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Ocimum, Basil

Basilicum
Babuitulsi (Ayurveda); Tusli (Sacred Basil, Holy Basil, Ayurveda)
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 is the Common or Sweet Basil
Holy or Sacred Basil (O. sanctum) is used similarly.
Clove Basil (Small or Bush Basil), is from O. caryophyllatum

Parts used:
Herb; Seed

Temperature & Taste:
Herb: Warm, dry. Pungent
Seed: Cool, moist, Pungent and sweet
dissolves

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, Resists Poison:
-prophylactic during infectious and epidemic diseases
-Influenza, Fevers, Small Pox; given during the Cold stage of Intermittent Fever
-acute Sore Throat, Catarrh
-Cough, Whooping Cough, Bronchitis, Asthma
-Venomous Bites
-skin eruptions, Ringworm, Itching, Leprosy
-Toothache and Eye swelling and pain (TCM)

2. Moves the Blood, Opens the Channel, 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 bones (TCM)

3. Benefits the Kidneys, Promotes Urine:
-Edema, obstructed Urine
-Lower Back Pain, Impotence, Sexual Dysfunction
-long term to clear Kidney stones

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, Warms the Stomach:
-nausea, vomiting, indigestion, poor appetite
-colic, bloating
-food stagnation, diarrhea
-gastric ulcers

6. Kills Worms:
-boiled in vinegar and drunk


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; Sadness; Melancholy associated with the Heart
-nourishes Heart Yin while clearing Heat and calming the Mind
-Salmon said it was good for ‘Hypochondriac Melancholy'

2. Clears Heat, Moistens:
-diarrhea, chronic dysentery, habitual constipation
-Strangury, Painful urination, gonorrhea
-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
Seed in Decoction: 3–6 grams
Seed in Powder: 1–3 grams

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

SUBSTITUTE:
1. Aniseed
2. Silkworm Cocoon (Unani)

Main Combinations:
1. Fever, Holy Basil, Camomile, Elder flower
2. To promote Happiness: Basil seed, Saffron, Sandalwood, Clove, Aniseed, Thyme, Pearl
3. Sadness, Depression, to promote Happiness:
i. Basil with St. Johns wort 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)
4. Melancholy:
i. Basil with Gum Arabic (Unani)
i. Clove Basil seed with Black Myrobalan, Polypody, Horehound, Dodder, Stoechas, Agaric, Clove, Balm (as in Electuary for Melancholy and Fear of Filius Zacharia)
5. 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)
6. Palpitations from Cold, Basil, Cinnamon, Mastic, Marjoram, Pearl, Coral, Amber (Wirtzung)
7. 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)
8. Cough, Asthma from Phlegm congestion:
i. Basil with Hyssop, Maidenhair, Horehound, Licorice (as in Decoction for Cough and Asthma of Galen)
ii. Sacred Basil with Long Pepper, Tylophora, Inula racemosa (Ayurveda)
9. Shortness of Breath: Basil juice with Saffron
10. Allergic Rhinitis, Sacred Basil, Long Pepper, Calamus
11. Poor appetite, Basil with Malted Barley (Mai Ya) (TCM)
12. Stomach Cramps, Basil with Paeonia Bai Shao, Licorice; if there is strong pain add Corydalis Yan Hu Suo. (TCM)
13. Irregular Menstruation or Postpartum Blood Stagnation, Basil with Salvia Dan Shen, Motherwort (Yi Mu Cao)
14. Infertility from repletion and obstructed Menstruation, Basil with Mugwort, Feverfew, St. Johns wort, Balm, Calamint, Citron peel (Wirtzung)

Major Formulas:
Decoction for Cough and Asthma (Galen)
Powder of Happiness (Letificans)
Letificans Almansoris (Rhasis)
Powder to Warm the Heart
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 during Pregnancy
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)

Main Preparations used:
Distilled Water of the whole plant made in Summer