Overview

Holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) is a plant that is native to India. It is commonly used in the traditional Indian medicine system, Ayurveda.

Holy basil is sometimes called "hot basil" because of its peppery taste. Chemicals in holy basil are thought to decrease pain and swelling. They also might lower blood sugar in people with diabetes. Holy basil oil might act as an antioxidant.

People use holy basil for anxiety, stress, diabetes, high cholesterol, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support any of these uses.

Don't confuse holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) with basil (Ocimum basilicum), which is very commonly used in cooking.



Uses & Effectiveness

We currently have no information for Holy Basil overview.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Holy basil is possibly safe when used short-term. Holy basil leaf extract has been safely used at a dose of 500 mg daily for 60-90 days. Taking holy basil might cause nausea or diarrhea. There isn't enough reliable information available to know if it is safe to use long-term.

When applied to the skin: Holy basil is possibly safe when used as a mouthwash, short-term.

Special Precautions and Warnings

When taken by mouth: Holy basil is possibly safe when used short-term. Holy basil leaf extract has been safely used at a dose of 500 mg daily for 60-90 days. Taking holy basil might cause nausea or diarrhea. There isn't enough reliable information available to know if it is safe to use long-term.

When applied to the skin: Holy basil is possibly safe when used as a mouthwash, short-term.

Breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if holy basil is safe to use during breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Hypothyroidism: People with hypothyroidism have low levels of the thyroid hormone called thyroxine. Holy basil might lower thyroxine levels. In theory, this could worsen hypothyroidism.

Surgery: Holy basil might slow blood clotting, so there is a concern that it could increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using holy basil at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Pregnancy: Holy basil is possibly unsafe when taken during pregnancy or when trying to become pregnant. In animals, large doses of holy basil seem to reduce the chance of getting pregnant or having a full-length pregnancy. It is not known if this happens in humans. Stay on the safe side and avoid using.

Interactions

    Moderate Interaction

    Be cautious with this combination

  • Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with Holy Basil

    Holy basil might lower blood sugar levels. Taking holy basil along with diabetes medications might cause blood sugar to drop too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely.

  • Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with Holy Basil

    Holy basil might slow blood clotting. Taking holy basil along with medications that also slow blood clotting might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.

  • Pentobarbital (Nembutal) interacts with Holy Basil

    Pentobarbital causes drowsiness. There is some concern that taking holy basil seed oil with pentobarbital might cause too much drowsiness. But there isn't enough information to know if this is a big concern.

Dosing

Holy basil has most often been used by adults in doses of 500 mg daily, for 1.5-3 months. A 4% holy basil leaf extract mouthwash has also been used twice daily for 30 days. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what dose or product might be best for a specific condition.
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CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

This copyrighted material is licensed from Therapeutic Research Center, LLC. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version.
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