Abstract. The activated carbon prepared from the bark of Ocimum Tenuiflorum reduces the amount of dissolved oxygen (DO) present in distilled water, which in turn reduces the rate of corrosion. The effects of DO, temperature and pH on the rate of mild steel corrosion were discussed. The inhibition efficiency of corrosion on mild steel was estimated by weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The inhibition efficiency increases with increase in temperature, pH and the mass of activated carbon. The adsorption of activated carbon follows Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The surface morphology of activated carbon was analysed by FT-IR and SEM.