Holy Basil known to the scientific world as Ocimum sanctum is indigenous plant to India. Hindus regard it as an earthly manifestation of goddess Vrindavani, who is dear to Lord Vishnu. Different parts of Ocimum sanctum have been used in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory for the treatment of acute and chronic inflammation.

The fixed oil of Ocimum sanctum was also found to possess significant anti-inflammatory activity against carrageenan and different other mediator-induced paw oedema in rats. Significant inhibitory effect was also observed in castor oil-induced diarrhoea in rats. It also inhibited arachidonic acid and leukotriene-induced paw edema. The results of anti-inflammatory activity of Ocimum sanctum supported the dual inhibition of arachidonate metabolism as indicated by its activity in inflammation models that are insensitive to selective cyclooxygenase inhibitors. On the basis of the findings it has been inferred that Ocimum sanctum may be a useful anti-inflammatory agent, which blocks both the pathways, i.e. cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase, or arachidonic acid metabolism.

 Preclinical studies reported that methanol extract and an aqueous suspension of Ocimum sanctum inhibited acute as well as chronic inflammation in rats as tested by carrageenan-induced pedal oedema and croton oil-induced granuloma and exudate, respectively. In both test procedures, the anti-inflammatory response of 500 mg/kg of methanol extract and aqueous suspension was comparable to the response observed with 300 mg/kg of sodium salicylate.

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