 3.03% respectively), while, the lowest percentages were obtained from the seeds and stems (0.02 and 0.21% respectively). The produced oil was analyzed using GC/MS technique and methyl eugenol was found as one of the 32 compounds produced. Natural methyl eugenol was isolated from O. baslicum flowers using HPLC technique and pure compound was verified with the standard methyl eugenol. The raw plant parts (leaves and flowers) used in forms of powder and paste and their oils as well as the isolated methyl eugenol were baited to test the basil efficiency as fruit fly attraction. The raw basil plant parts leaves and flowers (powders and paste) demonstrated very poor attraction of fruit fly whereas, the catch per trap obtained from the oil of the leaves was increased 20-fold and 13.5-fold more than that obtained from the powder and paste of the leaves respectively and that of the oil of the flowers increased by l4.5-fold and 11.9-fold as compared with that obtained from the powder and paste of the flowers respectively. Natural methyl eugenol isolated from oil of 0. basilicum flowers showed significant (p < 0.05) attraction to the fruit flies and comparable to that obtained from the synthetic one. In conclusion, it was clear that essential oils from the leaves and flowers of O. basilicum caused some attraction to the fruit flies but a significant effect was only obtained when methyl eugenol isolated and applied in pure form.