Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics

Other constituents present in sweet basil
include protein (14%), carbohydrates (61%),
vitamins A and C in relatively high concen-
trations (MARSH), rosmarinic acid,9,10thymol,
and xanthomicrol (a flavone).^11

PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL
ACTIVITIES

The volatile oil of a variety of sweet basil was
shown to have antiwormal activities.^12 Essen-
tial oil has shown antimicrobial and mildly
antiseptic activitiesin vitro.^13
Methyl cinnamate, estragole and, to a lesser
extent, ocimene, cineole, and linalool have
insecticidal activities.^14
Xanthomicrol has shown cytotoxic and
antineoplastic activities.^11

TOXICOLOGY

Sweet basil oil is reported to be nontoxic.^15
Estragole, a major component in some
sweet basil oils, has been shown to produce
tumors (hepatocellular carcinomas) in mice^16
and genotoxicity. The Council of Europe
currently recommends that the level of estra-
gole in food products should not exceed
0.05 mg/kg.^17

USES

Medicinal, Pharmaceutical, and Cosmetic.
Used as a fragrance ingredient in perfumes,
soaps, hair dressings, dental creams, and
mouth washes.

Food. Used as a spice and in chartreuse

liqueur.

The oil and oleoresin are extensively used

as a flavor ingredient in all major food pro-

ducts, usually in rather low use levels (mostly

below 0.005%).

Traditional Medicine. The herb has been

used for head colds and as a cure for warts

and worms, as an appetite stimulant, carmina-

tive, and diuretic, among other applications

(BLUMENTHAL1).^7

Morewidely used as a medicinal herb in the

Far East, especially in China and India. It was

first described in a major Chinese herbal

around AD 1060 and has since been used in

China for spasms of the stomach and kidney

ailments, among others; it is especially re-

commended for use before and after parturi-

tion to promote blood circulation. The whole

herb is also used to treat snakebite and insect

bites (JIANGSU;NANJING).

COMMERCIAL PREPARATIONS

Crude, essential oil, and oleoresin.

Regulatory Status. Regulated in the United

States as a dietary supplement; in foods,

both the use of the herb as a spice, natural

flavoring, or seasoning (§182.10), and the use

of the essential oil and extractives (§182.20)

are GRAS. Subject of a German therapeutic

monograph; claimed efficacies not well sub-

stantiated; allowed as flavor corrigent at 5% or

less (BLUMENTHAL1;WICHTL).

REFERENCES

See the General References forARCTANDER;BISSET;BLUMENTHAL1;BRUNETON;FEMA;FOSTER;GUENTHER;
JIANGSU;MASADA;MCGUFFIN1&2;MORTON1;NANJING;ROSENGARTEN;TERRELL;YOUNGKEN.

1. D. Pogany, Diss. Abstr. B, 28 , 1871
   (1967).


2. S. N. Sobti et al.,Lloydia, 41 , 50 (1978).


3. B. C. Gulati et al.,Parf€um. Kosmet., 58 ,
   165 (1977).
   4. S. S. Nigam and A. K. Rao,Riechst.,
   Aromen, K€orperpflegem., 18 , 169 (1968).
   5. S. J. Terhune et al., Paper presented at the
   6th International Congress of Essential
   Oils, 1974, p. 153.

Basil, sweet 75