About Ocimum campechianum Mill.
Ocimum campechianum Mill. is a plant species belonging to the family Lamiaceae. It is widely distributed across Mexico, Central America, South America, the West Indies, and Florida. The leaves of this plant are eaten in the Amazon jungle of Brazil. Similar to basil, it has a pungent flavor and contains essential oils that have been used in ethnomedicine. In Amazonia, its aromatic leaves are added as an admixture to ayahuasca brews. In Mexico, the plant is called albahaca; on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, it is known as xkakaltun, where it is classified as a honey plant and used as an abortifacient. In Brazil, it is called alfavaca. It also has many other common names, including albahaca del monte, Amazonian basil, wild sweet basil, wild mosquito plant, least basil, Peruvian basil, spice basil, alfavaca-do-campo, manjericao, and estoraque.
