Gen
info
The genus Ocimum ranks
high in herbs with medicinal use. There are anywhere from 60-150 species
in the genus.
Botany
A very fragrant herb,
growing up to 70 cm high. An erect, branched
undershrub, glabrous or somewhat branched; very aromatic when crushed.
The stem is squarish. Leaves: simple, opposite, ovate to oblong-ovate,
entire or slightly toothed, with acute tips and glandular spots on the
lower surface. Flowers: the inflorescences are racemes, usually purplish
with short pedicles. Calyx of the individual flower or floret is strongly
reflexed, the upper lobe round, the lower two narrowly lanceolate and
acuminate, and the lateral ones ovate. Corolla bilabiate, exerted, and
upper lip broader, subequally 4-fid, the lower lip entire. Petals pink
or purplish, stamens exserted.
Fruits: nutlets, smooth or somewhat rugose.
There are two common species in the Philippines: O. basilicum and O.
sanctum. Both can be used medicinally.
Chemical constituents
and properties
• The dried leaves contain 0.21–1%
essential oil, the major compounds of which are linalool and methyclaviol.
• Some of the other compounds are: caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid,
p-cymene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, methyl cinnamate, myrcene, quercetin,
rutin, tryptophan, safrole.
• Study yielded 14 different anthocyanins: 11 cyanidin-based pigments
and 3 peonidin-based pigments.
• Carminative, stimulant, diaphoretic,
expectorant, febrifuge, diuretic, demulcent, mucilaginous, cooling.
Distribution
and Cultivation
Grows well in open areas with moist, well-drained and friable soil.
Occasionally cultivated throughout the Philippines. Common garden plant.
It flowers all year round. The plant is deeply rooted. Prefers
warm and moist habitat, sensitive to dryness. Soil should be well-drained,
and rich in humus to produce higher yields. Use seeds for propagation.
Parts utilized
Leaves, seeds.
Mature fresh leaves are harvested 2
to 3 months after planting. Leaves are picked leaving the branches
on the plant to allow it to flower and produce seeds for the
next season.
The leaves are air-dried until they
crumble when crushed with the fingers. Store in amber colored
bottles in a cool, dry place.
Uses
Culinary
The leafy and flowering tops are used as condiment; eaten sparingly
in salads.
Folkloric
Cough: Expectorant properties - Take infusion or decoction of herb (9-15
gm of dried herb) or tops as tea.
Leaf juice helpful for expectoration of mucus.
Decoction of leaves also used for hiccups, vomiting and nausea.
Gas pains: Decoction of herb as tea helps to expel wind from bowels.
Snake bites: Crush fresh plant and poultice the bitten wound.
Gonorrhea, using a decoction of the roots and leaves of plants.
Decoction of leaves used as a wash for ulcers.
External contusions.
Used in baths for rheumatic pains.
Ringworm and insect bites: Apply juice of crushed leaves.
Skin ulcers: Decoction of herb as wash.
For delayed menstruation: take the juice of the leaves with water.
Seeds are used in treatment of several eye diseases.
Toothache: Wet small piece of cotton with juice of crushed leaves and
insert into tooth cavity.
Postpartum: Decoction of seeds used to decrease postpartum pains; the
seeds are mucilaginous.
Poultice of seeds used for buccal sores.
Decoction of seeds also used for constipation.
Acne: Infusion of 3 tsp of dried leaves in 1 cup of boiling water for
20-30 minutes. Apply externally or drink decoction of tea or infusion
3 times daily.
Others
• Oils repel insects (limonene, myrcene, camphor, thymol) and
have larvicidal (eugenol and methylclaviol) activity against houseflies
and mosquitoes.
Recent uses
Dizziness: crush enough fresh leaves with your fingers and sniff them.
Cough: As decoction boil eight tablespoons of fresh leaves in two glasses
of water for 15 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to half. Divide
the decoction into eight parts and take one part, three times a day.
Studies
• Aqueous extracts of Ocimum basilicum
L. (sweet basil) decrease platelet aggregation induced by ADP and thrombin
in vitro and rats arterio–venous shunt thrombosis in vivo:
Results showed Ocimum basilicum to possess
an inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation induced by ADP and thrombin
resulting in an anti-thrombotic effect in vivo.
• Cardiac stimulant activity of Ocimum basilicum
Linn. extracts: The study evaluated the cardiac effects of extracts
derived from the aerial parts of Ocimum basilicum. Results showed the
alcoholic extracts exhibited a cardiotonic effect and the aqueous extract
produced a B-adrenergic effect.
• Antimicrobial Effects of Ocimum basilicum
(Labiatae) Extract: Results suggest that O. basilicum extracts
possess compounds with antimicrobial properties against C. albicans
and some bacterial pathogens.
• Anti-dyspepsia: A
Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled study showed Ocimum basilicum seems
to relieve functional dyspepsia in female and young patients with dysmotility.
• Anthocyanins in
Basil : Purple basils are an abundant source of acylated
and glycosylated anthocyanins, a potential source of stable red pigments
to the food industry.
• Antioxidant:
In a study of plants in the Lamiaceae family, the leaves
and stems of Ocimum basilicum displayed the highest antioxidant activity.
• Antiulcer:
Study showed the seed extracts of OB to possess significant
anti-ulcer activity against ethanol-induced ulceration in animal models.
• Wound-Healing Activity:
Wounds treated with honey in combination with OB alcoholic
leaf extract and solcoseryl-jelly showed accelerated wound healing compared
to honey alone.
•
Antiproliferative / Anticancer: A
study on the antiproliferative activity of essential oil from 17 thai
medicinal plants on human mouth epidermal carcioma (KB) and murine leukemia
(P388) cell lines. In the KB cell line, Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
oil showed the highest anti-proliferative activity in the P388 cell
line. The results suggested the potential of Thai medicinal plants for
cancer treatment.
Toxicity
Although known for its medicinal benefits, it contains some
potentially dangerous compounds: safrole, rutin, caffeic acid, tryptophan
and quercetin.(See: Medicinal Plants for Livestock /
Cornell University)
Availability
Wild-crafted.
Cultivated for condiment and culinary use.
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