Comparative characteristics of several biochemical indicators of Ocimum tenuiflorum L. in hydroponic and soil conditions
Currently, more attention in the world is being paid to adaptogenic plants, which have a positive effect on the human body, help to adapt to external factors, work capacity and, most importantly, regulate the level of chronic stress.
Among such plants is Ocimum tenuiflorum L., which is widely known in the traditional and folk medicine of a number of Southeast Asian countries. O. tenuiflorum gives tea a unique taste.
It helps to manage stressful situations and depression, promotes memory and sleep recovery and stimulates brain function.
The plant is also used for the treatment of infectious and viral, skin, liver, cardiovascular system diseases, pneumonia, asthma, atherosclerosis and a number of other diseases.
The plant extract is reducing blood glucose levels.
The beneficial properties of O. tenuiflorum are mainly due to the presence of essential oil in the leaves, the main components of which are linalool, cineole, camphor, eugenol and methyleugenol.
It has an antibacterial effect, due to the content of phytoncides.
The leaves of O. tenuiflorum also contain ursolic acid and flavonoids including apigenin, luteolin, orientin.
The plant has a weak analgesic and antioxidant effect, due to the content of vitamin C, vitamin E, rosmarinic acid, and flavonoids (orientin and vicetin). It prevents the development of several types of malignant tumors, including those of the breast, colon and pancreas.
The aim of the work is to study the efficiency of the plant and the change of several biochemical indicators under outdoor hydroponics and soil conditions.
The results showed that growing media did not have any significant influence on accumulation of fresh and dry biomass of holy basil.
It was found that a high content of vitamin C (2.9 times) in the fresh plant raw material was observed in the soil plants.
The difference in the content of β-carotene, extractives and flavonoids was not significant.
However, hydroponic plants exceeded the soil one in the content of the most important indicator NDASH essential oil by 1.7 and in the content of phenolic acids by 1.2 times.
Therefore, the cultivation of holy basil in both soil and soilless conditions of Ararat Valley is effective, and the resulting plant raw material can be used for the treatment of several chronic diseases, due to the high content of essential oil, extractives, flavonoids, and phenolic acids.
Tadevosyan, A., Tovmasyan, A., Asatryan, A., Stepanyan, A., Daryadar, M., Matevosyan, A., Ghahramanyan, A. and Mairapetyan, S. (2025). Comparative characteristics of several biochemical indicators of Ocimum tenuiflorum L. in hydroponic and soil conditions. Acta Hortic. 1416, 259-266
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2025.1416.34
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2025.1416.34
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2025.1416.34
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2025.1416.34
soilless culture, holy basil, essential oil, flavonoids, phenolic acids
English
1416_34
259-266