Basil in Herbal Medicine: Basil Properties

Scientific name

Ocimum basilicum L.

Family

Labiatae

Origin

Plant cultivated everywhere but imported from Asia and Africa.

Used Parts

Drug consisting of leaves and aerial parts.

Chemical constituents

Essential oil rich in estragole (up to 85%), linalool, camphor, geraniol, methyl cinnamate, linalyl acetate, eugenol (in relation to various chemotypes);
Flavonoids;
Caffeic acid and its derivatives.

Basil in Herbal Medicine: Basil Properties

The basil, dried or fresh, as well as in the kitchen, can only be used as a corrector of the flavor of herbal teas used for digestive purposes.

In popular medicine, a galactogenic activity is ascribed to basil, but its scientific truth has not been proven.

Local packs with fresh basil leaves, applied to the reddened area, calm skin irritations.

Biological activity

Although the use of basil has not obtained official approval for any type of therapeutic application, numerous properties are attributed to this plant.

More in detail, to the basil they are ascribed - as to other plants of the genus Lamiaceae - antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, stimulating, stomachic (useful in case of loss of appetite), carminative and diuretic properties.

Moreover, the essential oil of basil has been shown to have antibacterial activity in vitro, most likely due to the linalool contained in it. In this regard, an interesting study conducted in vitro on Staphylococcus aureus cultures showed that the essential oil of basil administered in combination with imipenem (a beta-lactam antibiotic) is able to exert a synergistic effect, thus increasing l antibiotic activity.

Another study, instead, investigated the potential antitumor activity of basil leaf extract. From this study it emerged that the basil extract possesses antioxidant activity and is able to exert a cytotoxic action in different types of tumor cells, through a mechanism of induction of apoptotic processes.

The results obtained so far are certainly encouraging, but before being able to approve these therapeutic uses of basil, more in-depth clinical studies are needed.

Basil in folk medicine and homeopathy

Basil has always been used by folk medicine to counteract gastrointestinal disorders, such as a sense of fullness and flatulence, and as a remedy to promote digestion, diuresis and to stimulate the appetite.

Furthermore, folk medicine also attributes alleged galactogogic properties to this plant.

Basil essential oil, on the other hand, is used in traditional medicine to treat rheumatic pain, joint pain, wounds, colds and even to treat depression.

In Chinese medicine, basil is used to treat kidney dysfunctions and stomach cramps.

In Indian medicine, however, basil is used to treat a wide variety of ailments, such as anorexia, rheumatoid arthritis, ear pain, skin diseases, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, febrile states and malaria.

Basil is also used in homeopathic medicine, where it can be found in the form of granules with indications for the treatment of anxiety disorders, nausea and vomiting, motion sickness, intestinal spasms, bronchitis and fat cough.

The amount of homeopathic remedy to be taken may vary from patient to patient, also depending on the homeopathic dilution used.

Contraindications

Avoid taking basil in case of proven hypersensitivity to one or more components.

Furthermore, the estragole contained in the essential oil of the plant has been shown to possess mutagenic and carcinogenic activity in vitro; for this reason its use is also contraindicated in pregnancy, during lactation and in pediatric patients.

Warnings

Due to the presence of high amounts of estragol - which has shown to have a potential carcinogenic activity - it is necessary to proceed with extreme caution in the use of essential oil of basil. In any case, the intake of the aforementioned oil is generally not recommended.