Holy Basil Essential Oil (Ocimum sanctum)
Basil, Holy (Tulsi) essential oil (Ocimum sanctum)
Country of Origin – India
Botanical family - Lamiaceae
Steam Distilled from the wild-crafted blossom and leaves
5 ml, 10 mL and 15 ml sizes available with safety dropper cap
According to published literature, the following properties are attributed to this particular essential oil:
- Used in Ayurvedic medicine extensively with years of anecdotal evidence
- Purifies the air and has "protective and cleansing" effects per David Crow
- Consider the herb also as it has many beneficial uses
- Both herb and oil are adaptogenic for the central nervous system
- Considered to be an effective anti-depressant
- Antibacterial and antifungal
- Antispasmodic
- Used as a deodorant
- Useful for digestive issues
- A well-known insecticide
- Has been referred to as warming and can relieve muscular pain
- Circulatory stimulant improving blood flow
- Use in a chest rub as a decongestant and to clear sinus passages
- Useful as a massage for the abdomen as it can support digestive issues as well as when massaged onto the lower abdomen can relieve menstrual cramps
- Can help relieve broken capillaries
- Useful for relieving gas and bloating
- Topically can be useful for balancing the sebum and help control oily skin
- Effective for acne, psoriasis, eczema and other skin rashes
- Helps to relieve anxiety and useful for inability to sleep due to over-thinking
- Can be useful as a stimulate for clearer thinking
- Particularly helpful in blends to support respiratory infections
Revered in India and in Chinese medicine for its many beneficial properties. Due to its high levels of eugenol, this oil has been shown to be especially effective against antibiotic resistant pathogens such as E. coli, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Candida, and others. The constituent eugenol (also high in clove oil, both leaf and bud and cinnamon leaf), has been shown to inhibit the pre-inflammatory cytokines and has a pain-relieving effect. Do not use undiluted, however.
100% pure undiluted, unadulterated, aromatherapeutic holy basil essential oil, steam distilled from the wildcrafted leaves and blossoms. Also known as Tulsi.
Holy Basil Essential Oil, Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum)
We will be adding more information about this particularly useful essential oil as well as adding information about the whole plant and the differences between the herb and essential oil. We will be doing this for all of our essential oils as Ann completes her master herbalist education.
This oil should be properly diluted in a carrier oil with maximum dermal dilution of 0.5%, depending on the percentage of eugenol in the oil. This is an IFRA maximum. Tisserand and Young recommend a maximum dermal use of 1.0% - again based on 50.4% eugenol content. We also recommend that you test this and any other oil we indicate as being a potential skin irritant before using.
If pregnant - Robert Tisserand's book does not include Tulsi in the chart of oils to be "avoided by any route during pregnancy and lactation." David Crow suggests we "not use during pregnancy. Avoid if susceptible to epilepsy. Do not use on children under two years old. Do not take tulsi essential oil internally." Considering the percentage of eugenol, which is a phenol, we would suggest you use the herb as a tea during pregnancy and lactation rather than the essential oil.
Avoid use if you are presently planning surgery or are taking blood thinning medications such as Coumadin as both eugenol and estragole inhibit the blood clotting cascade. Also avoid use with anti-depressant medications.
An interesting observation noted in Robert Tisserand's amazing "Essential Oil Safety" book is that although this particular oil contains possibly both methyleugenol and estragole, both of which are considered to be carcinogens, studies demonstrate "significant anticarcinogenic and antioxidant activity, and therefore no maximum use levels are required, in our opinion, in regard to carcinogenesis.
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