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evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Herb

Holy Basil (Tulsi)

aka Ocimum sanctum

Ayurvedic adaptogen with anti-stress, anti-inflammatory, and glycemic effects.

Cortisol ManagementMood & AnxietyBlood Sugar Management

Overview

Ayurvedic adaptogen with anti-stress, anti-inflammatory, and glycemic effects.

Natural sources
  • Ocimum sanctum leaf
Common forms
  • Standardized extract
  • Tea

Forms & variants of Holy Basil (Tulsi)

Different chemical forms of Holy Basil (Tulsi) behave differently. Browse each form's mechanism, bioavailability, and best-use context.

Standardized leaf
Holy Basil (Tulsi)

Adaptogenic basil used for stress and blood sugar.

Mechanism of action

Eugenol and ursolic acid modulate cortisol and COX-2.

Pathways
  • · HPA modulation
  • · Anti-inflammatory

Effects on the body

Decreases
Cortisol & subjective stress
Decreases
Fasting glucose

Organ system effects

Brain & CNS

Improves stress and cognitive measures.

Evidence-based benefits

Reduces stress symptoms

Moderate evidence

Improves fasting glucose modestly

Moderate evidence

Potential side effects

Common
    Rare
      Serious

        Drug interactions

        Antidiabetics
        Additive hypoglycemia.
        minor
        Anticoagulants
        Mild platelet effects.
        minor

        Safety & non-supplemental interactions

        Educational summary — always confirm with your clinician or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or combining with prescription therapy.

        Avoid if you are
        • ·Pregnant or breastfeeding (insufficient safety data)
        • ·Children under 18 (unless directed by a clinician)
        Avoid / monitor with these medications
        • ·Alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, sedating antihistamines (additive CNS depression)

        Supplement interactions

        Pairs well with

        None listed.

        Avoid combining with

        No specific avoidances listed.

        Dosing & bioavailability

        Typical dose
        300–600 mg standardized extract

        Where to buy

        Affiliate-style search links to reputable retailers. We don't endorse specific brands — verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

        Herb
        Holy Basil (…
        Amazon
        Wide selection · fast shipping
        Herb
        Holy Basil (…
        iHerb
        Global delivery · curated brands
        Herb
        Holy Basil (…
        Thorne
        Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

        Scientific evidence (9)

        RCTEvid Based Complement Alternat Med · 2012

        Ocimum sanctum for stress and mood

        Saxena RC, et al.

        6-week RCT of holy basil in stress.

        Key findings

        Significant reduction in stress symptoms.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

        PubMed: Holy Basil (Tulsi) — Reduces stress symptoms

        Live PubMed search

        Live results for "Holy Basil (Tulsi) Reduces stress symptoms" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

        Key findings

        Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Holy Basil (Tulsi) and "Reduces stress symptoms". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

        PubMed: Holy Basil (Tulsi) — Improves fasting glucose modestly

        Live PubMed search

        Live results for "Holy Basil (Tulsi) Improves fasting glucose modestly" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

        Key findings

        Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Holy Basil (Tulsi) and "Improves fasting glucose modestly". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

        PubMed: Holy Basil (Tulsi) — randomized controlled trial

        Live PubMed search

        Live results for "Holy Basil (Tulsi) randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

        Key findings

        Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Holy Basil (Tulsi) and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

        PubMed: Holy Basil (Tulsi) — meta-analysis

        Live PubMed search

        Live results for "Holy Basil (Tulsi) meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

        Key findings

        Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Holy Basil (Tulsi) and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

        PubMed: Holy Basil (Tulsi) — pharmacokinetics

        Live PubMed search

        Live results for "Holy Basil (Tulsi) pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

        Key findings

        Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Holy Basil (Tulsi) and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

        PubMed: Holy Basil (Tulsi) — safety adverse events

        Live PubMed search

        Live results for "Holy Basil (Tulsi) safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

        Key findings

        Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Holy Basil (Tulsi) and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

        PubMed: Holy Basil (Tulsi) — dose response

        Live PubMed search

        Live results for "Holy Basil (Tulsi) dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

        Key findings

        Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Holy Basil (Tulsi) and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

        Open study
        Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

        Google Scholar: Holy Basil (Tulsi) — clinical evidence

        Live Scholar search

        Cross-database citation index for Holy Basil (Tulsi) as it relates to "clinical evidence".

        Key findings

        Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

        Open study
        Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.