Holy Basil in Ayurveda

A herb that has had a long and strong association with ayurveda is the Holy basil. The herb has a long history as a medicinal as well as traditional Indian household herb, dating back more than 4000 years.

Most traditional Indian homes have at least one plant of Holy basil growing in their yard, which they use for both medicinal as well as religious purposes.

Basically a tropical herb, Holy basil has a strong pungent taste and a distinctive sweet aroma that makes it a favorite for various culinary preparations as well. However, we will limit our discussion in this article to the medicinal aspects of the herb.

Many medicinal uses

A native of Asia, Holy basil (botanical name Ocimum sanctum) is a tropical herb that has one of the most exhaustive lists of medicinal uses for a single plant species in ayurveda. For this reason, ayurveda assigns it a special place among medicinal herbs.

Its medicinal properties are used to cure and control a number of diseases and physical ailments. The herb grows very commonly in all parts of India, a fact that makes it very easily available and therefore one of the cheapest raw materials for ayurvedic preparations.

Holy basil is also known as St Joseph’s Wort and Sweet Basil. It grows to a height of between 20 to 70 centimeters.

Varieties of Holy Basil

There are a number of varieties of Holy basil. Ocimum Sanctum is the most important and comes in two varieties - green and black.

While the green variety has green leaves and brownish twigs, the black variety has violet-colored leaves and twigs. Other types of Holy basil having medical importance are Ocimum Basillicum Linn, Gratissium Linn and Canum.

Holy Basil - Medicinal Properties >>