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Holy Basil

Uses

Botanical names:
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.

What Are Star Ratings?

This supplement has been used in connection with the following health conditions:

Used for Why
2 Stars
Asthma
500 mg three times per day
Animal studies have found that extracts of holy basil help keep the bronchial airway passages clear. In two trials, asthma patients who took holy basil had better breathing function and fewer attacks.

Animal studies have found that extracts of (Ocimim sanctum) inhibit constriction of the bronchial airway passages. Two preliminary clinical trials treated asthma patients with 500 mg of holy basil three times daily for one month. Breathing function improved and the frequency of attacks was reduced. Placebo-controlled research is needed to validate these results.

2 Stars
Type 2 Diabetes
1,000 to 2,500 mg daily
Taking holy basil may help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood glucose levels.
Holy basil (Ocimim sanctum), also known as tulsi basil, has demonstrated positive effects in multiple studies using animal models of type 2 diabetes. A randomized controlled trial in people with type 2 diabetes found 2,500 mg of holy basil per day lowered blood glucose and cholesterol levels. Another pilot trial in overweight and obese youth found holy basil, at 500 mg per day for eight weeks improved glucose, insulin, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels, as well as markers of insulin resistance.
1 Star
Poison Oak/Ivy
Refer to label instructions
Holy basil has been used historically to treat skin inflammations such as poison oak and poison ivy.

A great many plants have been used historically to treat skin inflammations like poison oak and poison ivy dermatitis. Examples include calendula (Calendula officinalis), blood root (Sanguinaria canadensis), Virginia snakeroot (Aristolachia serpentaria), holy basil (Ocimum tenuifolium), and chickweed (Stellaria media). None of these remedies has been subjected to controlled clinical studies to determine if they are safe and effective for this use. Cooling essential oils, such as peppermint and menthol, have also been used topically to relieve burning pain and itch. Such oils should not be applied full-strength, but should rather be diluted (for example in lotion or gel) to avoid further skin irritation.

Traditional Use (May Not Be Supported by Scientific Studies)

Holy basil is a relative of the more familiar species used in cooking. Known to the Ayurvedic medical tradition as tulsi, it has been called the “Queen of Herbs” since the times of ancient civilization in India.1 Ayurvedic tradition classifies tulsi as an adaptogenic herb, capable of increasing the body’s resistance to stress and disease.2, 3 Its many specific uses have included coughs, colds, and other respiratory disorders, fevers, headaches, stomach disorders, and heart disease.

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PeaceHealth endeavors to provide comprehensive health care information, however some topics in this database describe services and procedures not offered by our providers or within our facilities because they do not comply with, nor are they condoned by, the ethics policies of our organization.