Written by Jessica Patella, ND. Ocimum basilicum leaf extract (OBLE) was found to reduce the overall severity of menopausal symptoms. The researchers state that OBLE can be considered as a convenient and affordable option, without adverse side effects, for alleviating menopausal symptoms among women.
Hormonal changes during menopause result in symptoms that affect approximately 65-85% of women1,2. Symptoms surrounding menopause include hot flashes, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness, skin changes, mood changes, depression, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis1,3,4. Hormone therapy is commonly used to improve symptoms but there is growing concern in the potential increased risk of endometrial cancer, breast cancer, and heart attacks with hormone therapy1,5. Therefore, women have growing interest in herbal options and research has shown the herbal remedy Ocimum basilicum to improve menopausal symptoms1.
Ocimum basilicum, commonly called sweet basil, is a robust herb whose extract is known as a phytoestrogen6. An initial study of Ocimum basilicum in mice has shown basil powder and basil extract oil to be helpful for menopausal symptoms1,7. There are limited studies in women though, therefore the current research conducted a triple-blind, randomized, clinical trial to assess the impact of capsules of Ocimum basilicum leaf extract (OBLE) on menopausal symptoms in women1.
Subject inclusion consisted of menopausal women (n=60, aged 40-65 years) with no history of mental illness, no hormone therapy within the last 6 months, who did not smoke or consume alcohol. Participants were randomly assigned to an OBLE capsule or a placebo capsule. The women rated their symptoms on the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), which includes 3 categories: physical (hot flashes, night sweats, heart problems, sleep disturbance, physical fatigue, and muscle/joint pain), psychological (depressed mood, irritability, anxiety, mental fatigue) and urinary-genital (sexual problems, urinary problems, vaginal dryness). Each symptom is rated on a 5-point scale from 0 (no symptoms) to 4 (very severe). The women took one capsule per night for 1-month1.
The results were as follows:
- At baseline, the total MRS scores were 12.7 ± 4.9 in the OBLE group and 10.8 ± 4.9 in the placebo group. There was no significant difference between the groups (p=0.141).
- Independent t-test findings showed that there were no significant differences between the groups at two-weeks of intervention (p=0.163).
- The total MRS scores at 1-month intervention were significantly lower in the OBLE group compared to baseline 6.9 ± 0.3 vs 12.7 ± 4.9 (p<0.001).
- There was also a significant difference between the OBLE group compared to the placebo group after 1-month of intervention 6.9 ± 0.3 vs 11.26 ± 0.6 (p=0.001).
In conclusion, the researchers inferred the use of OBLE capsules reduced the overall severity of menopausal symptoms. Researchers state that Ocimum basilicum leaf extract is a convenient and affordable option, without adverse side effects, and therefore should be a recommended option for menopausal women1. Study limitations include the use of self-reported personal characteristics questionnaires.
Source: Karimi, Fatemeh Zahra, Hamideh Hosseini, Seyed reza Mazlom, and Hassan Rakhshandeh. “The effect of oral capsules containing Ocimum basilicum leaf extract on menopausal symptoms in women: a triple-blind randomized clinical trial.” European Journal of Medical Research 29, no. 1 (2024): 367.
© The Author(s) 2024. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made.
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Posted February 4, 2025.
Jessica Patella, ND, is a naturopathic physician specializing in nutrition and homeopathic medicine and offers a holistic approach to health. She earned her ND from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, AZ, and is a member of the North Carolina Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Visit her website at www.awarenesswellness.com.
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. European journal of medical research. Jul 16 2024;29(1):367. doi:10.1186/s40001-024-01965-7
- Sadeghi T, Azimi A, Loripoor M. Comparing the effect of black Cohosh versus Vitagnus on the impovement of menopause symptoms. The Iranian Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility. 2019;21(12):1-10.
- Ju YH, Doerge DR, Helferich WG. A dietary supplement for female sexual dysfunction, Avlimil, stimulates the growth of estrogen-dependent breast tumors (MCF-7) implanted in ovariectomized athymic nude mice. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association. Jan 2008;46(1):310-20. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2007.08.006
- Sahraian Z, Karimi M, Sharifi MH, Gharamani L, Kushkaki AAR. The consumption of phytoestrogen containing foods in postmenopausal women and its relationship with menopause symptoms in Jahrom, Iran, 2022. 2023;
- Investigators WGftWsHI. Risks and benefits of estrogen plus progestin in healthy postmenopausal women: principal results From the Women’s Health Initiative randomized controlled trial. Jama. 2002;288(3):321-333.
- Javanmardi J, Khalighi A, Kashi A, Bais HP, Vivanco JM. Chemical characterization of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) found in local accessions and used in traditional medicines in Iran. J Agric Food Chem. Oct 9 2002;50(21):5878-83. doi:10.1021/jf020487q
- Nagib R. Effect of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and Its Oil on Postmenopausal Female Rats. مجلة دراسات وبحوث التربية النوعية. 2017;3(1):321-344.
