FHT.ORG.UK16 INTERNATIONAL THERAPIST SPRING 2017

ESSENTIAL OIL PROFILE | Basil

Botanical familyLamiaceae (Labiatae)

Chemical composition Alcohols – linalool, terpinen-4-ol, α-terpineol,

citronellol, geraniol

Phenols – eugenol, methyl chavicol (estragole),

methyleugenol

Monoterpenes – α-penine, ß-penine,

limonene, γ-terpinene

Oxides – 1,8-cineole

While there are lots of different types of basil,

two are commonly referred to in aromatherapy –

sweet basil (O. basilicum ct. linalool) and ‘exotic’

basil (O. basilicum ct. methyl chavicol). The latter

typically has a higher methyl chavicol (estragole)

content. Studies involving rodents have raised

concerns that methyl chavicol (estragole) is

potentially carcinogenic in high doses, so in the

interests of safety, many therapists prefer to use

sweet basil (O. basilicum ct. linalool) for general

use. See ‘Safety’ section for more information.

It is important to note that the quantity (%)

of key constituents of any essential oil can vary,

depending on the climate, altitude and soil

where the plant is grown, and when it is

harvested. Refer to the manufacturer’s

safety data sheet for a breakdown of an oil’s

chemical profi le.

Body systemsCirculation, digestive, immune, nervous,

respiratory, skin.

Therapeutic propertiesAnalgesic, antibacterial, anti-infl ammatory,

antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative,

decongestant, digestive tonic, expectorant,

febrifuge, insecticidal, nervine.

IndicationsAnxiety, asthma, bronchitis, eczema, intellectual

fatigue, insecticidal, fever, fl atulence, gastric

spasms/gastritis, muscle cramp, nausea,

nervousness, poor concentration, rheumatoid

arthritis, sinusitis, whooping cough.

Blends withBergamot, clary sage, frankincense, geranium,

lavender, lemon, orange (sweet), palmarosa,

peppermint, pine, rosemary.

SafetyMethyl chavicol (estragole) is a chemical

compound found, to a greater or lesser extent,

in different varieties of O. basilicum. When

commenting on the carcinogenic potential of

methyl chavicol (estragole) in Essential Oil

Safety, Tisserand and Young state: ‘The weight of

evidence suggests that low exposure to estragole

entails negligible risk to humans.’

Tisserand and Young (2014) indicate that oil with

a eugenol content of 33% presents a low risk of

skin sensitisation.

For oils with high levels of methyl chavicol

(87.4%), methyleugenol (4.2%), or eugenol

(15.2%), refer to Tisserand and Young (2014) for

recommended dermal levels.

RESEARCHAnxietyAnxiety is a common health problem and

prescription drugs to treat the condition can have

undesirable side-effects. A recent study (Rabbani,

2015) showed that both a hydroalcoholic extract

and the essential oil of O. basilicum had an

anxiolytic effect on mice but ‘did not cause

sedation to the extent observed with diazepam’.

The researchers stated that ‘these effects could

be due to phenol and terpenoid components

of the plant’, which included methyl chavicol

(42.8%), geranial (13%) and neral (12.2%).

MalariaMalaria is one of the most deadly diseases known

to humans, with the World Health Organization

(WHO, 2016) reporting that there were 212

million new cases of malaria worldwide in 2015.

A study published in Parasite (Ntonga et al, 2014)

suggests that essential oils from three different

plants, including O. basilicum, were promising

‘for the elaboration of new anti-malarial drugs

and biological insecticides’.

O. basilicum, O. canum (‘hoary’ basil) and

Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) were chosen

by the researchers, as these are traditionally

used as insect repellents, noting that ‘in the

villages of the rainforests [...], it is strongly

recommended to place these plants in the four

corners of the room to repel mosquitoes’. The

profi le of the O. basilicum used in this research

was free from methyl chavicol and very low in

methyleugenol content.

BASIL (Ocimum basilicum)A native of Asia, basil has been used for centuries as a culinary and medicinal herb. Today, it can be found growing throughout Europe, the Mediterranean,

Africa and the USA, with more than 100 tonnes of essential oil being produced annually, making it an important economic crop.

The oil is produced by steam distillation of the leaves and fl owering tops. Pale yellow in colour, it has a fresh, sweet-spicy aroma, with a top to middle note. Basil has a long history of use in traditional Indian medicine, for the treatment

of coughs, colds and other respiratory problems, as well as digestive complaints, including diarrhoea and dysentery. By the 16th century, it was widely used to

treat headaches and migraines.

REFERENCESFor full references, go to fht.org.uk/IT-references

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Ocimum basilicum

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