Holy Basil Pesto Recipe

Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum), also known as Tulsi or Incomparable One, is a sacred plant of India.  Holy basil has a slightly differing taste than sweet basil that is more spicy, and this recipe offers a delicious Asian spin on a traditionally Italian dipping sauce.  Holy Basil is a significant antioxidant, high in chlorophyll, iron, zinc, calcium, and vitamins A and C.  It may also help to lower cholesterol, blood sugar levels, anxiety, respiratory complaints, and more.  Read the research listed below for more details.

There are many chemo-varieties of basil.  Holy Basil differs from other types because it is high in eugenol, 1,8-cineole, and estragole.  Read more about basil here:  All about Basil

Holy Basil Pesto Ingredients

• 3 cups of fresh holy basil leaves, chopped
• 1 cup of fresh cilantro, minced
• 3/4 cup of parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup of sesame oil
• 1/2 of a lemon’s juice
• 1/4 cup of pine nuts
• 1/2 tsp of soy sauce
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 small piece of ginger, about 1/2 inch, sliced

Holy Basil Pesto Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.
• Serve with sesame crackers, rice crackers, or shrimp chips.  This is a great appetizer to serve before an Asian dinner dish.

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Holy Basil Research

Holy basil is healthy for us to eat, with its antioxidant, anti-genotoxic, and anti-inflammatory properties.  In research, it has also shown potential as a cardiac protective, liver protective, neuro-protective, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, and anxiolytic.  More human studies are warranted.  Here is some research:

• Ocimum sanctum and its components of cirsilineol, cirsimaritin, isothymusin, isothymonin, apigenin, rosmarinic acid, and eugenol demonstrated varying degrees of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities.  From:  Kelm, M. A., Nair, M. G., Strasburg, G. M., & DeWitt, D. L. (2000). Antioxidant and cyclooxygenase inhibitory phenolic compounds from Ocimum sanctum Linn. Phytomedicine, 7(1), 7-13.
• Flavonoids of orientin and vicenin of Ocimum sanctum demonstrated free radical formation inhibition and free radical scavenging.  From:  Uma Devi, P., Ganasoundari, A., Vrinda, B., Srinivasan, K. K., & Unnikrishnan, M. K. (2000). Radiation protection by the ocimum flavonoids orientin and vicenin: mechanisms of action. Radiation Research, 154(4), 455-460.
• Ocimum sanctum showed radioprotective properties and might be usable for Iodine induced damage to the salivary glands.  From:  Bhartiya, U. S., Raut, Y. S., Joseph, L. J., & Rao, B. S. (2006). Protective effect of Ocimum sanctum L after high-dose iodine exposure in mice: An in vivo study. Indian journal of experimental biology, 44(8), 647.
• Ocimum sanctum extract protected against radiation induced lipid peroxidation.  From:  Devi, P. U., & Ganasoundari, A. (1999). Modulation of glutathione and antioxidant enzymes by Ocimum sanctum and its role in protection against radiation injury. Indian J Exp Biol, 37(3), 262-268.
• Five species of Ocimum demonstrated antioxidant capabilities.  From:  Salles Trevisan, M. T., Vasconcelos Silva, M. G., Pfundstein, B., Spiegelhalder, B., & Owen, R. W. (2006). Characterization of the volatile pattern and antioxidant capacity of essential oils from different species of the genus Ocimum. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 54(12), 4378-4382.
• Ocimum sanctum showed an antioxidant and neuroprotective effect that may be useful in treating cerebral reperfusion injury and cerebrovascular insufficiency states and improve memory loss.  From:  Yanpallewar, S. U., Rai, S., Kumar, M., & Acharya, S. B. (2004). Evaluation of antioxidant and neuroprotective effect of Ocimum sanctum on transient cerebral ischemia and long-term cerebral hypoperfusion. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 79(1), 155-164.
• Ocimum sanctum leaf extract possessed a protective effect against induced genetic damage.  From:  Babu, K., & Maheswari, K. U. (2006). In vivo studies on the effect of Ocimum sanctum L. leaf extract in modifying the genotoxicity induced by chromium and mercury in Allium root meristems. Journal of Environmental Biology, 27(1), 93.
• Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum basilicum var. purpurascens, and Ocimum sanctum were tested, and all extracts exhibited high ability for chelating metals, and were effective as DPPH scavengers.  From:  Grădinariu, V., Cioancă, O., Gille, E., Aprotosoaie, A. C., Hriţcu, L., & Hăncianu, M. (2013). The chemical profile of basil bio-varieties and its implication on the biological activity.
• Ocimum sanctum and its components of cirsilineol, cirsimaritin, isothymusin, isothymonin, apigenin, rosmarinic acid, and eugenol demonstrated varying degrees of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities.  From:  Kelm, M. A., Nair, M. G., Strasburg, G. M., & DeWitt, D. L. (2000). Antioxidant and cyclooxygenase inhibitory phenolic compounds from Ocimum sanctum Linn. Phytomedicine, 7(1), 7-13.
• Ocimum sanctum demonstrated anti-lipid peroxidative and significant liver and aortic tissue protection from hypercholesterolemia-induced peroxidative damage in rabbits.  From:  Geetha, R. K., & Vasudevan, D. M. (2004). Inhibition of lipid peroxidation by botanical extracts of Ocimum sanctum: in vivo and in vitro studies. Life sciences, 76(1), 21-28.
• In animal studies, O. sanctum lowered blood pressure, thinned blood, and increased sleep time.  From:  Singh, S., Rehan, H. M. S., & Majumdar, D. K. (2001). Effect of Ocimum sanctum fixed oil on blood pressure, blood clotting time and pentobarbitone-induced sleeping time. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 78(2), 139-143.
• Ocimum sanctum protected rat hearts from chronic restraint stress induced changes.  From:  Sood, S., Narang, D., Thomas, M. K., Gupta, Y. K., & Maulik, S. K. (2006). Effect of Ocimum sanctum Linn. on cardiac changes in rats subjected to chronic restraint stress. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 108(3), 423-427.
• Ocimum sanctum demonstrated anti-lipid peroxidative and significant liver and aortic tissue protection from hypercholesterolemia-induced peroxidative damage in rabbits.  From:  Geetha, R. K., & Vasudevan, D. M. (2004). Inhibition of lipid peroxidation by botanical extracts of Ocimum sanctum: in vivo and in vitro studies. Life sciences, 76(1), 21-28.
• Ocimum sanctum alcohol leaf extract shows significant hepatoprotective activity.  From:  Lahon, K., & Das, S. (2011). Hepatoprotective activity of Ocimum sanctum alcoholic leaf extract against paracetamol-induced liver damage in Albino rats. Pharmacognosy research, 3(1), 13.
• Extracts from Murraya koenigii (curry tree), Mentha piperitae (peppermint), Ocimum sanctum (basil), and Aegle marmelos (woodapple) resulted in a significant decrease in the levels of blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin and urea, in diabetic rats.  From:  Narendhirakannan, R. T., Subramanian, S., & Kandaswamy, M. (2006). Biochemical evaluation of antidiabetogenic properties of some commonly used Indian plants on streptozotocin‐induced diabetes in experimental rats. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, 33(12), 1150-1157.
• Ocimum sanctum leaf extracts had a stimulatory effects on insulin secretion which may relate to antidiabetic action.  From:  Hannan, J. M. A., Marenah, L., Ali, L., Rokeya, B., Flatt, P. R., & Abdel-Wahab, Y. H. A. (2006). Ocimum sanctum leaf extracts stimulate insulin secretion from perfused pancreas, isolated islets and clonal pancreatic β-cells. Journal of Endocrinology, 189(1), 127-136.
• Inula racemosa, Boerhaavia diffusa and Ocimum sanctum (basil) exhibited antiperoxidative, hypoglycaemic and cortisol lowering activities; it is suggested that these three plant extracts may potentially regulate corticosteroid induced diabetes.  From:  Gholap, S., & Kar, A. (2004). Hypoglycaemic effects of some plant extracts are possibly mediated through inhibition in corticosteroid concentration. Die Pharmazie-An International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 59(11), 876-878.
• Ocimum sanctum was studied for anti-diabetic activity in rats.  From:  Vats, V., Yadav, S. P., & Grover, J. K. (2004). Ethanolic extract of Ocimum sanctum leaves partially attenuates streptozotocin-induced alterations in glycogen content and carbohydrate metabolism in rats. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 90(1), 155-160.
• Ocimum sanctum powder had a hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effect of in diabetic rats.  From:  Rai, V., Iyer, U., & Mani, U. V. (1997). Effect of Tulasi (Ocimum sanctum) leaf powder supplementation on blood sugar levels, serum lipids and tissues lipids in diabetic rats. Plant foods for human nutrition, 50(1), 9-16.
• Ocimum sanctum had antidiabetic, hypo-cholesterolaemic and antioxidant effects on rabbits.  From:  Gupta, S., Mediratta, P. K., Singh, S., Sharma, K. K., & Shukla, R. (2006). Antidiabetic, anti-hypercholesterolaemic and antioxidant effect of Ocimum sanctum (Linn) seed oil. Indian journal of experimental biology, 44(4), 300.
• Ocimum sanctum improved cognitive performance in mice and could be used in treatment of cognitive disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.  From:  Joshi, H., & Parle, M. (2006). Evaluation of nootropic potential of Ocimum sanctum Linn. in mice. Indian journal of experimental biology, 44(2), 133.
• Ocimum sanctum showed an antioxidant and neuroprotective effect that may be useful in treating cerebral reperfusion injury and cerebrovascular insufficiency states and improve memory loss.  From:  Yanpallewar, S. U., Rai, S., Kumar, M., & Acharya, S. B. (2004). Evaluation of antioxidant and neuroprotective effect of Ocimum sanctum on transient cerebral ischemia and long-term cerebral hypoperfusion. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 79(1), 155-164.
• Patients with anxiety disorders took O. sanctum leaf at 500 mg twice a day and noticed significant reduction in stress.  From:  Bhattacharyya, D., Sur, T. K., Jana, U., & Debnath, P. K. (2008). Controlled programmed trial of Ocimum sanctum leaf on generalized anxiety disorders.
• Anxiolytic and antidepressant actions resulted after  inhalation of basil essential oils extracted from Ocimum sanctum and Ocimum basilicum in rats with Alzheimer’s disease.  From:  Gradinariu, V., Cioanca, O., Hritcu, L., Trifan, A., Gille, E., & Hancianu, M. (2015). Comparative efficacy of Ocimum sanctum L. and Ocimum basilicum L. essential oils against amyloid beta (1–42)-induced anxiety and depression in laboratory rats. Phytochemistry Reviews, 14(4), 567-575.
• Ocimum sanctumin essential oil reduced stress hormones in rats exposed to noise.  From:  Samson, J., Devi, R. S., Ravindran, R., & Senthilvelan, M. (2006). Biogenic amine changes in brain regions and attenuating action of Ocimum sanctumin noise exposure. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 83(1), 67-75.
• Ocimum sanctum in rats was an antioxidant for noise induced oxidative stress.  From:  Samson, J., Sheeladevi, R., & Ravindran, R. (2007). Oxidative stress in brain and antioxidant activity of Ocimum sanctum in noise exposure. Neurotoxicology, 28(3), 679-685.
• Ocimum sanctum extract reduced anxiety, stress, and depression in humans.  From:  Bhattacharyya, D., Sur, T. K., Jana, U., & Debnath, P. K. (2008). Controlled programmed trial of Ocimum sanctum leaf on generalized anxiety disorders.
• Ocimum sanctum demonstrated anticonvulsant capability.  From:  Jaggi, R. K., Madaan, R., & Singh, B. (2003). Anticonvulsant potential of holy basil, Ocimum sanctum Linn., and its cultures.

By: Kathy Sadowski, MS in Aromatherapy, Registered Aromatherapist, LMT

4/11/18

This categorized compilation of research articles does not necessarily imply that there are adequate results to demonstrate safe and/or effective human use. These statements are not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any diseases. The information at this page has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Consult a Doctor before using herbs and essential oils if you have medical conditions, are taking medications, or have questions.