Medicinal Use:

• Healing: Sharpen memory, use as a nerve tonic, and remove phlegm from your bronchial tubes
• Repeat up to once an hour
• Leaves can strengthen the stomach and induce perfuse sweating
• The seeds can be used to rid the body of excess mucus
• Fevers: Basil leaves are used for quenching fevers, especially those related to malaria and other infectious, eruptive fevers common to tropical areas
• Boiling leaves with some cardamom in about two quarts of water, then mixed with sugar and milk, brings down temperature
• An extract of basil leaves in fresh water should be given every 2 to 3 hours; between doses you can give sips of cold water
• This method is especially effective for reducing fevers in children
• Coughs: Basil is an important ingredient in cough syrups and expectorants
• It can also relieve mucus in asthma and bronchitis
• Chewing on basil leaves can relieve colds and flu symptoms
• Sore Throat: Water boiled with basil leaves can be taken as a tonic or used as a gargle when you have a sore throat
• Respiratory Disorders: Boiling basil leaves with honey and ginger is useful for treating asthma, bronchitis, cough, cold, and influenza
• Boiling the leaves, cloves, and sea salt in some water will give rapid relief of influenza
• These combinations should be boiled in about two quarts of water until only half the water remains before they are taken
• Kidney Stones: Basil can be used to strengthen your kidneys
• In cases of stones in your kidney, the juice of basil leaves mixed with honey and taken daily for 6 months will expel them through the urinary tract
• Heart Problems: Basil can be used to strengthen those weakened by heart disease
• It can also reduce your cholesterol
• Children, s Illnesses: Pediatric complaints like colds, coughs, fever, diarrhea, and vomiting have been know to respond to treatment with the juice of basil leaves
• Also if the rash associated with chicken pox is delayed, basil leaves with saffron will bring them to the surface more quickly
• Stress: Basil leaves can be used as an anti-stress agent
• Chewing 12 basil leaves twice a day can prevent stress
• It will purify the blood and help prevent many other common ailments
• Mouth Infections: Chewing a few leaves twice daily can cure infections and ulcerations of the mouth
• Insect Bites: Basil can be used as preventative and as a curative
• A teaspoonful of the basil leaf juice taken every few hours is preventative
• Rubbing the bites with juice can relieve the itching and swelling
• Also a paste of the root is effective for treating the bites of insects and leeches
• Skin Disorders: Basil juice applied directly to the effected area is good for ringworm and other common skin ailments
• Some naturopaths have used it successfully in the treatment of leucoderma (patches of white or light-coloured skin)
• Tooth Problems: Dry basil leaves in the sun and grind into powder for a tooth cleansing powder
• You can also mix with mustard oil to make herbal toothpaste
• Both of these methods will counter bad breath and can be used to massage the gums, treat pyorrhoea, and other dental health problems
• Headaches: Basil is a good headache remedy
• Boil leaves in half a quart of water, cooking until half the liquid remains
• Take a couple of teaspoons an hour with water to relieve your pain and swelling
• You can also make a paste of basil leaves pounded with sandalwood to apply to your forehead to relieve headache and provide coolness in general
• Eye Disorders: Basil juice is a good for night-blindness and sore eyes
• Two drops of black basil juice in each eye at bedtimes each day is soothing

Culinary Use:

• Basil is easily dried for storing and future use
• It is used to flavour soups, stews, tomato dishes, meat, game, fish, egg dishes, herb butters and herb vinegars