Holy basil, also known as tulsi or tulasi or by its Latin term, "Ocimum sanctum," is an herb native to India. It's sacred in the Hindu religion and used so widely throughout India and southern Asia for various medical conditions that it's been called "The Queen of Herbs."
Anti-inflammatory/Antioxidant
Several studies, such as one from the Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, have shown that the seeds of holy basil contain a pale yellow-colored fixed oil which has anti-inflammatory properties. The herb also has significant ability to scavenge highly reactive free radicals, according to a report in the 2004 issue of "Life Sciences."
Asthma
Preliminary clinical trials in India treated asthma patients with 500 milligrams of holy basil three times daily. After one month, the researchers found that not only was breathing function improved in most patients, but that the frequency of asthma attacks was reduced.
Blood Sugar
Extracts from holy basil leaves provided hypoglycemic effects in laboratory animals at Azad University in Kanpur. The scientists also noticed a significant decrease in fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels in their trials on human subjects. Additional research published in "Hormone and Metabolic Research" in January 2008 reported that oral administration of the aqueous extract of the whole plant protected against the development of insulin resistance in fructose-fed rats.
Cholesterol
After laboratory rabbits at the S.N. Medical College in Agra were fed fresh leaves of holy basil for four weeks, there was a significant lowering of the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids, as well as an increase in the good HDL cholesterol and decrease in the bad LDL cholesterol. Additional research in Thailand confirmed that holy basil extracts had has lipid-lowering and antioxidative effects that protect the heart against hypercholesterolemia.
Stress Relief
Dr. Andrew Weil suggests that the most compelling evidence for any health benefits from holy basil to date are regarding its effects on counteracting stress. One study, published in 1991 in "Indian Journal of Pharmacology," found that holy basil was a more potent anti-stress agent than ginseng and also had a higher margin of safety.
Ulcers
In 1999, a study in "Journal of Ethnopharmacology" reported that fixed oil from the holy basil plant was effective at treating ulcers in patients whose ulcers were caused by aspirin, alcohol abuse, or stress. It appears that effect may be due to the herb's ability to reduce acid secretion and increase mucous secretion.
Wound Healing
Another potential benefit of holy basil is its ability to promote wound healing, which shows particular promise in treating such abnormal healing conditions as keloids and hypertrophic scars. Again, as the researchers at Melaka Manipal Medical College discovered, this is due in large part to the plant's antioxidant activities.
References
- Dr. Weil: Holy Basil to Combat Stress?
- PubMed: Inhibition of lipid peroxidation by botanical extracts of Ocimum sanctum
- PubMed: Modulation of glutathione and antioxidant enzymes by Ocimum sanctum
- PubMed: Evaluation of the gastric antiulcer activity of fixed oil of Ocimum sanctum (Holy Basil).
- PubMed: Trial of holy basil leaves in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
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