Herbs & Herbal Remedies @ Green Papaya

Basil is one of many healing herbs containing both pro- and anti-cancer substances. On the cancer-prevention side, it contains vitamins A and C, antioxidants that help prevent the cell damage scientists believe eventually leads to cancer. But basil also contains a chemical (estragole) that produced liver tumors in mice, according to a report published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The cancer risk, if any, from basil remains unclear. Not even the most conservative herb critics advise caution when using basil.

No uterine stimulant has ever been identified in basil, but given its pervasive multicultural use as a menstruation promoter and labor inducer, pregnant women should probably limit their consumption to culinary amounts. Other women might try it to trigger menstruation.

Despite its estragole content, basil is on the Food and Drug Administration’s list of herbs generally regarded as safe. For otherwise healthy nonpregnant, nonnursing adults who do not have liver disease, basil is considered safe in amounts typically recommended.

Basil should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If basil causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.

Presto, Pesta!

An aromatic annual that reaches 2 feet, basil has the mint family’s square stem but more branches than most mints, with toothed, pointed, oval leaves, and spikes of small white or purplish flowers that blossom in summer.

Basil grows easily from seeds planted after danger of frost has passed, when the soil has warmed to about 50°F. Plant seeds about lis inch deep Germination typically takes a week. Basil grows best in well-drained, manure- or compost-amended soil under full sun. Thin seedlings to l-foot spacing.

After plants are established, mulch around them to conserve water and discourage weeds. Pinching promotes bushiness. After six weeks, cut the main stem above a node to produce twin-stem plants. Tim branches every few weeks. Use fresh leaves, or dry and store them in airtight opaque containers.

One best-selling herb guide states: “No modern medical studies have confirmed any of basil’s supposed effects.” This is hardly the case. Basil’s merits have certainly been overblown around the world-putting it in your ear won’t cure deafness-but the herb has proven to have definite benefits.

Intestinal Parasites - Basil oil really does kill intestinal parasites, thus confirming its traditional use in Malaya and lending credence to its age-old use as a stomach soother and treatment for a broad range of intestinal ailments.

Acne - Indian researchers have reported that basil kills bacteria when applied to the skin. They have used basil oil successfully to treat acne.

Immune Stimulant - One animal study shows basil stimulates the immune system by increasing production of disease-fighting antibodies by up to 20 percent. This may help explain its supposed effectiveness against bacteria and its traditional uses in treating many infectious illnesses.

Rx for Basil

Scientifically prepared basil oil is more concentrated than even the strongest home infusion or tincture. But if you’ve become frustrated by the ineffectiveness of other acne remedies, it probably won’t hurt to try a strong, fragrant infusion or tincture of basil. Apply with a cotton ball to freshly washed skin.

For an infusion, use 2 to 3 teaspoons of dried leaves per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 to 20 minutes. Drink up to 3 cups a day and enjoy basil’s rich, warm aroma and minty, mildly peppery taste.

In a tincture, use 112 to I teaspoon up to three times a day. Use either a tincture or an infusion to take advantage of basil’s infection-fighting potential.

Basil should not be given in medicinal quantities to children under age 2. For older children and people over65, start with low-strength preparations and increase strength if necessary.

Pesto Versus Parasites

Family: Labiatae; other members include mint

Genus and species: Ocimum basilicum, 0. sanctum

Also known as: Sweet basil, st. Josephwort

Parts used: Leaves and flower tops

Basil is a key ingredient in pesto-the zesty, immensely popular sauce for pasta. But basil is no newcomer. It’s been a favorite for thousands of years, not only in the kitchen but also in the medicine chest. Basil has been used successfully to treat intestinal parasites and skin infections, particularly acne. It may also stimulate the immune system.

Reviled and Revered in Folklore

Considering basil’s current popularity, it’s amazing what a contradictory reputation it has had down through the ages. To the ancient Greeks and Romans, the herb was a symbol of hostility and insanity. They believed that to grow truly fragrant basil, one had to shout and swear angrily while sowing its seeds Even today in French “sowing basil” (serner Ie basilic) means “ranting.”

Other folk traditions have associated the herb with love.

During recent centuries, when an Italian woman placed a potted basil plant on her balcony, it signaled that she was ready to receive her lover. And in northern Europe, lovers exchanged basil sprigs as signs of faithfulness.

In India, basil has long been revered as a sacred herb. The native species is even called Ocimum sanctum, “holy basil.” It is considered sacred to the gods Vishnu and Krishna and believed to be a protector in life and death. Haitians also believe in basil’s protective powers. Shopkeepers in Haiti sprinkle basil water around their stores to ward off evil spirits and bring prosperity.

Is It Bad or Good?

Basil’s reputation in healing has been equally contradictory. The ancient Greek physician Dioscorides and the influential Roman doctor Galen both warned against taking basil internally, saying it caused insanity and spontaneous generation of internal worms.

But the Roman naturalist Pliny and Arab physicians 1,000 years later defended it as a great healer, as did the Chinese, who used it to treat stomach, kidney, and blood ailments.

During the I I th century, the German abbess Hildegard of Bingen used basil in a complicated mixture that included “powder from a vulture’s beak,” to treat cancerous tumors.

By the 17th century, basil was widely used in Europe to treat colds, warts, and intestinal worms. Then the French botanist Tournefort published a tale that tarnished the herb’s reputation for years:

“A certain Gentleman of Sienna, being wonderfully taken and delighted with the Smell of Basil, was wont very frequently to take the Powder of the dry Herb, and snuff it up his Nose; but in short Time, he’d turn’d mad and died; and his Head being opened by Surgeons, there was found a Nest of Scorpions in his Brain.”

Used on Everything

As rhe centuries passed, the scorpion story faded. Basil has never become a major healing herb in North America, but around the world, it has been used as frequently in healing as in cooking. The medicinal plant database at the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows basil has been recommended for just about every conceivable ailment: alcoholism, boredom, childbirth recovery, cholera, colds, constipation, convulsions, cough, cramps, croup, deafness, delirium, depression, diarrhea, dropsy (congestive heart failure), and dysentery-and this list just takes us through the D’s!

In the Philippines, basil poultices are applied to ringworm infections, and pregnant women drink basil tea to induce labor. In El Salvador, the herb is placed in the ear to treat deafness. And in Malaya, basil is used to expel intestinal worms and promote menstruation.

If they mention basil at all, American herbalists suggest it as a digestive aid, appetite stimulant, and milk promoter in nursing women.