Ocimum sanctum

Scientific name: Ocimum sanctum L.

Synonym: Ocimum tenuiflorum L.

Botanical family: LAMIACEAE

Vernacular names

(In territories with significant traditional TRAMIL use)

Cuba:

albahaca morada

Dominican Republic:

albahaca morada

Other vernacular names

Cuba:

Albahaca morada

Haiti:

Fèy jiwòf

Geographical distribution

Native to the tropics of Asia and Africa, cultivated in other parts of the world.

Botanical description

Subshrubs up to 1 m high, highly ramified. Erect stems, with a woody base. Leaves ovate, puberulous to glabrescent from 3 to 5 cm in length, base cuneate to rounded, serrate with obtuse apex. Verticillasters of 6 flowers in terminal strips or panicles of 6-8 cm; sessile bracts; corolla purple to white of about 3 mm; free stamens, slightly exerted. Brown, ovoid, glandular-foveolate nutlets of almost 1 mm.

Voucher(s)

Soberats,TR90-01,CIFMT

For stomach pain, wind or gas:
prepare a decoction with 30 grams of leaves in 4 cups (1 litre) of water, boil for 5 minutes in a covered vessel. Leave to cool, strain (filter) and drink 1 cup 3 times a day.

Preparations must never be stored for more than 24 hours, even if refrigerated.

According to the information available:

The use for stomach pain, wind and gas is classified as REC based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys and the scientific information published.

Due to the risks of documented interactions with hypoglycaemic, antihypertensive drugs and barbiturates, people taking these drugs should avoid ingesting any part of the plant.

If deterioration is observed in the patient or if the stomach pain persists for more than 3 days, seek medical attention.

Not for use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or in children under 8 years of age.

The administration of the whole plant showed antitoxic activity in a model of toxaemia produced by a virus vaccine, and antihepatotoxic activity in the model of carbon tetrachloride-induced liver disease¹³.

The aqueous extract from fresh leaves (10 mg/kg) for 30 consecutive days orally in 30 male Swiss albino mice significantly protected against kidney damage from mercuric chloride induced toxicity¹⁴.

The aqueous extract from dried leaves (200 mg/kg), 30 consecutive days orally in male Wistar rats (groups of 6), showed a reduction in hepatotoxic activity and in the toxic effect on the gastrointestinal tract caused by meloxicam¹⁵.

The ethanolic extract (70%) from the dried whole plant, orally in rats, revealed an LD₅₀ = 4.85 g/kg¹⁶.

For the hydroalcoholic leaf extract, subcutaneously in mice, the LD₁ was greater than 10 g of dried plant material/kg¹⁷.

The aqueous extract (decoction) from fresh leaves in vitro was not mutagenic on Bacillus subtilis H-17 or M-45¹⁸.

The leaves (4 g/kg) orally exerted anti-fertile activity demonstrated in mice, both sexes, by direct spermicidal effect in males and interruption of the oestrogen cycle in females¹⁹. The aqueous leaf extract (25% w/v) caused oestrogen stimulation of the uterus¹⁰.

The aqueous leaf extract (100 and 200 mg/kg), orally in rats, caused anti-implantation and embryotoxic activity (although not teratogenic)²⁰.

There is no information available documenting the safety of medicinal use in children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

The chemical composition of the plant varies according to its habitat; essential oil eugenol (71%), methyl ether of eugenol (20%), carvacol (3%), camphor, caryophyllene, cineol, decylaldehyde, estragole, linalool, α and β-pinene, γ-selinene and 4-terpineol^3-5.

In the leaves the following have been isolated: apigenin, 7-O-glucuronide of apigenin, cadinene, β-carotene, chavicol methylether, 1,8-cineole, limonene, luteolin, luteolin 7-O-β-D-glucuronide, moludistin, orientin, citric, fumaric, malic, oxalic, succinic, tartaric and ursolic acid^6-9.

The aqueous leaf extract (25% w/v), in vitro in isolated guinea pig ileum, inhibited acetic acid and histamine induced contractions, suggesting that this activity is due to a blockage of cholinergic and histamine receptors¹⁰.

The aqueous extract from the dried leaves (250 mg/kg), orally in rats, castor oil-induced diarrhoea model, produced an anti-diarrhoeal effect similar to diphenoxylate¹¹.

The methanolic extract from dried leaves (100 mg/kg), orally in rats, exerted an analgesic effect with a similar mechanism and a slightly lower intensity than morphine. It inhibited carrageenan-induced oedema and cotton granuloma and opposed pyrexia caused by the typhoid vaccine; it produced an anti-diarrhoeal effect similar to diphenoxylate, an effect that seems to be related to the inhibition of prostaglandin secretion in the castor oil-induced diarrhoea model¹¹.

The ethanolic extract (200 g/1.2 l) from dried leaves (100 mg/kg), orally in Sprague-Dawley rats in antiulcerogenic models of: ulcers formed by retention and cold, aspirin, alcohol, pylorus ligation; in guinea pigs with the histamine-induced duodenal ulcer model and the acetic acid-induced chronic ulcer model to measure ulcer healing, there was a reduction in both the incidence of ulcers and it also improved healing, results attributed to the cytoprotective effect rather than the anti-secretory activity¹².

Administration of the whole plant inhibited the development of gastric ulcerations induced by aspirin, pylorus ligation (Shay method), stress and cold¹³.

Pharmacopoeia

Ed.3

References

1CARBALLO A, 1990
Encuesta TRAMIL. Centro de investigación de fitoterapia y medicina tradicional de Topes de Collantes, Trinidad, Cuba.

2GERMOSEN-ROBINEAU L, GERONIMO M, AMPARO C, 1984
Encuesta TRAMIL. enda-caribe, Santo Domingo, Rep. Dominicana.

3STECHER PG, (Ed.) 1968
The Merck Index. 8th ed. Merck & Co. Inc., Rahway, USA 1713pp.

4BROOKS B, 1911
Citrus oils in the Phillipine islands and the essential oils of Clausena anisumolens BL. and Ocimum sanctum. Perfum Essent Oil Rec (2):264-265.

5LAL R, SEN T, NIGAM M, 1978
Gas chromatography of essential oil of Ocimum sanctum L. Parfuem Kosmet (59):230-231.

6DASH S, 1982
Distribution and identification of different organic acids in Ocimum sanctum L. J Orissa Bot Soc 4(1):61-62.

7NAIR A, GUNASEGARAN R, JOSHI B, 1982
Chemical investigation of certain South Indian plants. Indian J Chem Ser 21:979-980.

8KNOBLOCH K, HERRMANN-WOLF B, 1985
Biology and essential oil of Ocimum spp. Top Flavour Res Proc Int Conf: 277-279.

9SKALTSA M, COULADI M, PHILIANOS S, SINGH M, 1987
Phytochemical study of the leaves of Ocimum sanctum. Fitoterapia 58(4):286.

10KETUSHINH O, WIMOLWATTANAPUN S, NILVISES N, 1984
Smooth muscle actions of some Thai herbal carminatives. Thai J Pharmacol 6(1):11-19.

11GODHAWANI S, GODHAWANI J, VYAS D, 1987
Ocimum sanctum: An experimental study evaluating its anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activity in animals. J Ethnopharmacol 21(2):153-163.

12DHARMANI P, KUCHIBHOTLA VK, MAURYA R, SRIVASTAVA S, SHARMA S, PALIT G, 2004
Evaluation of anti-ulcerogenic and ulcer-healing properties of Ocimum sanctum Linn. J Ethnopharmacol 93(2-3):197-206.

13SINGH Y, 1986
Traditional medicine in Fiji: Some herbal folk cures used by Fiji indians. J Ethnopharmacol 15(1):57-88.

14SHARMA M, KUMAR M, KUMAR A, 2005
Protection against mercury-induced renal damage in Swiss albino mice by Ocimum sanctum. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 19:161-167.

15MAHAPRABHU R, BHANDARKAR AG, JANGIR BL, RAHANGADALE SP, KURKURE NV, 2011
Ameliorative effect of Ocimum sanctum on meloxicam induced toxicity in Wistar rats. Toxicol Int 18(2):130-136.

16BHARGAVA KP, SINGH N, 1981
Anti-stress activity of Ocimum sanctum Linn. Indian J Med Res 73:443-451.

17MOKKHASMIT M, SWATDIMONGKOL K, SATRAWAHA P, 1971
Study on toxicity of Thai medicinal plants. Bull Dept Med Sci 12(2-4):36-65.

18UNGSURUNDSIE M, SUTHIENKUL O, PAOVALO C, 1982
Mutagenicity screening of popular Thai spices. Food ChemToxicol 20:527-530.

19KHANNA S, GUPTA S, GROVER J, 1986
Effect of long term feeding of tusli (Ocimum sanctum L.) on reproductive performance of adult albino rats. Indian J Exp Biol 24(5):302-304.

20VOHORA S, GARG S, CHAUDHURY R, 1969
Antifertility screening of plants. Part III. Effect of six indigenous plants on early pregnancy in albino rats. Indian J Med Res 57:893-899.

Disclaimer

The information provided is for educational purposes only for the benefit of the general public and health professionals. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations. Since some parts of plants could be toxic, might induce side effects, or might have interactions with certain drugs, anyone intending to use them or their products must first consult with a physician or another qualified health care professional. TRAMIL has no responsibility whatsoever towards the user for any decision, action or omission made in relation to the information contained in this Pharmacopoeia.

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Ocimum sanctum

Vernacular names

Cuba:

Dominican Republic:

Cuba:

Haiti:

Geographical distribution

Botanical description

Voucher(s)

Pharmacopoeia

References

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