RANDOMIZED PLACEBO-CONTROLLED, SINGLE-BLIND TRIAL OF HOLY BASIL LEAVES IN PATIENTS WITH NONINSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

Experimental studies on albino rats reported that leaf extract of Ocim um sanctum and Ocimum album (holy basil) had hypoglycemic effect, To e xplore further evidence we studied the effects of treatment with holy basil leaves on fasting and postprandial blood glucose and serum chole sterol levels in humans through randomized, placebo-controlled, crosso ver single blind trial, Results indicated a significant decrease in fa sting and postprandial blood glucose levels during treatment with holy basil leaves compared to during treatment with placebo leaves, Fastin g blood glucose fell by 21.0 mg/dl, confidence interval of difference -31.4 - -11.2 (p < 0.001), and postprandial blood glucose fell by 15.8 mg/dl, confidence interval -27.0 - -5.6 (p < 0.02). The lower values of glucose represented reductions of 17.6% and 7.3% in the levels of f asting and postprandial blood glucose, respectively. Urine glucose lev els showed similar trend, Mean total cholesterol levels showed mild re duction during basil treatment period. The findings from this study su ggest that basil leaves may be prescribed as adjunct to dietary therap y and drug treatment in mild to moderate NIDDM.