In a “What’s old is new” medical moment, Indian researchers discovered that holy basil, a native Indian herb long believed to promote health, really does promote health—and it has anti-aging properties in the bargain.
Holy basil (Ocimum sanctum), also known as “Tulsi,” is a relative of the herb used in Western cooking. It differs from culinary basil in that it is more clove-like, and its leaves are commonly used in India to brew a tea valued for its healing powers.
An extract from holy basil has a long history of use in Ayurvedic medicine as a rejuvenation aid; it’s so valued, in fact, that it’s often grown in many family homes and gardens. The herb, however, had never before been studied in a scientific setting. When researchers from Poona College of Pharmacy in Maharashtra, India, subjected it to analysis, they discovered it has powerful anti-oxidant and anti-aging properties.
Study leader Dr. Vaibhav Shinde said, “The study validates the traditional use of the herb as a youth-promoting substance in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. It also helps describe how the herb acts at a cellular level.” Exactly how promising is it? “We have had some very exciting results,” Shinde said. “I am now using holy basil in my own cooking, and I hope it will be beneficial.”
The scientists presented their research to the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester.
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