Basil (Ocimum sanctum L.), the sacred plant of the family Lamiaceae, is an erect, quadrangular branched, annual herb, growing about 0.5-1.5 meters in height. It is found commonly grown in India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The aromatic leaves of the herb are opposite, dotted with minute glands and about 2-4 cm in length. Inflorescence is a long spike of about 12-14 cm length. The flowers are purple, in racemes. Different derived names of basil in different languages include tulsi in Hindi, manjari, patrapushpa and brinda in Sanskrit, vasile in Romanian, basilius in German, basile in French, vasil in Bulgarian, basilio in Italian and basileo in Galician.
All parts of basil (ie. leaves, stems, roots, seeds and the flowers) are reputed to have therapeutic virtues. This holy plant has been used by traditional / herbal practitioners as analgesic, expectorant, antidiabetic, carminative, anticancer, antifungal, antimicrobial, antiasthmatic, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, hypolipidmic, antiemetic, antispasmodic, antirheumatic, hypotensive, adaptogenic and diaphoretic. These medicinal properties are believed to be due to the presence of essential oils and other active compounds in the plant. The basil leaves contain essential oil rich in eugenal, eugenol, limatrol, caryophylline, carvacrol, methylchavicol and steroids like ursolic acid and n-triacontanol. The plant roots contain active compounds such as triterpenes and sitosterol. The seeds of the herb are a source of fatty acids and sitosterol.
Traditional Home Remedies with Basil
Basil is used as a medicinal plant in day-to-day practice in Indian homes for the successful management of various disease conditions. The advantage claimed for therapeutic uses of this aromatic herb in various ailments is the safety besides being effective, economical and easy availability. Find here some of the time-tested traditional home remedies with basil.
- For general health: Wash and soak a few basil leaves in water for four to five hours. Chew the leaves and drink the water daily to maintain a good health.
- For asthma: A spoonful of a mixture of basil leaves extract with ginger (Zingiber officinale) and honey is good for people suffering from asthma. A teaspoonful of basil leaves juice taken with equal amounts of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) juice, taken for a month before going to bed is also said to relieve asthma and bronchitis.
- For cough and cold: Grind together equal amounts of dried basil leaves, ginger powder and black pepper (Piper nigrum). To it, add a little honey to have a consistency to make it into pellets. These pellets can be sucked 3-4 times a day to ease cough and treat cold. The whole plant boiled in water can be used as steam inhalation in nasal congestion.
- For phlegm: Boil a handful of basil leaves in a glass of boiling water. Let it boil until the water reduces to one fourth. This remedy administered twice a day is an effective expectorant.
- For diabetes: An aqueous concoction of the whole basil plant taken everyday is said to lower glucose levels in the blood and hence control diabetes.
- For skin infections: Prepare a mixture of crushed basil leaves, onion (Allium cepa) and lemon (Citrus limon) juice. Apply the mixture topically to treat skin infections and allergies. Also, boiling a handful of fresh basil and neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves in water and taking a bath with the same can help treat skin inflammations.
- For acne: To treat acne, apply a blend of crushed Basil leaves, lemon juice and mint (Mentha virdis) over the affected area.
- To improve lactation: Crush and boil 8-10 basil leaves in a cup of water and simmer for about 5 minutes. Sieve and add honey to taste. Having a cup or two of the drink would improve lactation in feeding mothers.
- Insect/ spider bite: Ground basil leaves with turmeric (Curcuma longa) and apply over the affected area.
- For urinary troubles: Take a teaspoonful of basil seeds and soak them overnight. In the morning, grind them with sugar and have it with water twice daily .
- For headache: To get relief headache, chewing a few basil leaves or rubbing the leaves of the plant would be effective.
- For migraine: Shade dry and powder some basil blossoms and store in an airtight container. To relieve migraine, mix 2g of the powder with a tablespoon of honey and lick slowly.
- As eye tonic: The leaf juice of basil along with triphala (amla, harada and behada) extract can be used as eye tonic. This formulation can also treat eye problems such as chronic conjunctivitis, glaucoma and cataracts.
- For fever: Boil about 10 gm basil leaves in a glass of water till the water is reduced to half. Add a little rock salt to taste and drink. This preparation induces sweating and relieves fever.
- For viral fever: A teaspoon of basil leaves extract taken with honey thrice a day is said to cure viral fever.
- For hair fall: Massaging the scalp with basil oil regularly keeps a check on hair loss.
- To remove lice: To get rid of lice, spread a handful of basil leaves around the pillow before going to bed.
- For jaundice: Drink about two teaspoons of basil leaves juice with ½ cup of radish (Raphanus sativus) juice twice a day. Add jaggery to taste.
- For indigestion: Crush 3-4 basil leaves with a pinch of rock salt. Take it with water to ease indigestion.
- For nose bleeding: Drinking a teaspoonful of basil juice with honey in a glass of water is said to be effective in nose bleeding. Also, smelling basil blossoms can relieve the symptom.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Sources:
- Culpeper’s Complete Herbal and English Physician. Leicester: Magna Books, 1992.
- Prakash P and Gupta N. "Therapeutic uses of Ocimum sanctum (tulsi) with a note on eugenol and its pharmacological actions: a short review". Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 2005; 49 (2) : 125–131.
Garima Sancheti - Dr Garima Sancheti is a PhD in Radiation and Cancer Biology from Rajasthan University, India. She has written various research articles in ...
