Holy basil

Singh S, Majumdar DK, Rehan HMS. Evaluation of anti-inflammatory potential of fixed oil of Ocimum sanctum (Holy basil) and its possible mechanism of action. J Ethnopharmacol 1996 54 19-26. 

He shou wu, a herhal formulation has been used for the treatment of skin tumors. For topical use, the powder is mixed with sesame oil and applied. He shou wu has been used for centuries to help maintain the youthful color of one s hair and also to help diminish hair loss. Holy basil contains ursolic acid (Fig. 7) — one of the cosmetic industry s latest favorites because not only does it quickly heal the skin, it also improves elasticity and removes wrinkles. It also shows benefits for preventing skin cancer. A poultice made from the herh is used topically for its antifungal and antibacterial actions. ... 

Botanical agents that have been shown to inhibit Cox-2 activity in vitro include holy basil,3 curcumin, ginger and related products," -" green tea, hops, ber-berine, and willow bark." However, in spite of extensive laboratory evidraice that these botanical agents can inhibit Cox-2 in vitro, and promising results from clinical trials (e.g., of ginger and willow for pain" ), it has not yet been demonstrated that oral consumption of botanical agents can inhibit Cox-2 activity in humans. 

Human and animal studies have demonstrated that holy basil may modify glucose regulation (Chattopadhyay 1993 Gholap and Kar 2004 Kar et al. 2003 Narendhirakannan et al. 2006 Rai et al. 1997). People with diabetes are advised to monitor their blood sugar closely and discuss the use of this herb with a qualified healthcare practitioner prior to use. 

Animal studies have indicated that holy basil may temporarily reduce sperm count and sperm motility (Ahmed et al. 2002,2009 Khanna et al. 1986 Seth et al. 1981). 

A reduction in serum levels of thyroxine (T was observed in an animal study with relatively high doses (500 mg/kg) of holy basil (Panda and Kar 1998). 

In animal studies with relatively large doses of holy basil (0.2 to 4 g/kg), reductions in embryo implantation and in litter size were observed (Khanna et al. 1986 Vohora et al. 1969). 

In a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover singleblind trial with type 2 diabetes volunteers, patients were administered 2.5 g of holy basil daily for 60 days. After treatment with holy basil, decreases in fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels were observed (Agrawal et al. 1996). 

In male rats orally administered 250 mg/kg of a benzene extract of holy basil daily for 48 days, a decrease in total sperm count, sperm motility, and forward velocity were observed along with an increase in abnormal sperm in caudal epididymal fluid. All parameters returned to normal within 2 weeks after cessation of treatment (Ahmed et al. 2002). In a related study with the same treatment regimen, changes in cells of the cauda epididymis were observed. After a fertility performance test, no implantations were observed in female rats mated with treated males (Ahmed et al. 2009). 

In male rats orally administered 100, 150, or 200 mg/ kg of a benzene extract of holy basil, a reduction in sperm count, sperm motility, and testis weight was observed. No changes in weights of the epididymis, seminal vesicle, prostate, or vas deferens were observed (Seth et al. 1981). 

In male rats orally administered 100, 150, 200, or 400 mg/kg of holy basil extract daily for 15 days, a decrease in... 

No information on the safety of holy basil during lactation was identified in the scientific or traditional literature. While this review did not identify any concerns for use while nursing, safety has not been conclusively established. 

In male rats orally administered 0.2, 2, or 4 g/kg of holy basil, a reduction of sperm motility, number of successful matings, and resulting pregnancies were observed in male rats at the 2 and 4 g/kg doses (Khanna et al. 1986). 

A prolongation of the diestrus phase of the estrus cycle was observed in female rats orally administered 80 mg of fresh holy basil (average animal weight 200 g) daily for 2 weeks. In this study, effects were measured by observing reproductive behavior, and no hormone levels were measured (Sardessai et al. 1999). 

In mice orally administered 500 mg/kg of a holy basil aqueous extract daily for 15 days, a reduction in serum thyroxine (T4) concentrations and glucose-6-phosphatase activity was observed. Serum levels of triiodothyronine (T3) and the T3/T4 ratio were unaffected (Panda and Kar... 

A reduction in implantation was observed in female rats orally administered 200 mg/kg of an aqueous extract of holy basil daily on days 1 to 7 of pregnancy (Vohora et al. 1969). 

No information on the safety of holy basil during lactation was identified. 

The LD50 of an alcohol extract of holy basil orally administered in mice is 1.54 mg/kg (Lagarto Parra et al. 2001). 

Agrawal, P., V. Rai, and R.B. Singh. 1996. Randomized placebo-controlled, single bUnd trial of holy basil leaves in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Int.. Clin. Pharmacol. Ther. 34(9) 406-409. 

Pimenta dioica), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum), baymm tree Pimenta racemosa), carnation Dianthus caryophyllus), and cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) [13]. 

Juntachote, T., E. Berghofer, F. Bauer, and S. Siebenhandl. 2006. The application of response surface methodology to the production of phenolic extracts of lemon grass, galangal, holy basil and rosemary. Int. J. Food Sci. Technol. 41(2) 121-133. 

Heat-Induced Changes in Aroma Components of Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum L.)... 

The distilled essential oil of holy basil is sometimes used as a food flavoring agent, e.g., in instant noodles. However, the essential oil is relatively expensive compared to essential oils of other herbs beeause of its limited production, which is partially due to low yield of only about 0.29% of the fresh herb weight [1]. Additionally the flavor of the steam-distilled or hydrodistilled essential oil is considered inferior to that of the fresh herb and has led to limited success of the essential oil in the marketplace. 

There have been a number of reports on the essential oil composition of O. sanctum [1-9] however, there are no reports on the characteristic aroma-active components of the fresh herb and distilled essential oil. Furthermore, no study has specifically addressed the volatile changes that occur during cooking of the herb or during manufacture of the distilled essential oil. The following investigation was conducted to identify compounds responsible for heat-induced aroma changes in holy basil herb. 

The volatile profile of the commercial holy basil essential oil sample is shown in Fig. 1. The composition is similar to that previously reported by Modello and colleagues [6] for O. sanctum (green and purple varieties) grown in Bangladesh. Major components (based on peak area percentage) were eugenol (36.7%), ( )-caryophyllene (30.4%), and S-elemene (14%). Minor components consisted mainly of monoterpene hydrocarbons (e.g., a-... 

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