Holy Basil
Botanical Name: Ocimum sanctum
Origins: India, Tropical Asia
As an herbal tonic for the nervous system, holy basil is cherished for its abilities to lift the spirits, improve mood, and promote relaxation. It is one of the most beloved plants in Indian folk medicine and Ayurveda, an ancient system of healing rooted in more than three thousand years of Indian culture. In Ayurvedic medicine, holy basil is known as a rasayana, a natural substance that promotes health and longevity. In India, it is widely known by the names tulsi and tulasi, which translate to “the incomparable one,” reflecting the herb’s cultural importance.
Though holy basil is native to India, it grows throughout tropical Asia, where it is commonly used in cooking, folk medicine, and spiritual practices, while herbal medicine practitioners around the world typically consume it in teas and tinctures. As a relative of the culinary herb sweet basil, holy basil shares its aromatic quality but has a unique scent and flavor of its own, with notes of cloves, mint, and bubble gum. Its Latin name, Ocimum tenuiflorum, means “fragrant lipped slender flowers.” The use of “holy” in its English common name derives from another previously used Latin name for the herb, Ocimum sanctum.
In contemporary herbal medicine, holy basil is highly valued for its ability to help alleviate stress. It’s recognized both as a calming nervine that soothes the mind and as an adaptogenic herb with a normalizing effect on the body. Holy basil is thought to work in part by increasing circulation to the brain. This may help improve overall brain function, in turn reducing cloudy thinking and enhancing mental clarity.
Beyond its benefits to the nervous system, holy basil contains a bountiful bouquet of compounds with antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, and expectorant activity. These properties make the herb an ideal remedy whenever colds and coughs accompany stressful periods. It also contains a powerful combination of phytochemicals that are thought to give the herb its anti-inflammatory and stress-relieving properties.
Notes from the Herbarium
Parts used and preparations
The leaves of holy basil are used to prepare capsules, tinctures, and teas.
Major constituents
Holy basil contains eugenol, cinnamyl acetate, and beta-elemene. Extraction yields cirsilineol, cirsimaritin, isothymusin, isothymonin, apigenin, ursolic acid, and rosmarinic acid. Holy basil also contains polysaccharides, flavonoids, trace amounts of zinc and other minerals, and small amounts of fatty acids.
Affinities for various body systems and actions
Holy basil is an adaptogenic herb with wide-reaching effects that support multiple body systems. It has an array of properties as an antibacterial, antidepressant, antioxidant, anti-viral, carminative, diuretic, and expectorant herb. It has a particular affinity for the nervous and immune systems.
Contraindications and/or herb-drug interactions
Holy basil is reported to have an antifertility effect and those who are attempting to become pregnant may wish to avoid this herb. Holy basil may increase the elimination of some medications, though further study is needed. It may also affect blood sugar levels, and those with conditions affecting blood sugar or taking medications that affect blood sugar should speak with their doctors before trying this herb.
