Analysis, Chemotype and Quality Control of the Essential Oil of a New Cultivated Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Plant from Bulgaria ^†

The essential oil of the spice plant Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) from Bulgaria was investigated using gas chromatographic-spectroscopic (GC/FID and GC/MS: polar, non-polar and chiral phases of GC columns) and olfactoric methods. As main compounds of this basil oil sample (R)-(-)-linalool (71.4%), (Z,E)-α-farnesene (6.5%), 1,8-cineole (5.6%), τ-cadinol (2.8%), germacrene D (1.7%), citronellol (1.2%) and bornyl acetate (1.1%) were identified. Ths results show, that the essential basil oil from Bulgaria belongs to the European linalool chemotype. The correlations of olfactoric data (qualitative and quantitative) with the presented analytical ones certificate the good quality of this Bulgarian Ocimum basilicum sample. A possible use of this essential basil oil in medicine, perfumery and foods is discussed.