Basil Powder

Basil is an annual, or sometimes perennial herb used for its leaves. its leaves are richly green and ovate, but otherwise come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes depending on cultivar. Leaf sizes range from 3 cm to 11 cm long, and between 1 cm to 6 cm wide. Basil grows a thick, central taproot. Its flowers are small and white, and grow from a central inflorescence that emerges from the central stem atop the plant.

Ocimum sanctum extract yielded some phenolic compounds (antioxidants) such as cirsilineol, circimaritin, isothymusin, apigenin and rosameric acid, and appreciable quantities of eugeno. The leaves of Ocimum sanctum contain 0.7% volatile oil comprising about 71% eugenol and 20% methyl eugenol.

In Ayurveda used as medicine for prevention and cure of many illnesses and everyday ailments like common cold, headache, cough, influenza, earache, fever, colic pain, sore throat, bronchitis, asthma, hepatic diseases, malarial fever, as an antidote for snake bite and scorpion sting, flatulence, migraine headaches, fatigue, skin diseases, wound, insomnia, arthritis, digestive disorders, night blindness and diarrhoea.