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Nutritional Supplement

Holy Basil

Also indexed as:Ocimum sanctum, Ocimum tenuiflorum

Parts Used & Where Grown

Holy basil is native to the Indian subcontinent and other parts of tropical Asia. The leaf and seed oil are used therapeutically.

How It Works

The stem and leaves of holy basil contain a variety of constituents that may have biological activity, including saponins, flavonoids, triterpenoids, and tannins.1 The leaf also contains an essential oil composed of eugenol and other volatile compounds.2 Several of these constituents have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties according to test tube studies.2 In animal studies, extracts of holy basil leaf have also lowered blood sugar,4,5 reduced some measures of the response to physical stresses,6,7,8,9 reduced pain sensitivity,10,11 protected heart tissue from excessive damage due to a heart attack,12 improved wound healing,13,14 and protected stomach tissue from damage from aspirin.15 Large amounts of holy basil extract were used in these studies, and few of these effects have been investigated in humans.

References

1. Jaggi RK, Madaan R, Singh B. Anticonvulsant potential of holy basil, Ocimum sanctum Linn. and its cultures. Indian J Exp Biol 2003;41:1329-33.

2. Kelm MA, Nair MG, Strasburg GM, DeWitt DL. Antioxidant and cyclooxygenase inhibitory phenolic compounds from Ocimum sanctum Linn. Phytomedicine 2000;7:7-13.

3. Vats V, Grover JK, Rathi SS. Evaluation of anti-hyperglycemic and hypoglycemic effect of Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn, Ocimum sanctum Linn and Pterocarpus marsupium Linn in normal and alloxanized diabetic rats. J Ethnopharmacol 2002;79:95-100.

4. Kar A, Choudhary BK, Bandyopadhyay NG. Comparative evaluation of hypoglycaemic activity of some Indian medicinal plants in alloxan diabetic rats. J Ethnopharmacol 2003;84:105-8.

5. Bhargava KP, Singh N. Anti-stress activity of Ocimum sanctum Linn. Indian J Med Res 1981;73:443-51.

6. Sembulingam K, Sembulingam P, Namasivayam A. Effect of Ocimum sanctum Linn on noise induced changes in plasma corticosterone level. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 1997;41:139-43.

7. Singh N. A pharmaco-clinical evaluation of some Ayurvedic crude plant drugs as anti-stress agents and their usefulness in some stress diseases of man. Ann Nat Acad Ind Med 1986;1:14-26.

8. Sood S, Narang D, Thomas MK, et al. Effect of Ocimum sanctum Linn. on cardiac changes in rats subjected to chronic restraint stress. J Ethnopharmacol 2006;108:423-7.

9. Khanna N, Bhatia J. Antinociceptive action of Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) in mice: possible mechanisms involved. J Ethnopharmacol 2003;88:293-6.

10. Godhwani S, Godhwani JL, Vyas DS. Ocimum sanctum: an experimental study evaluating its anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activity in animals. J Ethnopharmacol 1987;21:153-63.

11. Sharma M, Kishore K, Gupta SK, et al. Cardioprotective potential of ocimum sanctum in isoproterenol induced myocardial infarction in rats. Mol Cell Biochem 2001;225:75-83.

12. Shetty S, Udupa S, Udupa L, Somayaji N. Wound healing activity of Ocimum sanctum Linn with supportive role of antioxidant enzymes. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 2006;50:163-8.

13. Udupa SL, Shetty S, Udupa AL, Somayaji SN. Effect of Ocimum sanctum Linn. on normal and dexamethasone suppressed wound healing. Indian J Exp Biol 2006;44:49-54.

14. Mandal S, Das DN, De K, et al. Ocimum sanctum Linn—a study on gastric ulceration and gastric secretion in rats. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 1993;37:91-2.

15. Suanarunsawat T, Anantasomboon G, Piewbang C. Anti-diabetic and anti-oxidative activity of fixed oil extracted from Ocimum sanctum L. leaves in diabetic rats. Exp Ther Med 2016;11:832–40.

16. Husain I, Chander R, Saxena J, et al. Antidyslipidemic Effect of Ocimum sanctum Leaf Extract in Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rats. Indian J Clin Biochem 2015;30:72–7.

17. Muralikrishnan G, Pillai S, Shakeel F. Protective effects of Ocimum sanctum on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in streptozocin-induced diabetic rats. Nat Prod Res 2012;26:474–8.

18. Patil R, Patil R, Ahirwar B, Ahirwar D. Isolation and characterization of anti-diabetic component (bioactivity-guided fractionation) from Ocimum sanctum L. (Lamiaceae) aerial part. Asian Pac J Trop Med 2011;4:278–82.

19. Agrawal P, Rai V, Singh RB. Randomized placebo-controlled, single blind trial of holy basil leaves in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 1996;34:406–9.

20. Satapathy S, Das N, Bandyopadhyay D, et al. Effect of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum Linn.) Supplementation on Metabolic Parameters and Liver Enzymes in Young Overweight and Obese Subjects. Indian J Clin Biochem 2017;32:357–63.

21. Palit G, Singh SP, Singh N, et al. An experimental evaluation of antiasthmatic plant drugs from the ancient ayurvedic medicine. Asp Aller Appl Immunol 1983;16:36-41.

22. Singh SP, Sinha KN, Singh N, Kohli RP. Inula racemosa (Puskarmal), Terminalia belerica (Vibhitaki) and Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) - a preliminary clinical trial in asthma patients. Proc Int Sem Clin Pharmacol Devel Count 1986;1:18-21.

23. Dixit KS, Singh SP, Sinha KN, et al. Inula racemosa (puskarmal), Terminalia belerica (Bibhitaka) and Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) - a preliminary clinical trial in asthma patients. Proc Int Sem Clin Pharmacol Devel Count 1986;2:22-27.

24. Singh N, Hoette Y. Tulsi: the mother medicine of nature. Lucknow, India: International Institute of Herbal Medicine, 2002.

25. Bhattacharya SK, Bhattacharya A, Chakrabarti A. Adaptogenic activity of Siotone, a polyherbal formulation of Ayurvedic rasayanas. Indian J Exp Biol 2000;38:119-28.

26. Wagner H, Norr H, Winterhoff H. Drugs with adaptogenic effects for strengthening the powers of resistance. Z Phytotherapie 1992;13:42-54.

27. Seth SD, Johri N, Sundaram KR. Antispermatogenic effect of Ocimum sanctum. Indian J Exp Biol 1981;19:975-6.

28. Kasinathan S, Ramakrishnan S, Basu SL. Antifertility effect of Ocimum sanctum L. Indian J Exp Biol1972;10:23-5.

29. Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998, 33-4.

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The information presented by TraceGains is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2025.