Free The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless Page B

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    CHARACTERISTICS The Exotic type oil is yellow or pale green, with a slightly coarse sweet-herbaceous odour with a camphoraceous tinge. It’s scent does not compare with the ‘true’ sweet basil oil.
    PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS Mainly methyl chavicol (70–88 per cent), with small amounts of linalol, cineol, camphor, eugenol, limonene and citronellol.
    SAFETY DATA Methyl chavicol is moderately toxic and irritating to the skin: ‘the methyl chavicol content of Comoran basil is sufficient reason to discard it for therapeutic usage in favour of the French type.’ 6 There has also been some recent concern over the possible carcinogenic effects of methyl chavicol. Basil should be avoided during pregnancy.
    AROMATHERAPY/HOME USE None.
    OTHER USE The oil is employed in high class fragrances, soaps and dental products; used extensively in major food categories especially meat products and savories.
BASIL, FRENCH
    Ocimum basilicum
    FAMILY Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
    SYNOYNMS Common basil, joy-of-the-mountain, ‘true’ sweet basil, European basil.
    GENERAL DESCRIPTION A tender annual herb, with very dark green, ovate leaves, greyish-green beneath, an erect square stem up to 60 cms high, bearing whorls of two-lipped greenish or pinky-white flowers. The whole plant has a powerful aromatic scent.
    DISTRIBUTION Native to tropical Asia and Africa, it is now widely cultivated throughout Europe, the Mediterranean region, the Pacific Islands, North and South America. The European, French or ‘true’ sweet basil oil is produced in France, Italy, Egypt, Bulgaria, Hungary and the USA.
    OTHER SPECIES There are many varieties of basil occurring all over the world, used both for their culinary and medicinal applications, such as bush basil (O. minimum) , holy basil (O. sanctum) , both from India, camphor basil (O. kilimanjaricum) from East Africa (also grown in India), and the fever plant (O. viride) from West Africa. However, there are two principal chemotypes most commonly used for the extraction of essential oil: the so-called ‘French basil’ and the ‘exotic basil’ – see separate entry.
    HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION Widely used in Far Eastern medicine especially in the Ayurvedic tradition, where it is called tulsi. It is used for respiratory problems such as bronchitis, coughs, colds, asthma, ’flu and emphysema but is also used as an antidote to poisonous insect or snake bites. It has also been used against epidemics and fever, such as malaria. It improves blood circulation and the digestive system and in China it is used for stomach and kidney ailments.
    In the West it is considered a ‘cooling’ herb, and is used for rheumatic pain, irritable skin conditions and for those of a nervous disposition. It is a popular culinary herb, especially in Italy and France.
    ACTIONS Antidepressant, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, cephalic, digestive, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, galactagogue, nervine, prophylactic, restorative, stimulant of adrenal cortex, stomachic, tonic.
    EXTRACTION Essential oil by steam distillation from the flowering herb.
    CHARACTERISTICS ‘True’ sweet basil oil is a colourless or pale yellow liquid with a light, fresh sweet-spicy scent and balsamic undertone. It blends well with bergamot, clary sage, lime, opopanax, oakmoss, citronella, geranium, hyssop and other ‘green’ notes.
    PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS Linalol (40–45 per cent), methyl chavicol (23.8 per cent) and small amounts of eugenol, limonene and citronellol, among others.
    SAFETY DATA Relatively non-toxic, non-irritant, possible sensitization in some individuals. Avoid during pregnancy.
    AROMATHERAPY/HOME USE
    SKIN CARE : Insect bites (mosquito, wasp), insect repellent.
    CIRCULATION , MUSCLES AND JOINTS : Gout, muscular aches and pains, rheumatism.
    RESPIRATORY SYSTE : Bronchitis, coughs, earache, sinusitis.
    DIGESTIVE SYSTEM : Dyspepsia, flatulence, nausea.
    GENITO - URINARY SYSTEM : Cramps, scanty periods.
    IMMUNE SYSTEM : Colds, fever,