Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum) Products as Medical Treatment of Human Diseases

Abstract

Sweet basil is cultivated for production of essential oils, dry leaves as a culinary herb, condiment/spice or as an ornamental plant. It is used as an ingredient in Ocimum basilicum L. commonly called as Sweet Basil belongs to family Lamiaceace is native plant of Indo-Malayan region. It is called the “king of herbs” which contains plenty of phytochemicals with significant nutritional as well as antioxidant capabilities and health benefits. Sweet basil is cultivated for production of essential oils, dry leaves as a culinary herb, condiment/spice or as an ornamental plant. It is used as an ingredient in various dishes and food preparations, especially in the Mediterranean cuisine. The unique array of active constituents called flavonoids found in basil provides protection at cellular level. Orientin and vicenin are two water-soluble flavonoids that have been of particular interest in basil. Essential oil of basil, obtained from its leaves, has demonstrated the ability to inhibit several species of pathogenic bacteria that have become resistant to commonly used antibiotic drugs. Due to its antimicrobial, insecticidal activity and very pleasant aroma, basil essential oil is widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and aromatherapy industries. In addition, now-a-days public prefers natural food additives hence naturally derived antimicrobial agents from basil have become more important in antimicrobial packaging as they present a perceived lower risk to consumers. Aromatic leaves and flowering parts of O. basilicum are traditionally used as stimulant and tonic agents used in folk remedies to treat various ailments such as poor digestion, stomach-ache, feverish illnesses, nausea, abdominal cramps, gastro-enteritis, migraine, insomnia, depression, gonorrhoea, dysentery, and chronic diarrhoea exhaustion. Externally, they have been applied for the treatment of acne, loss of smell, insect stings, snake bites, and skin infections. Rosmarinic acid (RA) is the most biologically active compound present in Basil. The extract of the herb is used in preventing cardiovascular diseases through improved diet and several antioxidant compounds it contains display a high antioxidant power. The extracts have been shown to display important effects at the cellular level, including a platelet antiaggregant property and inhibitory activity against HIV to decrease plasma lipid content. Some of the medicinal properties that basil has are that it can be used to cure coughs, headaches, abdominal aches, and kidney diseases. Basil oils have been classified into four chemotypes according to their chemical composition and geographical source. The European type, cultivated in Europe, USA, and Africa, is characterized by linalool and methyl chavicol as the major oil constituents. The Reunion type, located in the Comoros and Seychelles Islands, Africa, and Reunion Island, is characterized by a high concentration of methyl chavicol. Tropical type originated from India, Pakistan, Guatemala, Haiti, and Africa is rich in methyl cinnamate. Another basil chemotype, with eugenol as the main component, is common in North Africa, Russia, Eastern Europe, and parts of Asia. In addition to these, other basil oils have also been reported which contained various quantities of linalool, camphor, methyl chavicol, methyl cinnamate, and eugenol.