Stress Disorders


	Holy Basil’s Role in the Prevention and Treatment of Stress Disorders

Stress Disorder	Holy Basil: Prevention & Treatment
Disturbed central nervous system (CNS) – psychosis, depression, hypertension, schizophrenia	Calms the central nervous system
Reduced immunity - chronic and viral infections	Improves cellular and humoral (fluids) immunity
Muscular fatigue	Anti-fatigue (improves stamina)
Increased adrenaline – increased blood pressure and heart rate	Reduces Blood Pressure and Heart Rate
Increased intestinal motility - emotional diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome	Decreases intestinal mobility
Increased coagulation (thrombosis - blood clots)	Anti-coagulant & Anti-thrombotic
Increased free radicals (cell damage); results in heart attacks (arteriosclerosis – hardening of the arteries), diabetes, cataracts and other diseases	Antioxidant (reduces cell damage)
Bacterial, fungal, viral & parasitic infections (biological stressors) – such as pneumonia, colds, herpes	Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral
Radiation, cancer, leukemia (physical stressors)	Anti-radiation and anti-tumor

Stressors --> CNS --> Hypothalamus – Pituitary – Adrenal [HPA Axis]

Holy basil helps deal with physical, biological, chemical and emotional stressors

Stressors --> Stress --> Adaptogen (Holy Basil) --> Full recovery or Partial recovery (stress disease)

IN SUMMARY: Holy basil calms the mind, improves both cellular and humoral immunity, enhances stamina and reduces fatigue, lowers blood pressure and increased heart rate due to stress, decreases stress-induced intestinal motility, reduces increased coagulation (thrombosis) occurring during stress, and protects against radiation, free radical damage, pollution, and bacterial, viral and fungal infections, cancer and improves oxygen utilization.

Adapted from Tulsi by Dr. Narendra Singh (2002)

See the book ADAPTOGENS for updated and more detailed information