Updated 29 January 2024
Botanical characteristics
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Division: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Magnoliopsida
- Order: Lamiales
- Family: Lamiaceae
- Genus: Ocimum
- Part used: Flower/plant
- Country of origin: India, Egypt
Precautions for use
Caution! This essential oil is not to be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women, babies or children under the age of 6.
Basil essential oil should not be applied directly to the skin, but should be diluted in a vegetable oil.
Other precautions
Warning:
- Pregnant women may use diluted basil essential oil dermally and orally under medical supervision.
- Do not use basil essential oil for long periods or in high doses without medical advice.
- Do not use during anticoagulant treatment due to its high methylchavicol content.
Cutaneous use:
- It is preferable to dilute basil essential oil 20% in a vegetable oil (20% essential oil and 80% vegetable oil).
Diffusion:
- Do not use pure basil essential oil: dilute it between 10 and 15% with other essential oils.
- It can be used by pregnant women and babies.
Allergenic components:
Basil essential oil contains several biochemical allergenic components at significant levels:
- linalool (8 to 30 %)
- citral (neral + geranial) ( 3 %)
- limonene ( 0.5 %)
- eugenol ( 0.5 %)
- geraniol (0.5 %)
Note: It is best to test the essential oil before use (two drops on the crease of the elbow for at least 24 hours to check for a reaction).
Authorised users
How to use
Risks of use
Properties
Basil essential oil is highly concentrated in linalool and methyl chavicol. These different molecules give it the following main properties:
- Antispasmodic
- Analgesic
- Antifungal
- Antiviral
- Antibacterial
- Anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic
- Antiseptic, intestinal antiseptic
- Calmative, sedative, relaxing
But also these secondary properties:
- Digestive tonic
- Cerebral tonic
- Neurotonic
- Adrenal stimulant
- Invigorating
- Vitalizing
- Decongestant
- Adrenocortical tonic
Indications
- Tropical disease
- Dry cough
- Painful menstruation
- Motion sickness
- Shingles
- Nausea
- Aerophagia
- Flatulence
- Gastritis
- Slow digestion
- Gastric acidity
- Digestive spasms
- Stomach ache
- Bloating
- Hiccups
- Headaches
- Viral hepatitis A and B support
- Liver congestion
- Pancreatic insufficiency
- Motion sickness
- Panic attacks
- Spasmophilia
- Nervousness
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Arthritis
- Tendonitis
- Rheumatism
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Viral infections (tropical areas)
- Congestive prostatitis
- Urinary tract infection
- Muscle cramps and contractures
- Venous circulation disorders, varicose veins
- Cerebral asthenia
- Certain depressions
- Convalescence
- Memory loss
- Intellectual overwork
Directions for use/usual dosage
- Digestive spasms or disorders: topical application to the stomach or hepatobiliary area diluted at 1% in a vegetable oil and/or 2 drops per day internally diluted in a vegetable oil.
- Painful menstruation: topical application to the lower abdomen diluted in a vegetable oil at a ratio of 2 drops of EO to 4 drops of vegetable oil.
- Fatigue, depression, lack of energy: unction along the spine diluted at 1% in a vegetable oil.
- Nervousness, anxiety, fear: anointing of the solar plexus diluted 1% in a vegetable oil.
- Anti-mosquito formula: diffused in the air in combination with Eucalyptus Lemon EO, Lemongrass Java EO and Palmarosa EO.