In this triple blinded, placebo-controlled study, 500mg of basil daily reduced physical and psychological menopausal symptom scores in a self-report questionnaire.
In this article, we summarise the The effect of oral capsules containing Ocimum basilicum leaf extract on menopausal symptoms in women: A triple-blind randomized clinical trial (1).
Plant name and species
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Aim of study
This human study explored the effects of basil leaf extract capsules on menopausal symptoms. The rationale was that compounds in basil have shown to have oestrogen modulatory effects (composition includes flavonoids such as quercetin and luteolin, and phytosterols like beta-sitosterol).
Study method
The study was a triple-blind (participants, researchers and statistical analysts), randomized clinical trial. Data was gathered via:
- A questionnaire (demographics, gynaecological history, menopause experience)
- Menopause rating scale (MRS) assessing 11 symptoms
- Physical: Hot flushes and night sweats, heart problems, sleep disturbance, fatigue (physical), and muscle and joint pain
- Psychological: Depressed mood, irritability, anxiety, and fatigue (mental)
- Urinary-genital: Sexual problems, urinary problems, and vaginal dryness.
Questions were rated on a 5-point Likert scale where 0 = no symptoms and 4 = very severe.The study included five primary healthcare centres in Mashhad, Iran. Participants were asked to complete the questionnaire before intervention, at two weeks and again at one month.
Herbal preparation
Basil leaves were sourced from an organic farm and were dried, ground into a fine powder and compounds extracted using a hydroalcoholic solution. This was combined with Avicel (cellulose) to form a powder and made into 500 mg capsules. The placebo treatment consisted identical capsules containing starch only.
Participants took one capsule every night for a month. The questionnaires were completed at the start of the study and then at two weeks and on month after the intervention.
Sample size
There were 30 women in the basil group and 30 in the placebo group.
Menopausal women (40–65 years of age) were included in the study if they had not taken hormone therapy within the previous six months, had no mental illness, and did not smoke or drink alcohol. The mean age of women was slightly younger in the basil group (55.7 ± 5.7 years) compared to the placebo (56.6 ± 6.1 years) but there was no change in other demographic variables between the groups. The years duration of menopause was 7.4 for basil and 8.1 years for the placebo group.
Participants were excluded if they incurred a stressful event, took any herbal medicines containing phytoestrogens or started hormonal therapy during the study, or if they failed to adhere to medication as instructed or demonstrated any drug sensitivity.
Results of study
The menopause symptom scores were similar between the groups at the start of the study.
There were no changes in menopause symptoms between the two groups at two weeks after the intervention.
At one month, the overall menopause symptom score for the basil group were significantly lower than that of the placebo group (p = 0.001).
Looking at the individual menopause symptoms at one month, both the psychological and physical symptom scores were improved in the tulsi group compared to the placebo group (p < 0.05). There were no differences in the urogenital symptom scores between groups.
There were no associated adverse effects.
Discussion
This study shows that 500 mg basil extract taken at night for one-month relieved menopause symptoms at one month post-intervention, although improvements were not seen at two weeks post-intervention. The women taking basil experienced less severe menopause symptoms relating to physical effects (hot flushes, sweats, etc.) and psychological dimensions (anxiety, irritability etc). There were no changes in urogenital symptoms between the groups.
The essential oil of basil comprises estragole, linalool, eugenol, methyl chavicol, cineole, and basil (2). A previous study in female rats showed that basil powder and extracted oil relieved menopausal symptoms, which they accredited to the phenolic compounds (3). Other studies suggest basil’s selective oestrogen receptor modulation owing to its content of phytosterol and flavonoid constituents (4,5 — citations given here are replicated from the study).
Why the effects were apparent at one-month post-intervention and not at two weeks post-intervention is not clear. A limitation of the study is that measures were not taken directly at the end of the study, instead a few days prior, which may have given more insight into basil’s efficacy in this context.
Other research, conducted by the same author, demonstrates that basil can improve psychological and physical symptoms, and it improved sleep quality and insomnia severity after a fourweek supplementation period in menopausal women (6). A small pilot study, not specified to a menopausal demographic, produced data to suggest that basil, in combination with peppermint and helichrysum, reduced self-report measures of mental exhaustion and burnout when administered as an essential oil via an inhaler over a three-day period
A limitation of the menopause study under discussion, identified by the researchers, is that it used self-reported questionnaires and no objective symptom measures. Other limitations include the lack of specificity in the inclusion criteria. Whilst there is a mention of participant referral to health centres, it is not explicitly detailed as to whether these referrals were with menopausal symptoms as the reason for attendance. There also is no mention of any criteria that mitigates the inclusion of perimenopausal participants, with no date of last menstrual period specifications. Furthermore, there is a lack of clarity and accuracy in the reporting of dates of MRS completion.
Conclusion
Daily capsules of basil extract taken for one month reduced the severity of psychological and physical symptoms of menopause at one month post intervention. Further research should include objective symptom measures, and also determine the chemical composition of the extract in order to better compare it to other studies.
References
- Karimi FZ, Hosseini H, Mazlom SR, Rakhshandeh H. The effect of oral capsules containing Ocimum basilicum leaf extract on menopausal symptoms in women: a triple-blind randomized clinical trial. Eur J Med Res. 2024 Jul 16;29(1):367. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-024-01965-7.
- Niazi F, Tehrani-Pour M, Shahrokh-Abadi K. To investigate the effect of basil (Ocimum basilicum) on angiogenesis chorioallantoic membrane chick. Res Med. 2017;41:71–6.
- Nagib R. Effect of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and Its oil on postmenopausal female rats. J Studies Res Specific Educ. 2019;1:1.
