Holy Basil History: From Sacred Herb to Stress Trials
Holy basil, or tulsi, is a sacred herb in Ayurvedic and Siddha tradition, and its modern role rests on a few placebo-controlled trials. Those trials measured different outcomes with different extracts. Check the extract and the outcome before you read a holy basil label as a stress result.
The history of holy basil starts in daily life, not in a lab. Cohen calls tulsi preeminent among Ayurvedic herbs, and notes that its cultivation and daily rituals carry spiritual meaning as well as practical value ([Cohen, 2014](https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-9476.146554)). The surprise is how long the tradition runs ahead of the trials. Yadav and colleagues say tulsi has been used in the Ayurvedic and Siddha systems since antiquity ([Yadav et al., 2024](https://doi.org/10.2174/1566524023666221212155340)), while the placebo-controlled trials I checked date from 2015 and 2022 ([Sampath et al., 2015](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26571987/); [Lopresti et al., 2022](https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.965130)). ## A sacred herb with a long record Khatoon and colleagues describe Ocimum sanctum as a sacred herb of India, known as tulsi or holy basil in regional languages ([Khatoon et al., 2022](https://doi.org/10.2174/1871520622666220516142839)). A 2017 systematic review adds that tulsi is indigenous to the Indian continent and highly revered within the Ayurvedic and Siddha systems ([Jamshidi and Cohen, 2017](https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/9217567)). The sources I checked do not name individual texts or dates for that record, so this post does not supply them. The same Ayurvedic road appears in the [turmeric history](/blog/history/history-of-turmeric-and-curcumin-from-ayurveda-to-isolation), where a traditional plant moved from text to isolated compounds. Holy basil sits at an earlier point on that road. The plant is deep in the tradition, and its trial record is newer. ## Where the adaptogen label shows up Cohen's 2014 review lists adaptogen as a keyword and describes Ayurveda's regular use of adaptogenic herbs as part of a healthy lifestyle ([Cohen, 2014](https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-9476.146554)). The same review argues that tulsi can address physical, chemical, metabolic and psychological stress. That is a reading of the evidence, not a trial result. The sources I checked do not say who first used the word adaptogen or when, so this post names no one. ## What the trials measured Sampath and colleagues gave healthy adults 300 mg a day of an ethanolic holy basil leaf extract, or placebo, for 30 days. Reaction times in the Sternberg and Stroop tests were better in the extract group than in placebo. Salivary cortisol and anxiety scores changed within the extract group only, so they do not show a difference between groups ([Sampath et al., 2015](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26571987/)). Lopresti and colleagues ran an eight-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 100 adults aged 18 to 65 who reported stress. Participants took 125 mg of a standardized holy basil extract twice daily. The extract group improved more than placebo on the Perceived Stress Scale and the Athens Insomnia Scale, and hair cortisol was lower at week eight. The authors say the sleep findings need objective sleep measures before they can be confirmed ([Lopresti et al., 2022](https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.965130)). The [ashwagandha monograph](/ingredients/ashwagandha-withania-somnifera) covers another Ayurvedic herb tested for stress, and the [sleep and stress guide](/health/sleep-stress-complete-guide) sets out the outcomes these trials use. Jamshidi and Cohen's 2017 systematic review found 24 human studies on tulsi. All of them reported favorable clinical outcomes, and none reported significant adverse events. The authors call for more work on dose and dose form ([Jamshidi and Cohen, 2017](https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/9217567)). A record in which every study is favorable calls for caution, and the review itself asks for more work on dose. ## Extracts and the open questions The two trials used different preparations: an ethanolic leaf extract in capsules at 300 mg a day in one, and a standardized extract at 125 mg twice daily in the other. A label that says holy basil does not tell you which extract it contains or which dose a trial tested. The sources I checked do not give a verified list of drug interactions, so this post does not name one. ## Bottom line Check the extract and the outcome before you read a holy basil label as a stress result. The two trials used different extracts, doses and outcome measures, and only one names perceived stress as its primary outcome. If you take prescription medicines, ask a clinician before you add an herbal extract. ## Frequently asked questions **Why is holy basil called tulsi in South Asia?** Khatoon and colleagues say the plant is commonly known as Tulsi or Holy Basil in regional languages ([Khatoon et al., 2022](https://doi.org/10.2174/1871520622666220516142839)). The sources I checked do not explain the name's origin, so this post does not guess at it. **What role did holy basil play in temples and home practice?** The sources describe daily rituals and cultivation with spiritual significance ([Cohen, 2014](https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-9476.146554)). None of them gives a verified account of temple practice, so this post does not describe one. **Who first used the word adaptogen, and what did it mean?** The sources I checked do not say who first used the word or when. In Cohen's 2014 review, adaptogenic herbs are part of Ayurveda's regular, lifestyle-based use. **How did holy basil move into the adaptogen category?** The sources I checked do not trace that move. Cohen's review lists adaptogen as a keyword and argues that tulsi addresses several kinds of stress ([Cohen, 2014](https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-9476.146554)). **What did the early human trials on holy basil measure?** The 2015 trial measured reaction times in cognitive tests, salivary cortisol and anxiety scores over 30 days ([Sampath et al., 2015](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26571987/)). The 2022 trial measured perceived stress, sleep questionnaires and hair cortisol over eight weeks ([Lopresti et al., 2022](https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.965130)). **How do holy basil extracts differ in the research?** The trials used different preparations: an ethanolic leaf extract in capsules at 300 mg a day, and a standardized extract at 125 mg twice daily. Results from one extract do not transfer automatically to another ([Sampath et al., 2015](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26571987/); [Lopresti et al., 2022](https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.965130)). **Which drug interactions appear in the holy basil literature?** The sources I checked do not give a verified list of interactions, so this post does not name one. If you take prescription medicines, check with a clinician before you use an herbal extract. ## Next reads - [Sleep and stress: the complete guide](/health/sleep-stress-complete-guide): the reference page for stress and sleep outcomes in herbal trials. - [Turmeric and curcumin: from Eastern texts to the capsule](/blog/history/history-of-turmeric-and-curcumin-from-ayurveda-to-isolation): the Ayurvedic road from text to isolated compounds. ### Related reading - [The history of moringa, the Ayurvedic plant in this series](/blog/history/history-of-moringa-from-ayurveda-to-superfood) - [The history of rhodiola, the next adaptogen in this series](/blog/history/history-of-rhodiola-from-siberia-to-adaptogen)