* Please Note: Traditional Use information is provided as a courtesy only. Although we have done our best to review the validity of these uses and we continue to revise this information as new data emerges, the traditional uses indicated on this page for this product may be wrong. This information is based on Traditional and Folklore Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA and is not necessarily based on scientific evidence from any source. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
General Herb Information *Note: Aura Cacia Sweet Basil Essential Oil is for external use only.
Sweet Basil Ocimum basilicum L.
Family: Lamiaceae.
Other Names: Basilic (French); Basilikum (German); basilico (Italian).
Description: Sweet basil is a robust, aromatic annual up to 0.7 m), with soft, hairless leaves and broad spikes of white flowers. Sacred basil, holy basil or tulsi in Hindi (O. tenuiflorum, often called O. sanctum) is a short-lived perennial with hairy stems, hairy leaves and slender clusters of purple, lilac or white flowers. A third species is hairy basil or hoary basil (O. canum),an annual with tapering, glandular, practically hairless leaves but with hairy calyces around the small white flowers.
Origin: Tropical regions throughout Africa, the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia. Since all three species mentioned above have been used as culinary and medicinal herbs for centuries (first in India and North Africa; later in southern and central Europe), the exact origins of the cultivated forms are not known.
Parts Used: Dried aboveground parts (Basilici herba; Ocimi sancti herba) or the essential oil; rarely the seeds or roots.
Uses and Properties: Basil species are widely used in traditional medicine as tonics and general medicines against indigestion, flatulence, loss of appetite and internal parasites. Sweet basil has been considered a useful diuretic since ancient times and is sometimes included in wound-healing ointments. Leaf infusions or fresh leaf juice of holy basil is used in India mainly against cough, upper respiratory infections, stress-related skin disorders and indigestion. The seeds are considered to be a nutritional tonic.
Preparation and Dosage: Tea made from 2 - 4 g of the dried herb is taken two or three times per day.
Active Ingredients: The essential oil (up to 1%) of O. basilicum has methylchavicol (= estragole) and linalool as main component (both may reach 70% or more), together with eugenol, ocimene and cineole. Also present are tannins and flavonoids.
Pharmacological Effects: Antibacterial, antiulcerogenic and anthelmintic activities have been reported which can be plausibly explained by the secondary metabolites present.
Status: Traditional medicine; WHO 2 (Ocimi sancti herba).
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Additional Information
Founded in 1984 in the Trinity Mountains of north central California, Aura Cacia is a leading manufacturer of 100% pure and natural essential oils and quality aromatherapy products.
Aura Cacia offers more than 80 essential oils that create moods such as relaxation, rejuvenation and sensuality.
Essential oils from Aura Cacia are 100% pure botanical oils without any added water, alcohol or other diluting agents. These aromatic oils are generally steam-distilled from herbs, fruits and flowers. Citrus fruit essential oils are cold-expressed.
No animals are used to test Aura Cacia products. The products are biodegradable.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor. The essence of the current American rule on Traditional Uses is, as stated by FTC, "Claims based on historical or traditional use should be substantiated by confirming scientific evidence, or should be presented in such a way that consumers understand that the sole basis for the claim is a history of use of the product for a particular purpose."
