Basil

Effects and Benefits

Core Identification

Common Names:
- Sweet Basil (primary)
- Garden Basil
- Common Basil
- "Joy of the Mountains" (Greek)
- "Boy's Joy" (Greek)

Latin Name: Ocimum basilicum

Category: Herb

Note: This entry covers common Sweet Basil (O. basilicum), not Holy Basil/Tulsi (O. sanctum/tenuiflorum), which has different properties and uses.

Uses

Traditional Uses

• Digestive aid (flatulence, indigestion) – Roman times, Ayurvedic medicine
• Respiratory infections (chest infections, bronchitis) – European herbalism, antiquity
• Headache and migraine relief – 16th century European (inhaled as snuff to "clear the head")
• Jaundice treatment – Ancient European
• Diuretic – Roman times
• Breast-milk stimulant – Roman times
• "Expelling melancholy vapours from the heart" – Early European herbalism

Modern Uses

• Digestive support – Relieves flatulence, stomach cramps, colic, indigestion; helps kill intestinal worms | Research quality: Moderate

• Nervous system calming – Mildly sedative; useful for anxiety, depression, difficulty sleeping, nervous irritability | Research quality: Moderate

• Mental clarity – Cephalic (brain-clarifying) properties, second only to Rosemary; helps mental fatigue | Research quality: Preliminary

• Anti-inflammatory – Systemic inflammation support when consumed regularly | Research quality: Moderate

• Respiratory support – Used for colds, flu, bronchitis, whooping cough, feverish conditions | Research quality: Traditional/Preliminary

• Muscle relaxation – Massage oil for tired, tight, overworked muscles; popular with athletes and dancers | Research quality: Traditional

• Menstrual support – Assists scanty and painful periods (abdominal massage) | Research quality: Traditional

• Detoxification – Matthew Wood notes Basil's ability to "dissolve and liberate for excretion, toxic lipophilic compounds stored in body fat deposits," particularly from past recreational cannabis use and chemical/medical drugs that sequester in fat cells | Research quality: Preliminary/Clinical observation

• Antibacterial – Established antibacterial action; mouthwash effective for mouth ulcers and gum infections | Research quality: Moderate

Active Compounds

Primary Active Ingredients:
- Volatile oil (~1%): Methylchavicol (40-50%), linalool, cineole, eugenol, pinene, camphor – responsible for aroma and most therapeutic effects
- Flavonoids and polyphenolic acids – antioxidant activity
- Triterpenes, ursolic acid – anti-inflammatory properties
- Mucilage – soothing to digestive tract
- Vitamins A and C – general nutritive support

Dosage Information

Standard Dosage:
- Form: Dried herb
- Amount: 800 mg per day
- Frequency: Daily, ideally as food or tea

Culinary Use:
- Fresh or dried basil incorporated generously into meals
- "Eat-your-medicine" approach – particularly beneficial during stressful periods

Aromatherapy:
- Essential oil in diffuser or bath (diluted)
- Massage oil: blended with carrier oil, often combined with Lavender

Maximum Safe Dosage:
- Daily maximum: Not established for dried herb; culinary amounts considered safe
- Essential oil: External use only; never take internally

Bioavailability Notes:
- Best absorbed as food (fresh or dried) with meals
- Essential oil absorbs through skin when properly diluted in carrier oil

How to Take It

Timing:
- No specific timing requirements
- Mediterranean tradition uses before bed for insomnia, on waking for alertness (paradoxical nervine effect)
- With food for digestive support

Synergies - What It Works Well With

Complementary Supplements:
1. Lavender – Blends well in massage oils | Combined muscle relaxation and calming effect
2. Black Pepper – Digestive support | Both carminative (gas-relieving)
3. Ginger – Anti-inflammatory pairing | Digestive warmth
4. Rosemary – Mental clarity | Complementary cephalic herbs

Avoidance - What NOT to Combine With

Drug Interactions:
- No major drug interactions documented for culinary use
- Those on sedative medications should be aware of additive effects at high supplemental doses

Cautions:
- Pregnancy: Limit to culinary use only; avoid medicinal/supplemental doses
- Essential oil: Never take internally

Safety Information

General Safety:
- Considered safe for general culinary and herbal use
- No known safety precautions at normal doses

Essential Oil Cautions:
- Do NOT take internally
- May cause skin tingling in bath; potential irritant for sensitive skin
- Always dilute in carrier oil for massage

Paradoxical Effect:
- Research shows Basil first stimulates, then relaxes the brain and nervous system
- Excess use may have opposite (depressant) effect – use in moderation

Long-Term Use:
- Safe as culinary herb long-term
- No established data on high-dose supplemental long-term use

Primary Uses At-a-Glance

Primary: Digestive support (gas, bloating, indigestion), anxiety and nervous tension, mental clarity and fatigue

Secondary: Muscle relaxation, respiratory support, antibacterial (mouth ulcers), menstrual discomfort, detoxification

Sources

Local Library:
- Chevallier, Andrew – Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine (core therapeutic uses, antibacterial action, cautions)
- Wood, Matthew – The Earthwise Herbal (detoxification properties, nervine paradox, cannabis detox use)
- Davis, Patricia – Aromatherapy A-Z (aromatherapy uses, muscle massage, menstrual support, historical uses)
- Fewell, Amy K. – The Homesteader's Herbal Companion (dosage 800mg, culinary-as-medicine approach, antioxidants)
- DeBaggio, Thomas – Encyclopedia of Herbs (botanical background, varieties, cultivation)

General Knowledge:
- Historical context (Greek/Roman usage, etymology)
- General culinary applications