There’s something about Basil – some call it Italian mint’ – that makes it special. Its unique flavour works magic in a wide range of savoury recipes. And now, science has confirmed there’s something more. Basil may amplify anti-depressant properties!
Sweet Basil: The most common variety of the herb, out of
at least 20 you can grow in your own garden…
Researchers reporting in the journal Brain and Behaviour wanted to explore a suspected correlation between certain popular anti-depressants and common herbal preparations. They were specifically interested in how Basil might interact with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class medi-cations…
Promising pointers…
“Basil contains several naturally occurring compounds, including linalool, eugenol, and rosmarinic acid, that have attracted scientific interest for their potential effects on the brain and body,” says MD Jasmine Sawhne, a board-certified psychiatrist.
What they did
Researchers divided a small group of 60 adult subjects aged 34 to 52 who were taking the SSRI medi-cation sertraline – sold under the brand name Zoloft – into two halves. One half was given a concent-rated basil extract and the other a placebo. They were evaluated for changes in mood and effect after a month.
What they found
For the basil group, average depression scores fell by about 18 points, compared with about 11 points in the placebo group. Average anxiety scores dropped by about 20 points and 10 points, respectively.
The takeaway
“These findings suggest that basil extract may have therapeutic potential as a complementary treat-ment option for managing anxiety symptoms in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD),” the study report’s conclusion says. “The low cost, widespread availability, and traditional use of basil make it an attractive natural alternative or adjunct therapy. Further larger-scale studies are war-ranted to confirm these results and elucidate the precise mechanisms by which basil exerts its anxiolytic and antidepressant effects.”
My take
Although there are no references in the study that indicate raw basil alone can treat depression or anxiety, the potential for future basil-based drugs is clearly recognized.
“I would view this as interesting preliminary evidence for basil as a potential complementary treat-ment, not evidence that basil can treat or replace established treatments for depression or anxiety,” Sawhne cautions. “For someone already receiving psychiatric care, this study is a reason to watch the research, not to stop medication or therapy.”
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) say one in five Americans suffers depression and anxiety. The numbers are pretty much the same for Canada. That’s a lot. I’ll be interested to see where this new direction in treating a closely-linked pair of today’s most widespread mood disorders leads.
~ Maggie J.