The efficacy and function of wild basil

Wild basil is a medicinal material, which is quite common in life. We can eat wild basil appropriately. Since many people don’t know much about wild basil, let’s take a look at it below.

[Source] Medicinal material source: the whole herb or root of the Lamiaceae plant.

[Original form] Dewdrop fragrant tea, an upright shrub, 0.3-1m high. The main root is thick, often irregularly columnar, erect or flat, with slender lateral roots. The stem is erect or obliquely ascending, cylindrical, brown-gray, this layer peels off longitudinally in sheets, the upper part is multi-branched, the branches are nearly cylindrical to obtusely quadrangular, purple, and covered with short soft hairs. Leaves are opposite; petioles are 1-2mm long; leaves at the lower part of the branch are smaller, those in the middle are the largest, gradually becoming smaller and bract-like towards the upper part, leaves in the middle are ovate to broadly ovate, 1.5-3cm long, 1.5-2.5cm wide, with obtuse apex, broadly cuneate base, with crenate edges except for the 1/3 of the leaf base, covered with short white stiff hairs and covered with light yellow glandular dots on the upper side, and only sparsely covered with short stiff hairs along the veins on the lower side, covered with light yellow glandular dots. Cymes 3-5 flowers, panicle; bracts located at the lower part of the inflorescence and the same shape as the leaves, gradually becoming smaller upwards, bract-like, ovate, entire, covered with glandular dots on both sides, with short stiff hairs on the margins; bracteoles linear, glandular-hairy as the involucre; calyx often purple, slightly downward-inclined, broadly bell-shaped, with short stiff hairs on the outer edge of the glands, with light yellow glandular dots scattered in between, calyx teeth 5, more or less 2-lipped, calyx enlarged when fruiting; corolla blue or purple, sparsely pubescent on the outside, corolla tube up to 1cm long, 3-4mm wide, shallowly cystic above the base, corolla brim about 5mm long, 2-lipped, upper lip reflexed, with 4 circular fissures at the apex, lower lip boat-shaped; 4 stamens, didynamous, inserted in the middle and lower part of the corolla tube, containing filaments sparsely pubescent at the base; style filiform, 2-lobed at the apex; disk annular, slightly raised in front. The nutlets are ovoid, about 1.5 mm in diameter, and brown in color. The flowering period is from June to August, and the fruiting period is from August to October.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: Grown under pine forests, bamboo forests and fir forests and in dry places on the edge of forests.

【Nature and flavor】 Bitter; slightly sweet; cold

【Functions and indications】 Clears away heat and detoxifies. Mainly used for colds; unknown swelling and infection; big head plague

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoction, 10-15g. For external use: take appropriate amount and mash it for application.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

The above article analyzes some of the effects of wild basil. In our daily life, we can eat wild basil in moderation according to our own situation, which will greatly help improve our body functions.