Young leaf explants of Ocimum sanctum L. incubated on solidified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2 mg l -1 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 0.2 mg l -1 kinetin (Kn) developed rhizogenic callus. When these were subcultured onto MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg l -1 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) and 0.5 mg l -1 NAA, friable rhizogenic callus was observed. Upon transfer of this friable callus onto liquid MS medium containing 4 mg l -1 NAA and 1.3 mg l -1 6-benzyladnine (BA) under continuous agitation at 90 rpm and 16 h photoperiod, roots with an optimum dry weight of 1,460 mg l -1 were obtained. An ethyl acetate extract of these roots exhibited 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity.