Ocimum, Basil

Basilicum
Babuitulsi (Basil); Tusli (Sacred Basil) (Ayurveda)
Kali Tulsi (Basil); Raihan (Sacred Basil) (Unani)
Jiu Ceng Ta, Luo Le (TCM)

Ortus Sanitatis, Cube, Johann von, 1501

Dioscorides Materia Medica, Mathias, 1563

Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578

Clove Basil (Left); Great Basil (Right)
Krauterbuch, Rihel, 1565

Chaumeton, Flore médicale (vol. 1), 1833

Botanical name:

Ocimum spp.

O. basilicum: Common or Sweet Basil
O. sanctum (syn. O. tenuiflorum): Holy or Sacred Basil
O. caryophyllatum: Clove Basil; also called Small or Bush Basil

Parts used:

Herb; Seed

Temperature & Taste:

Herb: Cool, dry. Pungent. (Some said Warm)
Seed: Cool, moist, Pungent and sweet
“According to Ibn e Maswaih [Mesue] it is mildly Hot but dry in the Second degree. Mostly people consider it to be cold because it does not harm any hot tempered person … It would be more appropriate to state that it combines Hot and Cold temperaments but Coldness is dominant over hotness”. (Avicenna)

Classifications:

2K. RESOLVENT. 2P. HEMOSTATICS.
3D. CORDIALS & CARDIACS. 3F. LITHONTRIPTIC. 3G. EMMENAGOGUE. 3H. LACTAGOGUE
4c. CARDIAC. 4e. STOMACHIC. 4g. HEPATIC

Uses:

HERB:
1. Clears Wind-Heat, Resists Poison:

-prophylactic during infectious and epidemic diseases
-Colds, Influenza, Fevers, Small Pox; given during the Cold stage of Intermittent Fever
-Common cold with Fever, Headacahe and Cough (TCM)
-Summerheat, Heatstroke (TCM)
-acute Sore Throat, Catarrh
-Cough, Whooping Cough, Bronchitis, Asthma
-skin eruptions, Ringworm, Itching, Leprosy
-Toothache and Eye swelling and pain (TCM)
-Venomous Bites
-“useful in bites in general and as a plaster in cases of Wasp sting” (Avicenna)

2. Moves the Blood, Opens the Channels, Promotes Menstruation

-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea; Uterus obstruction
-promote Birth and Afterbirth; Postpartum Blood Stagnation
-Infertility
-Headaches from Blood stagnation
-pain and stiffness in the Tendons and Bone, Wind-Damp Joint pain (TCM)
-Trauma, Bruising (TCM)
-“A powerful tonic for the Heart”. (Avicenna)
-“Palpitation attributed to … Phlegm and Black Bile in the heart”. (Avicenna)
-“Useful in Cold Swellings” (Avicenna)

3. Benefits the Kidneys, Promotes Urine:

-Edema, obstructed Urine
-Lower Back Pain, Impotence, Sexual Dysfunction
-long term to clear Kidney stones
-“when taken with any kind of wine, prevents Strangury, removes Calculi” (Avicenna)

4. Regulates Qi, Calms the Mind and Nerves:

-Depression, Melancholy, poor Memory, Stupor and Hyper-emotionalism;
-Epilepsy, Dizziness, Coma.
–Ryff (1582) said Basil ‘awakens Joy and Courage’

5. Clears Damp, Moves Qi:

-nausea, vomiting, indigestion, poor appetite
-colic, bloating
-abdominal distention and fullness (TCM)
-food stagnation, diarrhea (TCM, West)
-gastric ulcers

6. Kills Worms:

-Basil is boiled in Vinegar and taken: “the Worms will run quick out of your body”. (Wirtzung)
-“Useful in treating Worms and Ringworm” (Avicenna)
-topically to kill Lice (Avicenna)

7. Externally:

-Acne, the juice is applied, or a strong infusion is used as a wash.
-fresh herb or juice is applied to venomous bites and strings.

SEED:
1. Clears Heat, Cheers the Heart, Calms the Mind:

-Melancholy, Fear, Worry, Nervousness and Insomnia.
-anxiety with Palpitations; Nervous Heart disorders
-in formulas to promote Happiness; for Sadness, Melancholy
-nourishes Heart Yin while clearing Heat and calming the Mind
-Salmon said it was good for ‘Hypochondriac Melancholy’
-“The seeds check the formation of Black Bile”. (Avicenna)

2. Clears Heat, Moistens:

-Diarrhea, chronic Dysentery, habitual Constipation
-Strangury, Painful urination, Gonorrhea
-“The seeds are useful in Dysuria”. (Avicenna)
-auxiliary for Stones
-excessive Menstrual Bleeding

3. Clears Heat, Stops Cough:

-Cough, Asthma, shortness of Breath

4. Benefits the Brain and Eyesight

-in formula to strengthen Brain and restore Memory
-in formula to increase Eyesight

Dose:

Herb in Decoction: 5–12 grams
Herb in Powder: 2–5 grams. For venomous Bites, take 7 grams with Oxymel (Avicenna)
Herb Juice: 20–50mls. Avicenna said 120ml is used for difficult breathing.
Herb Tincture (1:5): 2-4 mls
Seed in Decoction: 3–6 grams
Seed in Powder: 1–3 grams
Mucilage of the Seed: 1 teaspoonful
The seeds rubbed with Cow milk is given for vomiting and diarrhea in infants, the dose for a 1 year old being 125–200mg

Comment:

Basil, Holy Basil and Clove Basil are similar, but have some differences. Basil is more pungent and spicy while Holy Basil is less pungent and more sweet. Several sources have noted the medicinal differences between the two, such as the use of Holy Basil for anxiety and depression, However, studying the traditional western use of Basil shows clearly that it has been used for these conditions too.

Correctives:

1. Violet
2. Sugar and Lemon juice
3. Mastic

Substitute:

1. Aniseed
2. Silkworm Cocoon (Unani)
3. “Sweet Basil is synonymous for common Thyme” (Avicenna)
4. Plantain seed can substitute Basil seed

Main Combinations:

Fever, Heat, Poison

1. Fever:
i. Sacred Basil, Camomile, Elder flower
ii. The juice of Sacred Basil may be taken, 180 grains with 45 grains of Black Pepper.
ii. 9 grams of Sacred Basil leaf is decocted in 500mls water, and boiled down to half. It may be taken with Milk and Sugar.
iii. Pills may be made using 1 oz. of Sacred Basil leaves, 180 grains of Cloves, and 140 grains of Black Pepper. This is made into pills the size of Peas; 1 pill is taken morning and night. (Ayurveda)
iv. various types of Fever: Pills may be made with equal parts of Black Pepper, Sacred Basil, and Gotu Kola. A 3 grain pill is given twice daily. (Ayurveda)
2. Intermittent or Malarial Fever:
i. Half an ounce of the juice of Sacred Basil is taken with 1 dram of powdered Black Pepper (Ayurveda)
ii. Sacred Basil, Garlic, Black Pepper, flowers of Leucus cephalotes 1 dram ea. (Siddha)
3. Preserve from infection during Epidemics, Basil seed, andalwood, Red Earth, Cinnamon, Gentian, Tormentil
4. Dysentery: Sweet Basil seed (5 parts), Armenian Earth, Poppy seed (3.75 parts ea.), Purslane seed (1.75 parts), Powder.
5. Snake Bite: “In case of Snake-bite, of a very bad kind, even if the patient is totally unconscious and dead-like, feed half a tola of the juice internally if possible; otherwise, apply all over the body, fill the navel, ears, eyes, mouth with it sufficiently. Repeat the process and the patient will be cure”’. (The Indian Materia Medica, Nadkarni)

Mind, Brain

6. To promote Happiness: Basil seed, Saffron, Sandalwood, Clove, Aniseed, Thyme, Pearl
7. Sadness, Depression, to promote Happiness:
i. Basil with St. Johns wort, Hops and Balm
ii. Basil seed with Bugloss, Mint, Pearl, Coral, Indian Spikenard, Chebulic Myrobalan, Dodder, Cinnamon, Frankincense, Mastic (as in Electuary for Sadness and Worry)
8. Melancholy:
i. Basil with Gum Arabic (Unani)
ii. Clove Basil seed with Black Myrobalan, Polypody, Horehound, Dodder, Stoechas, Agaric, Clove, Balm (as in Electuary for Melancholy and Fear of Filius Zacharia)
9. Amnesia, Confusion, Lethargy, decoct in vinegar and applied with rose oil to the head (Avicenna)

Heart

10. Heart weakness:
i. Basil with Mastic, Cinnamon, Mint, Pearl, Red Coral, Amber, Indian Spikenard, Chebulic Myrobalan (as in Powder to Warm the Heart)
ii. Basil seed with Red Coral, Mastic, Indian Spikenard, Aloeswood, Clove, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Lesser Cardamon, Borage, Rosemary (as in Troches for Heart Weakness)
11. Palpitations from Cold, Basil, Cinnamon, Mastic, Marjoram, Pearl, Coral, Amber (Wirtzung)
12. Strengthen the Heart and Brain, resists Melancholy, Basil seed with Scorzonera, Borage, Rosemary, Sorrel seed, Citron seed, Fennel seed (as in Syrup of Balm of Fernelius)

Lungs, Respiratory

13. Cough, Asthma from Phlegm congestion:
i. Basil with Hyssop, Maidenhair, Horehound, Licorice (as in Decoction for Cough and Asthma of Galen)
ii. Sacred Basil, Licorice (as is marketed as Diakof)
iii. Sacred Basil with Long Pepper, Tylophora, Inula racemosa (Ayurveda)
14. Shortness of Breath: Basil juice with Saffron
15. Allergic Rhinitis, Sacred Basil, Long Pepper, Calamus

Stomach, Digestion:

16. Poor appetite, Basil with Malted Barley (Mai Ya) (TCM)
17. Stomach Cramps, Basil with Paeonia Bai Shao, Licorice; if there is strong pain add Corydalis Yan Hu Suo. (TCM)

Gynecology, Reproduction:

18. Irregular Menstruation or Postpartum Blood Stagnation, Basil with Salvia Dan Shen, Motherwort (Yi Mu Cao)
19. Menstrual pain, decoct Basil with Chicekn Egg and take with a little rice wine. (TCM)
20. Infertility from repletion and obstructed Menstruation, Basil with Mugwort, Feverfew, St. Johns wort, Balm, Calamint, Citron peel (Wirtzung)
21. Aphrodisiac, Sacred Basil is decocted with Salep and a little Cardamon
22. Seminal debility, Sacred Basil seed, Tribulus seed (5 parts ea.), Poppy capsules, Curculigo orchioides (4 parts ea.), Mucuna seed (3 parts), Sugar (6 parts). Powder. Dose: 20 grains. (The Indian Materia Medica, Nadkarni)

Other

23. Worms:
i. Basil decocted in Vinegar and drunk (Wirtzung)
ii. Juices of Sacred Basil and Mint (equal parts); 1 spoonful is taken morning and night (Ayurveda)
24. Bites and Stings, a paste of Basil and Zedoary is applied (Ayurveda)

Major Formulas:

Decoction for Cough and Asthma (Galen)
Powder of Happiness (Letificans)
Letificans Almansoris (Rhasis)
Letificans Temperate Electuary
Powder to Warm the Heart
Troches of Basil Seed (Unani)
Electuary for Sadness and Worry
Abbots Confect of Rose (Diarrhodon Abbatis) (Nicholas)
Cooling Powder of Gems
Electuary of Gems (Mesue)

Cautions:

1. Herb is not used in medicinal doses during Pregnancy. It is safe eaten as a culinary herb in moderation.
2. “Dioscorides saith that if Basil be much eaten, it dulleth the sight, it mollifieth the belly, breedeth wind … drieth up milk, and is of hard digestion”. (Gerard)

Toxicity:

LD50 for Sweet Basil oil is 1.4g/kg.

Main Preparations used:

Distilled Water of the whole plant made in Summer

Extra Info
History
Research
Comment

Click the above Tabs for more information on this medicine

-The Sacred Basil is highly regarded in India. It is believed to protect and cleanse the air. The Hindi’s use it to protect the Spirit of the family. They also place a leaf over their breast when sleeping, as this is their passport to paradise. It is regarded as a Sattvic (Spiritual) herb, opening the Heart and Mind, promoting Love, Devotion, Compassion and Clarity of mind. It is said to cleanse the Aura and gives divine protection. It is said to be able to develop pure awareness. It also was said to protect from Lightning strikes.
–Pliny claimed Basil increased the procreative powers of Horses and Donkeys.
-It was said to wither in the hands of anyone impure. A girl’s virginity was tested by getting her to hold Basil in her hands; if it wilted quickly, she was not a virgin.
-Basil was used by ancient Egyptians as an embalming herb.
-Mediterraneans put a pot of Basil on the windowsill to stop flies entering the house.
-It purifies and benefits the air when grown in or around the home, acting as a negative ioniser.
-“… it is said that it grows more quickly if it is watered at first with warm water. Basil turns pale about the rising of the Dog Star”. (Theophrastus, 300 B.C.)
-It was traditionally believed that if Basil is left to rot in Horse dung, Serpents would be generated.
-“Some affirm that often smelling to it, breeds Serpents in the Head”. (A Compendius Herbal, John Archer, London, 1673)
–Culpeper said: “A mystical herb employed by Witches. I dare write no more of it!”.
-The Voodooists sprinkle Sweet Basil Water to remove Bad Luck and Evil Spirits, and attract Patrons.

BASIL HERB

Basil Seed

GENERAL / REVIEW
–Extraction optimization of mucilage from Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) seeds using response surface methodology.
FATTY LIVER
–Comparative Study on the Effect of Plantago psyllium and Ocimum basilicum Seeds on Anthropometric Measures in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Patients.
ANTI-TOXIN
–Biosorption of cesium-137 and strontium-90 by mucilaginous seeds of Ocimum basilicum.
–Removal of chromium by mucilaginous seeds of Ocimum basilicum.

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