Ocimum, Basil

Basilicum
Babuitulsi (Ayurveda); Tusli (Sacred Basil, Ayurveda)
Luo Le (TCM)
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

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-Cold, Resists Poison:
-prophylactic during infectious and epidemic diseases
-Influenza, Fevers, Small Pox; given during the Cold stage of Intermittent Fever

2. Moves the Blood, Promotes Menstruation:
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea; Uterus obstruction

3. Benefits the Kidneys, Promotes Urine:
-Edema, obstructed Urine

4. Regulates Qi, Calms the Mind and Nerves:
-Depression, Melancholy, poor Memory, Stupor and Hyper-emotionalism;

5. Clears Damp, Moves Qi, Warms the Stomach:
-colic, bloating, indigestion

6. Kills Worms:
-boiled in vinegar and drunk


SEED:
1. Clears Heat, Cheers the Heart, Calms the Mind:
-anxiety with Palpitations; Nervous Heart disorders

2. Clears Heat, Moistens:
-diarrhea, chronic dysentery, habitual constipation
-Strangury, Painful urination, gonorrhea

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


Main Combinations:
1. To promote Happiness, Basil with ... available in PRO version
2. Sadness, Depression, to promote Happiness:
i. Basil with  ... available in PRO version
ii. Basil with  ... available in PRO version
3. Melancholy:
i. Basil with  ... available in PRO version
4. Shortness of Breath, Basil with  ... available in PRO version
5. Cough, Asthma, Basil with  ... available in PRO version
6. Heart weakness:
i. Basil with  ... available in PRO version
ii. Basil seed with  ... available in PRO version
7. Palpitations from Cold, Basil with ... available in PRO version
8. Strengthen the Heart and Brain, resists Melancholy, Basil with  ... available in PRO version
9. Infertility from repletion and obstructed Menstruation, Basil with  ... available in PRO version

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