special subjects
Holy Basil
What are the possible side effects of holy basil?
Holy basil seems to be safe for most people when taken by mouth for up to 8 weeks. But holy basil can have side effects, such as nausea or diarrhea. The safety of taking holy basil for longer than 8 weeks has not been studied. Holy basil might not be safe when taken by women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. In animal studies, large doses of holy basil reduced the chance that a fertilized egg would become attached to the uterus and that the pregnancy would last for a full term. Whether these effects happen in humans is not known. The safety of holy basil in women who breastfeed their babies has not been studied. Holy basil might decrease levels of the thyroid hormone thyroxine, so it could worsen Hypothyroidism (low levels of thyroxine). Holy basil could increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery because it might slow down blood clotting. 