It is native to Africa, Madagascar, southern Asia, and the Bismarck Archipelago, and naturalized in Polynesia, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama, West Indies, Brazil, and Bolivia.

[3] O. gratissimum is a common culinary herb in West Africa and is used by some in the Caribbean, going by many local names, even in the Indian subcontinent.

[6] The phytochemicals present in Ocimum gratissimum contains polyphenols such as Gallic acid, Rosmanol, rosmarinic acid, flavonoids such as Nepetrin, Quercetin, Rutin, Catechin, and also alkaloids and terpenoids.

Naringin, uteolin, Apigenin, Nepetoidin, Nevadensin, Hymenoxin, Salvigenin, Apigenin, 7,4,′-dimethyl ether, Basilimoside, 2alpha, 3 beta-Dihydroxyolean- 12en-28-oic acid, Methyl acetate, Oleanolic acid [7] The essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum contains eugenol and shows some evidence of antibacterial activity.

[8][9][10][11] The essential oil has potential for use as a food preservative,[12] and is toxic to Leishmania.