How eating fresh basil can help banish
arthritic aches and pains
If you need a strong anti-inflammatory to ease
your aching joints, then try eating basil.
Several varieties of basil - with their
fresh-tasting, aromatic leaves - have been shown to be as strong as
anti-inflammatory medication when it comes to easing the swelling and pain of
arthritis.
The research, presented at the British
Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester, found that, when taken orally,
concentrated extracts from two types of basil - Ocimum americanum and Ocimum
tenuiflorum - reduced joint swelling by up to 73 per cent within just 24 hours.
Old remedy: Basil has been used medicinally for
centuries
'We assessed the antiinflammatory capacity of
both plants and found they were similar to those seen with diclofenac, an antiinflammatory
drug widely used in the treatment of arthritis,' says Vaibhav Shinde, of Poona
College of Pharmacy in India, who conducted the research.
But unlike diclofenac and other drugs of its
type, basil has not so far been found to cause side effects such as
gastro-intestinal irritation and abdominal burning and pain. These can be
significant problems for arthritis sufferers who take daily pain-relieving
medication.
Various basil varieties have been used in
traditional medicine in India and Europe for centuries. Taken as a herbal
infusion (pour just-boiled water over the fresh leaves) or added fresh to
curries or salads, the plant has been used to treat anti-inflammatory
conditions ranging from bronchitis and asthma to skin diseases and arthritis.
Basil may also help prevent diabetes by reducing
blood-glucose levels.
Yet scientists are only now beginning to
discover what makes basil such an effective remedy.
'Research indicates that eugenol, the oil that
gives basil its distinctive aroma, is the active molecule responsible for the
antiinflammatory effect,' says Vaibhav Shinde.
'However, other molecules may be involved. We
want to find out what they are, so that they can be used to develop medicines.'
A basil-extract pill is not yet available but
increasing the amount of basil in your diet should have a mild
anti-inflammatory effect - although it will depend on the type of basil used.
The basils in the research are grown mainly in
India and South East Asia where they are used in ayurvedic medicine and to add
flavour to curries.
The leaves are smaller than the European variety
- Ocimum basilicum or sweet basil - and the flavour is stronger owing to the
higher levels of eugenol.
'Sweet basil does contain eugenol but not at the
same levels,' explains Susi Kaiser, medical herbalist at the University of
Westminster.
'It is likely to have some anti-inflammatory
action but you may want to look for the Asian varieties if you want a stronger
effect.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1216278/How-eating-fresh-basil-help-banish-arthritic-aches-pains.html#ixzz3UCKmYNcX
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