BASIL, SWEET BASIL (Ocimum basilicum L.)

BASIL, SWEET BASIL (Ocimum basilicum L.)

Synonym — O. basilicum var. glabratum Benth., O. basilicum var. majus Benth.
Activities (Basil) — Alexeteric (f; CRC; WOI); Analgesic (1; CRC; PNC; TRA); Antacid (1; TRA);
Antialzheimeran (1; COX; FNF); Antiarthritic (1; COX; FNF); Antibacterial (1; APA; PNC; TRA);
Anticancer (1; COX; FNF); Anticoagulase (f; WOI); Anticomplementary(1; TRA); Antidote (f;
CRC); Antiinflammatory (1; COX; FNF; TRA); Antioxidant (1; APA); Antiplaque (1; APA);
Antipyretic (f; CRC; IED; WOI); Antiseptic (1; APA; KOM; PHR; PH2; TRA); Antispasmodic (1;
CRC; TRA); Antitumor (1; APA); Antiulcer (1; APA; TRA); Aperitif (f; PHR; PH2); Aphrodisiac
(f; CRC; IED; JFM); Aromatic (f; PNC); Bradycardic (1; TRA); Candidicide (1; AAB); Carcinogenic
(1; CRC; KOM; TRA); Carminative (1; APA; PNC; TRA); COX-2- Inhibitor (1; COX; FNF);
Cyanogenic (f; CRC; WOI); Demulcent (f; CRC; DEP); Deodorant (f; CRC); Diaphoretic (f; AAB;
CRC; DEP); Digestive (1; APA; PHR; PH2; TRA); Diuretic (f; CRC; DEP; KOM; PHR; PH2);
Emmenagogue (f; AAB; APA); Enterotonic (f; JFM); Expectorant (f; CRC; WOI); Fullness (f;
PH2); Fungicide (1; AAB; TRA); Gastrotonic (f; JFM); Glutathionigenic (1; TRA); Hemostat (f;
PH2); Hepatocarcinogenic (1; PNC); Insecticide (1; CRC; TRA); Insectifuge (1; CRC; JFM);

Lactagogue (f; CRC; HHB); Larvicide (1; TRA); Laxative (f; CRC; HHB); Narcotic (1; CRC;
TRA); Parasiticide (1; APA); Pectoral (f; CRC; WOI); Sedative (f; CRC); Sternutator (f; JFM);
Stimulant (f; CRC; IED; JFM); Stomachic (1; CRC; TRA); Tonic (f; JFM); Tranquilizer (1; TRA);
Vermicide (1; AAB); Vermifuge (1; CRC; JFM; PNC; WOI).
Indications (Basil) — Acne (1; APA; PNC); Acrochordon (f; JLH); Aging (1; APA); Alcoholism
(f; APA; CRC); Alzheimer’s (1; COX; FNF); Amenorrhea (f; APA; PH2); Anasarca (f; CRC);
Anorexia (f; APA; KOM; PHR; PH2); Aphtha (f; JFM); Arthrosis (1; COX; FNF; PHR; PH2);
Asthma (f; IED); Bacteria (1; APA; PNC; TRA; WOI); Bleeding (f; PH2); Boredom (f; CRC);
Bronchosis (1; TRA); Bruise (f; PHR; PH2); Cancer (1; COX; FNF); Cancer, diaphragm (f;
JLH); Cancer, eye (f; JLH); Cancer, liver (f; JLH); Cancer, spleen (f; JLH); Cancer, stomach (f;
JLH); Candida (1; AAB); Cardiopathy (f; APA); Cataract (f; AAB); Catarrh (f; CRC; IED);
Childbirth (1; AAB; CRC; DEP; PH2); Chill (f; APA; PHR; PH2); Cholera (f; CRC); Cold (f;
APA; HHB; PHR); Colic (f; CRC); Collapse (f; CRC); Conjunctivosis (f; IED); Constipation (f;
APA; CRC; DEP; HHB); Contusion (f; PHR); Convulsion (f; CRC); Cough (f; IED); Cramp (1;
APA; CRC; TRA); Croup (f; CRC); Deafness (f; CRC; JFM); Delirium (f; CRC); Depression
(f; APA; CRC; PHR; PH2); Dermatosis (1; PH2; TRA); Diarrhea (f; CRC; DEP); Dropsy (f;
CRC); Dysentery (f; CRC; DEP); Dysmenorrhea (1; AAB; APA; PH2); Dyspepsia (f; APA;
KOM); Dysuria (f; CRC); Enterosis (f; CRC; DEP; JFM); Epilepsy (f; CRC; IED); Fever (f;
AAB; CRC; DEP; IED; JFM; PH2; WOI); Flu (f; CRC; JFM); Fungus (1; AAB; CRC; TRA);
Gas (1; APA; CRC; PHR; PNC; TRA); Gastrosis (f; APA; JFM; TRA); Gingivosis (f; PH2);
Gonorrhea (f; CRC; DEP); Gout (f; CRC; WOI); Gravel (f; CRC); Halitosis (f; CRC; WOI);
Hangover (f; IED); Headache (f; CRC; IED); Hemiplegia (f; CRC); Hemorrhoid (f; CRC; DEP;
WOI); Hiccup (f; CRC); High Blood Pressure (f; IED); Hysteria (f; CRC); Infection (1; AAB;
APA; KOM; PH2; TRA); Inflammation (1; COX; FNF; TRA); Insanity (f; CRC); Insomnia (f;
CRC); Itch (f; APA; PH2); Malaria (f; DEP; PH2); Migraine (f; CRC); Mucososis (f; HHB);
Mycosis (1; AAB; CRC; TRA); Nausea (1; APA; TRA); Nephrosis (f; APA; CRC; DEP; PH2;
PNC); Nervousness (1; CRC; TRA); Neurosis (f; APA; CRC); Odontosis (1; APA); Otosis (2;
AAB; CRC; DEP; PH2; TRA); Pain (1; CRC; PHR; PH2; PNC; TRA); Paralysis (f; CRC);
Parasite (1; AAB; APA); Pertussis (f; CRC); Pharyngosis (f; APA); Plaque (1; APA); Polyp (f;
CRC); Puerperium (f; APA); Respirosis (1; TRA); Rheumatism (1; COX; IED; PHR; PH2);
Rhinosis (f; CRC); Ringworm (f; APA; CRC; DEP); Salmonella (1; WOI); Seborrhea (1; TRA);
Sinusosis (f; CRC); Snakebite (f; APA; CRC); Sore (1; AAB; CRC); Sore Throat (f; APA; CRC);
Spasm (f; CRC); Staphylococcus (1; CRC); Sting (f; CRC); Stomachache (1; AAB); Stomatosis
(f; JFM); Swelling (f; APA); Toothache (f; CRC); Tumor (1; APA; CRC); Ulcer (1; APA; TRA);
Urogenitosis (f; HHB); UTI (f; HHB); VD (f; CRC); Vertigo (f; IED); Wart (f; APA; CRC);
Water Retention (f; CRC; DEP; KOM; PHR; PH2); Worm (1; AAB; CRC; JFM; PNC; WOI);
Wound (1; APA; PHR; PH2); Yeast (1; AAB).
Dosages (Basil) — 1–2 tsp herb/cup water 2–3 ×/day; 0.5–1 tsp tincture up to 3 ×/day (APA); 5
g leaf/200 cc water for gas (JFM); 20 g leaf/300 cc water for aphtha (JFM); 15 g fresh plant/l
water, one cup before retiring (TRA).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Basil) — Class 2b, 2c, 2d. Not recommended
for infants or over a long period (AHP).“Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic
dosages” (PH2) But one should forgo use of basil oil, however, until “the final determinations
of the drug’s carcinogenic potential” (PH2). Commission E reports the herb contains up to 0.5%
of EO, which contains up to 85% of estragole. Estragole is mutagenic following metabolic activation,
and there is evidence from animal experiments that it may be carcinogenic. The herb and EO
should not be used during pregnancy and lactation or for prolonged periods. There is no objection
to the use of the herb as an admixture in levels up to 5% (AEH)

Extracts (Basil) — LD50 hydromethanolic extract = >2000 mg/kg (TRA); LD50 powdered herb
>6000 (TRA). Fair source of COX-2 Inhibiting oleanolic acid at ~0.1% (COX; FNF). As a source
of eugenol, perhaps second only to some varieties of clove (up to 20% eugenol), and cinnamon
(to 3.8%), and allspice (to 3.6% eugenol).

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