Author Topic: Getting the most out of Basil;)  (Read 532 times)

no1uno

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Getting the most out of Basil;)
« on: September 04, 2009, 11:41:52 PM »
Now, it is fairly common knowledge that Basil contains Eugenol, but it is less well known that it also contains Rosmarinic Acid, Caffeic Acid, and others of interest.

These cinnamic acids, particularly the demethylated ones, might be more promising precursors than Eugenol itself - not least because Basil grows like a weed and they are fairly prevalent, but also because cinnamic acids can give the relevant benzaldehyde in fairly good yield.

In fact there is at least one patent on the use of the post-steam distillation biomass of Laminacae Spp for extracting these acids.

What would be nice is if some of the more knowledgeable wasps/dreamers/bees, whatever, could jump in (the more the merrier), yeah, safrole would be nice, so too would piperonal, but I can't grow anything that will give me them in my garden with the ease with which I can grow culinary herbs.
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Vesp

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Re: Getting the most out of Basil;)
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2009, 12:00:27 AM »
Yeah this does seem pretty great, what is the concentration of the caffeic acids in basil? Does the patent say? I haven't had time to properly read through it. I have thought of this before, but I think I decided it may not be worth it via plants.

Although, it could be.. I'm just not the biggest fan of dealing with plant material in the lab, despite my love for growing them.
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no1uno

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Re: Getting the most out of Basil;)
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2009, 02:32:05 AM »
Can't say I'm a massive fan of them either - there is not a lot of caffeic acid but a much higher level of the Rosmarinic acid (also some chicoric acid). Just looking into this, those tasty looking 3,4-dihydroxypropanoids might just be a shitload easier to deal with than Eugenol - for starters, no demethylation, but if they can be oxidised to catechol/protocatechualdehyde, then they might be very fucking useful.

Just trying to suss out a 3rd world type extraction procedure (scaleable). That should remove it from the lab and keep it in the yard/shed, out of glass and into poly bins - isolation/purification in the better stuff of course ;)

I'm thinking - (1) water/ethanol (1:1) - allow to dry (2) AB the dried extract (keep the aqueous layer) (3) acidify (trouble is the rosmarinic acid might migrate with the eugenol). I'm trying to avoid using distillation...
"...     "A little learning is a dang'rous thing;
    Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
    There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
    And drinking largely sobers us again.
..."

micro

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Re: Getting the most out of Basil;)
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2009, 10:25:55 AM »
Basil extracts and essential oil of basil are sold commercially.
And basil sure is easy to grow.

salat

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Re: Getting the most out of Basil;)
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2010, 03:07:32 PM »
I'm researching Holy basil (aka tulsi) for it's antistress effects.  It got tons of chemicals in it so I'm trying to figure out which ingredients do what.

In my research I've come across references indicating rosmarinic acid has antidepressant effects.
Caryophyllene is another active ingredient and is an endocannabinoid - research is showing endocannabinoids are antistress.

Stress. 2010 Oct 31. [Epub ahead of print]
Eugenol as an anti-stress agent: Modulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and brain monoaminergic systems in a rat model of stress.
Garabadu D, Shah A, Ahmad A, Joshi VB, Saxena B, Palit G, Krishnamurthy S.
Neurotherapeutics Lab, Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, UP, India.

 Eugenol is reported to substantially modulate brain functions by regulating voltage-gated cation channels and release of neurotransmitters. This study was designed to evaluate the anti-stress effect of eugenol in the 4-h restraint model using rats. Ulcer index was measured as a parameter of the stress response. HPA axis and the SAS were monitored by estimating plasma corticosterone and norepinephrine (NE), respectively. Analysis of NE, serotonin (5-HT), dopamine, and their metabolites in discrete brain regions was performed to understand the role of BMS in the anti-stress effect of eugenol. Stress exposure increased the ulcer index as well as plasma corticosterone and NE levels. Eugenol pretreatment for 7 days decreased the stress-induced increase in ulcer index and plasma corticosterone but not NE levels, indicating a preferential effect on the HPA axis. Furthermore, eugenol showed a "U"-shaped dose-response curve in decreasing ulcer index and plasma corticosterone levels. Eugenol also reversed the stress-induced changes in 5-HT levels in all brain regions, whereas NE levels were reversed in all brain regions except hippocampus. These results suggest that eugenol possesses significant anti-stress activity in the 4-h restraint model and the effect is due to modulation of HPA and BMS.

There's an error in the attached paper on holy basil - I sent a note to the author to try to get them to fix it.  It involves the statement regarding increases and decreases of neurotransmitters (reference 36) - the original paper states the opposite.

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solidstone

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Re: Getting the most out of Basil;)
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2010, 04:08:32 PM »
If your in the south Piper auritum will grow and is ripe with Safrole.  Their are actually alot of good plant safrole sources.  Most of them just take the time to find the seeds or raw plant material/oils.

salat

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Re: Getting the most out of Basil;)
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2010, 06:13:18 PM »
Yes there are a number of safrole sources available where I live.  If I were in need of such.

I am researching the herb for it's medicinal effects, so eugenol and it's properties are of interest in the context of what they contribute to the herbs total actions.

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jon

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Re: Getting the most out of Basil;)
« Reply #7 on: December 09, 2010, 06:53:09 PM »
i don't think eugenol is very good for the liver.

salat

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Re: Getting the most out of Basil;)
« Reply #8 on: December 09, 2010, 08:02:03 PM »
Neither is safrole??!!

(meaning I'm not sure I trust the research - although it is toxic in high doses)

« Last Edit: December 09, 2010, 08:08:43 PM by salat »
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