Holy Basil 500mg - 60 V-Caps

HOLY BASIL

The subject of stress in modern society and its myriad of detrimental effects to our health has been well established and well debated, with a consensus being that stress management/reduction is an investment that pays very good dividends. Methods for stress management/reduction abound, as do pharmaceutical and natural substances to treat it. The latter features numerous ingredients dedicated to sedation and calmness, and one of the most well-established of these is Ocimum teniflorum (syn. sanctum), also known as "Tulsi" in its native India and "Holy Basil" in the west. Although botanically related to the type of sweet basil typically used in cooking (Ocimum basilicum), it is not the same species, and has different pharmacological and therapeutic properties.

In the traditional Indian school of medicine known as Ayurveda, various parts of the plant (leaves, stems, flowers and roots) have been used for the treatment of a large number of conditions, including bronchitis, bronchial asthma, malaria, diarrhea, dysentery, skin diseases, arthritis, painful eye diseases, chronic fever and insect bites. In addition to this, holy basil has been suggested to possess anticancer, antidiabetic, antifungal, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, antiemetic, antispasmodic, analgesic, adaptogenic and diaphoretic actions. Scientists have begun to investigate the pharmacology and therapeutic potential of this herb and these studies have established a scientific basis for the use of holy basil for many of these conditions. Thus far, glucose metabolism and anxiety management are the ones that have reached the all-important clinical stage involving human trials. Although the other conditions remain in the animal or in-vitro stages, they are nevertheless compelling.

Holy basil contains a number of active constituents including tannins, phenolic compounds and flavonoids. The primary active compounds responsible for this herb's diverse benefits include eugenol, oleanolic acid, caryophyllene and ursolic acid.

Anti-Anxiety Effects

Holy basil has been reported to induce relaxation, promote a feeling of calm and reduce stress. One Indian study examined this effect in patients with generalized anxiety disorder, as anxiety is a central precursor to stress. Thirty-five individuals (21 male and 14 female between the ages of 18-60) were given 500 mg of holy basil twice daily for 60 days. The subjects consisted of people from various professions and walks of life, which is important considering the role played by social status in determining levels of anxiety and stress. Patient progress was measured according to the seven point scoring system of the modified Hamilton's brief psychiatric rating scale. According to these standardized index scores, depression, anxiety and stress were reduced by 13.2%, 19.2%, and 11.5% respectively.

In animal studies, holy basil helped to lower glucose and cortisol levels that were elevated in laboratory mice. Cortisol is the catabolic hormone released by the adrenal glands in response to stress, and it's release is synonymous with an inflammatory cascade that is associated with a myriad of ailments in humans, ranging from cardiovascular disease to depression.

Ayurvedic Precepts of Anxiety

There is a significant amount of religious sentiment surrounding the use of Holy Basil in its ancient Ayurvedic form, and it is often planted around Hindu shrines. Even its Indian name of Tulsi is Sanskrit for 'the incomparable one', and on an even deeper religious level, the plant is often regarded in India as the consort of Vishnu himself.

With such strong alchemic overtures, it becomes increasingly inviting to view Holy Basil's evolution into an anti-anxiety treatment as a natural one. Indeed, Holy Basil's Ayurvedic applications do overlap with some of the symptoms associated with anxiety. One of these is the Ayurvedic practice of using Holy Basil as an aphrodisiac. Another is it's use as an anti-stress or adaptogenic remedy, a role shared by another Ayurvedic herb, namely ashwagandha. In fact, ashwagandha and holy basil formed two of the key ingredients in a multi-herbal combination that was shown to reduce numerous measures of stress response in laboratory rats. These stress response indices included gastric ulceration, plasma corticosterone levels, serum lipid compositions, hepatic/renal functions, glucose intolerance, suppressed sexual drive, induced behavioral despair, cognitive dysfunction and immunosuppression.

Blood Sugar Balance

This role for holy basil has been strongly researched, having reached the multi-clinical stage. One such trial involved 40 non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients and examined the effects of holy basil supplementation on fasting, post-meal blood glucose, and serum cholesterol levels in these patients. It was revealed that holy basil supplementation resulted in a reduction of fasting and post-meal blood glucose levels of 17.6% and 7.3% respectively, with a modest reduction in serum cholesterol levels.

Another human trial involved 27 NIDDM patients, and this one measured more variables and with greater detail. One month of supplementation with one gram of holy basil daily resulted in the significant lowering of blood glucose (20.8%), total amino acids (13.5%), total cholesterol (11.3%), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (14%), very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (16.3%) and triglycerides (16.4%). There was also an 11.2% reduction in glycated proteins (which are proteins that are damaged by exposure to glucose without the mediating action of a co-enzyme) as well as a 13.7% reduction in uronic acid, a product of the oxidation of sugar.

Antioxidant Activity

The active components of holy basil are powerful antioxidants with a significant ability to scavenge highly reactive and dangerous free radicals. In test tube and animal studies, extracts from holy basil have been shown to increase levels of antioxidant enzymes, prevent lipid peroxidation and protect against oxidative damage. Lipid peroxidation is especially dangerous, as it leads to cellular damage and eventually cell death. As such, lipid peroxidation has been linked to inflammatory conditions, and cardiovascular diseases..

Further Benefits Still

This is just the beginning of this amazing herb's potential actions.

Holy basil seems to exhibit anticonvulsant effects in animal studies in high doses (400-800 mg/kg) comparable to the drug phenytoin.

Research has also shown that holy basil is a very effective anti-inflammatory. In laboratory rats, for example, holy basil reduced paw edema (swelling) by 66%. This seems to be due to the inhibition of the enzyme COX-2 by eugenol, which may also explain holy basil's capabilities as an analgesic (pain-reliever). COX-2 inhibition is a mechanism common to numerous painkillers.

Holy Basil is also known to be used in India to treat poisonings, and animal studies show that it can decrease measures of mercury toxicity. Holy basil also possesses significant antibacterial properties, effectively killing the species Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus pumilus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Furthermore, holy basil has the potential to be a potent anti-parasitic agent. Studies have shown that active compounds in the plant are effective in killing the parasite Leishmania and the parasite that causes malaria (plasmodium).

There is even some scientific interest in holy basil seed oil as an anti-carcinogenic. Preliminary evidence from laboratory animal studies suggests that the oil can delay progression and improve survival rates in models of fibrosarcoma - a type of malignant tumor derived from connective tissue.

Animal studies also suggest that holy basil seed oil has a protective effect against gastric ulceration from aspirin, indomethacin, and alcohol. Such studies also appear to demonstrate a vasodilatory effect on the part of holy basil, and this widening of arterial blood vessels leads to a lowering of blood pressure which seems very consistent with the anti-anxiety effects observed in humans.