Basil (Certified Organic) 450 mg by TerraVita

INSUFFICIENT RELIABLE EVIDENCE to RATE

• Acne. Topical basil has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear. Details: A small clinical study in healthy individuals with acne shows that applying a gel formulation consisting of basil essential oil 5% and sweet orange essential oil 3% daily for 8 weeks can reduce acne lesions when compared to baseline (76896). It is unclear if these findings are due to basil, sweet orange, or the combination.
• Chronic kidney disease (CKD). Although there has been interest in using oral basil for prevention of CKD, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of basil for this purpose.
• Common cold. Although there has been interest in using oral basil for the common cold, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of basil for this purpose.
• Constipation. Although there has been interest in using oral basil for constipation, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of basil for this purpose.
• Diarrhea. Although there has been interest in using oral basil for diarrhea, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of basil for this purpose.
• Flatulence. Although there has been interest in using oral basil for flatulence, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of basil for this purpose.
• Headache. Although there has been interest in using oral basil for headache, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of basil for this purpose.
• Insect bite. Although there has been interest in using topical basil for insect bites, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of basil for this purpose.
• Intestinal parasite infection. Although there has been interest in using oral basil for intestinal parasite infections, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of basil for this purpose.
• Lactation. Although there has been interest in using oral basil to stimulate lactation, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of basil for this purpose.
• Mental alertness. Inhalation of basil as aromatherapy has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear. Details: A very small clinical study in patients reporting mental exhaustion with moderate burnout shows that inhalation of aromatherapy consisting of basil, peppermint, and sandy everlasting essential oils improves attention, mental alertness, and mental focus when compared with placebo. After one week, patients in the aromatherapy group improved by about 21%, while patients in the control group improved by only 11% (68534). It is unclear if these findings are due to basil, other ingredients, or the combination.
• Migraine headache. It is unclear if topical basil essential oil is beneficial in patients with migraine headache. Details: A moderate sized clinical trial in adults with migraine headaches shows that applying 2%, 4%, or 6% basil essential oil to the forehead and temples every 8 hours for 12 weeks reduces the intensity of migraine headache pain and the frequency of attacks in a dose- and time-dependent manner when compared with placebo (103622).
• Peptic ulcers. Although there has been interest in using oral basil for peptic ulcers, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of basil for this purpose.
• Warts. Although there has been interest in using topical basil for warts, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of basil for this purpose. More evidence is needed to rate basil for these uses.

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LIKELY SAFE ...when used orally in amounts commonly found in foods. Basil has Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the US (4912).

POSSIBLY SAFE ...when used topically in medicinal amounts. Solutions containing up to 6% basil essential oil have been used with apparent safety for up to 12 weeks (103622). There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of basil when inhaled as aromatherapy.

POSSIBLY UNSAFE ...when used orally in medicinal amounts. Both the above ground parts and the oil of basil contain estragole, which might be hepatocarcinogenic and mutagenic (2,8,12).

CHILDREN: LIKELY SAFE
when the above ground parts are used in amounts commonly found in foods.

CHILDREN: POSSIBLY UNSAFE
when used orally in medicinal amounts due to the estragole constituent (2,8).

PREGNANCY AND LACTATION: LIKELY SAFE
when the above ground parts are used in amounts commonly found in foods.

PREGNANCY AND LACTATION: POSSIBLY UNSAFE
when used in larger amounts due to the estragole constituent of the essential oil. Estragole might have mutagenic effects (2,12).

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ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS Interaction Rating = Moderate Be cautious with this combination. Severity = High •  Occurrence = Possible •  Level of Evidence = D Theoretically, basil might increase the risk of bleeding when taken with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.  Details In vitro and animal studies suggest that basil oils and extracts inhibit platelet aggregation (49445,76838,76884).

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS Interaction Rating = Moderate Be cautious with this combination. Severity = Moderate •  Occurrence = Possible •  Level of Evidence = D Theoretically, basil might increase the risk of hypotension when taken with antihypertensive drugs.  Details Animal research suggests that basil extract can reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure (76893).

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General ...Topically, basil seems to be well tolerated.

Immunologic ...Allergic contact dermatitis has been reported in a 45-year old woman with occupational exposure to basil (95140).

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