A Narrative Review on the Cardiovascular Pharmacology of Ocimum basilicum Linn.

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), primarily ischemic heart disease and stroke, remain the leading global cause of mortality and disability. This growing burden highlights the urgent need for effective and safe preventive strategies. Herbal medicines are increasingly being explored as cost-effective alternatives, and Ocimum basilicum Linn. commonly known as sweet basil; Tulsī; and “Rayhān” in Unani medicine, has drawn attention for its cardioprotective potential. Phytochemical studies reveal that sweet basil contains terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds such as rosmarinic acid, with key constituents including linalool, eugenol, estragole, geraniol, and camphor. Traditionally, it has been recognized in the Unani medicine as one of the 50 cardioactive plants, valued for its aromatic, astringent, and exhilarating actions, and used in conditions such as palpitations, anxiety, and headaches. Modern pharmacological investigations corroborate these traditional claims, demonstrating antihypertensive, anti-arrhythmic, antioxidant, vasorelaxant, anti-thrombotic, and anti-platelet effects. This review integrates traditional Unani knowledge with contemporary evidence, underscoring potential of sweet basil as a natural cardioprotective agent and advocating for further studies to establish its role in cardiovascular disease management.