Herb Profile
Ocimum Basilicum
Ocimum basilicum
Ocimum Basilicum (Ocimum basilicum) carries a Grade C rating — limited evidence.
Last reviewed: •3 sources citedReport a correctionProfile-wide ·C Limited
Use extra caution — Culinary basil is low risk, but essential oils/extracts differ; caution with anticoagulants/antiplatelets, pregnancy, children, liver disease, and high methyleugenol concentrated products. Details
- Evidence
- Limited Evidence
- Typical onset
- Varies by prep
- Safety rating
- High caution
- Best for
- Sleep, Stress, Cognitive function, Inflammatory signaling
- Avoid / review if
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Without Clinician Supervision, Known Allergy To The Plant/Family, Bleeding Disorder Or Upcoming Surgery
Safety
Safety & Cautions
Culinary basil is low risk, but essential oils/extracts differ; caution with anticoagulants/antiplatelets, pregnancy, children, liver disease, and high methyleugenol concentrated products.
High caution
Caution level: High. Multiple caution categories apply, or the record uses avoid/contraindication language.
- Interaction-AwareMedication or interaction context is explicitly noted.
- Liver-SensitiveLiver-related caution language appears in the profile.
- Anticoagulant CautionBleeding or anticoagulant-adjacent caution language is present.
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding CautionPregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Detailed safety fields
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and contraindications
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Without Clinician Supervision
- Known Allergy To The Plant/Family
- Bleeding Disorder Or Upcoming Surgery
- Seizure Disorder Or Sedative/Alcohol Use
- Potential Interaction Concern With Antidiabetic Medicines
- Anticoagulants/Antiplatelets
- Sedatives/CNS Depressants
- Immunosuppressants
- Use Clinician Review For High Dose Extracts Or Chronic Use.
Safety classifications
- Interaction-Aware: Medication or interaction context is explicitly noted.
- Liver-Sensitive: Liver-related caution language appears in the profile.
- Anticoagulant Caution: Bleeding or anticoagulant-adjacent caution language is present.
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution: Pregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Full safety note
- Culinary basil is low risk, but essential oils/extracts differ; caution with anticoagulants/antiplatelets, pregnancy, children, liver disease, and high methyleugenol concentrated products.
Safety labels
- Interaction-Aware
- Liver-Sensitive
- Anticoagulant Caution
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution
Evidence-based safety
Caution when combined
Severity and certainty are shown separately. A high-priority caution can still be theoretical: these pairings are screened from shared contraindication mechanisms and are not automatically documented clinical interactions. Provenance identifies the source fields that produced each flag; it does not upgrade the certainty of the pairwise claim.
High-Priority Caution
147 flagged pairingsBleeding / anticoagulant risk
High-Priority Caution
147 flagged pairingsBleeding / anticoagulant risk
Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.
Bleeding / anticoagulant riskCertainty: Theoretical
Data provenance recorded for 147 of 147 pairings in this mechanism group.
- aescin — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Aged Garlic Extract — Theoretical interaction certainty
- ajoene — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Ajwain — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Allicin — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Garlic — Theoretical interaction certainty
- American Ginseng Extract — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Andrographis — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Angelica Archangelica — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Angelica Dahurica — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Angelica Pubescens — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Angelica Root — Theoretical interaction certainty
+135 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.
Moderate Caution
178 flagged pairingsBlood-sugar lowering · Sedation / CNS depression
Moderate Caution
178 flagged pairingsBlood-sugar lowering · Sedation / CNS depression
Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.
Blood-sugar loweringCertainty: Theoretical
Data provenance recorded for 110 of 110 pairings in this mechanism group.
- Acarbose — Theoretical interaction certainty
- ajoene — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Allicin — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Aloe Vera — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Alpha-Lipoic Acid — Theoretical interaction certainty
- American Ginseng Extract — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Andrographis — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Anemarrhena Asphodeloides — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Tarragon — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Ashoka — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Astragalus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Astragalus Membranaceus — Theoretical interaction certainty
+98 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.
Sedation / CNS depressionCertainty: Theoretical
Data provenance recorded for 68 of 68 pairings in this mechanism group.
- American Yellow Lotus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Artemisia Absinthium — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Bacopa — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Black Seed — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Black Tea — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Blue Lotus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Calamus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Catuba — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Celastrus Paniculatus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Chamomile — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Chinese Skullcap — Theoretical interaction certainty
+56 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.
Evidence
Evidence Summary
Evidence lens
Read as directional context, not settled clinical proof.
LimitedLimited Evidence
Human clinical evidence: Present in source signals
Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Inflammatory Signaling Modulation · Oxidative Stress Modulation · Metabolic Regulation
Research maturity: Emerging research — Long Term Human Evidence May Be Limited.
Safety boundary: Safety note available — Culinary basil is low risk, but essential oils/extracts differ; caution with anticoagulants/antiplatelets, pregnancy, children, liver disease, and high methyleugenol concentrated products.
This profile cites 3 human studies.
Study design details
Evidence Grade
Grade C: Limited Evidence
Evaluation of methodological rigor, population reach, and evidence alignment.
- Design Match
- Randomized controlled trial
- Risk of Bias
- Low
- Consistency
- Not assessed
Strongest recorded design is a randomized controlled trial, drawn from 4 recorded studies, 2 in people.
How evidence grades work
Each grade reflects the strength and consistency of published human evidence — not marketing claims. Grades are based on study count, design quality, effect size, consistency, and recency.
- Strong
- Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
- Moderate
- Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
- Preliminary / Mixed
- Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
- Traditional / Theoretical
- Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Clinical Study Summaries (5)2 human evidence sources · 2 human trials · Participant totals not consistently reported · Consistency not yet classifiable
Filter by study class
Showing 5 of 5 studies.
What the evidence actually shows
This table contains 5 structured sources, including 2 human evidence sources; 2 are human trials.
| Study | Design | N | Dose | Duration | Population | Outcome | Result & magnitude | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Background | Randomized controlled trial Randomly assigns participants to interventions or controls, reducing many sources of bias when the trial is conducted well. | — | — | — | — | — | A 2025 randomized postpartum study found no clear prevention benefit for depressive symptoms or sleep outcomes with basil leaf. This is useful null evidence beside the positive MDD/anxiety trial. | PubMed → |
Background | Randomized controlled trial Randomly assigns participants to interventions or controls, reducing many sources of bias when the trial is conducted well. | — | — | — | — | — | A 2025 randomized trial in 60 people with major depressive disorder and anxiety reported reductions in anxiety/depression scale scores over 4 weeks with a basil preparation. The study is small and short. | PubMed → |
PubMed indexed authors · 2006 Background | Narrative review Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Antimicrobial and Other Pharmacological Properties of Ocimum basilicum, Lamiaceae Zhakipbekov K et al. · Molecules · 2024 Background | Narrative review Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Oyeniran OH et al. · Drug Chem Toxicol · 2024 Background | Other / unclear The study design is not yet classified clearly enough to infer its place in the evidence hierarchy. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Dosing & Timing
- No standardized dose
- Preparation specific; use standardized product label for Preparation varies by tradition and product form and require source backed dosage review before therapeutic claims.
How Ocimum Basilicum works
Simplified mechanism pathway based on preclinical and pharmacological evidence. Does not confirm clinical efficacy.
Mechanism Pathway — How Ocimum Basilicum Works
CompoundTarget / ReceptorMechanismEffect / Outcome
Mechanisms & biological pathways (preclinical)
- Inflammatory Signaling Modulation
- Oxidative Stress Modulation
- Metabolic Regulation
- Neurotransmitter Modulation
- Stress Response Modulation
- NF KB Modulation
Active Compounds
Key constituents studied in Ocimum Basilicum, with full pharmacology and safety profiles.
Compare related active botanicals
Explore botanicals with similar chemistry, effects, or safety considerations in the Botanical Activity Atlas.
Compare & Sourcing
Compare side-by-side tradeoffs or verify active marker guidelines.
Review available sources for Ocimum Basilicum
Independent database mapping — evaluated separately from safety and efficacy scores.
Affiliate disclosure: Shopping links may earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Links are chosen on quality and availability, never commission tiers; safety warnings and evidence ratings stay independent.
Safety first · Harm reduction
This information is educational and not medical advice. Start low, avoid risky combinations, and consult a licensed clinician before making health decisions—especially if you use medications, have diagnosed conditions, or are pregnant/breastfeeding.
Learn how we evaluate confidence, safety, and intensity on the methodology page.
Founder & Head Researcher · Oak Ridge, TN · Last reviewed August 2026
Editorial Review
Checked against primary sources, cited evidence, and contraindication language before publication. Evidence claims, safety language, and affiliate modules are reviewed independently. Not personal medical advice.
Help improve this profile
Was this useful for your research?
These controls record only the page and the structured choice you make when analytics consent is enabled. Please don’t include personal medical information in research requests.
Was this evidence summary clear?
Did you find what you were researching?
Free safety checklist
Get the Ocimum Basilicum research notes
Evidence summaries, dosing context, and safety updates for this herb — straight to your inbox.
We use your email to send the checklist and occasional evidence-first supplement updates. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy.