Effect of holy basil (tulsi) on metabolic syndrome parameters: A clinical study
The present study was carried out to investigate the efficacy and safety of holy basil (tulsi) on metabolic syndrome parameters.
Objective: To examine the effect of holy basil (tulsi) on metabolic syndrome parameters.
Treatment Offered
Thirty overweight/obese subjects (selected on the basis of Body Mass Index greater than or equal to 23 kg/m2) of both sexes within the age group 17€“30 years were included in the study on a voluntary basis. Subjects found addicted to alcohol and tobacco products; suffering from liver disease, malabsorption, nephrotic syndrome, thyroid disorder, allergy or any other chronic disease; on drugs like fluoroquinolones, anticonvulsants, antihypertensives, corticosteroids, hormonal contraceptives, hypolipidemic agents, anti-psychotics, protease inhibitors and isotretinoin were excluded from the study.
A subject information sheet was developed, to inform the participants about the purpose of the study, procedures, potential benefits and risks involved. They were also informed about their ability/right to withdraw from the study at any point of time even after consenting, without assigning any reason. After obtaining informed consent from the subjects, they were randomly assigned to one of two groups A and B. Random allocation of participants into either group was accomplished using a computer generated randomization sequence. Participants belonging to group A (n = 16) received one 250 mg capsule of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) extract twice daily in empty stomach for 8 weeks and group B (n = 14) received no intervention. The Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) capsules were procured from The Himalaya Drug Company, India, of batch number 22500096, dated April 2015, manufacturing License number L-AUS-133.
Results
In Table 1, the baseline parameters of the intervention and control groups have been outlined. There was no statistical difference in any of the anthropometric parameters.
Table 1
Baseline characteristics of study groups
| Characteristics |
O. sanctum intervention group (n = 16) |
Control group (n = 14) |
p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 21.06 ± 1.39 | 20.86 ± 0.66 | 0.660 |
| Body weight (kg) | 76.06 ± 12.97 | 76.29 ± 9.30 | 0.958 |
| Height (m) | 1.70 ± 0.07 | 1.71 ± 0.65 | 0.701 |
| BMI (kg/m2)a | 25.21 (24.03€“28.35) | 26.25 (24.49€“27.70) | 0.608 |
Results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation except BMI
aBMI is expressed as median (Q1€“Q3), where Q1 1st quartile and Q3 3rd quartile
Lipid Profile
As shown in Table 2, a significant improvement was seen in the following lipid parameters in the intervention group: Triglycerides, LDL-C, VLDL-C, LDL/HDL and Total Cholesterol/HDL decreased (12.14 %; p = 0.019, 11.73 %; p = 0.001, 12.14 %; p = 0.019, 29.08 %; p = 0.000, 21.26 %; p = 0.000 respectively) and HDL-C increased (21.74 %; p = 0.001). Inter-group significance was found in the intervention group as compared to the control for HDL-C (p = 0.037) which was not present for other parameters. Total cholesterol did not change significantly in either group. No significant change was found for any other parameter in the control group with the exception of HDL-C (p = 0.025).
Table 2
Levels of total cholesterol, Triglycerides, LDL-C, HDL-C, VLDL-C, LDL/HDL and TC/HDL
| Variables |
O. sanctum intervention group (n = 16) |
Control group (n = 14) |
p b | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Cholesterol (mg/dL) | Baseline | 189.00 ± 41.72 | 164.86 ± 36.16 | 0.104 |
| After 8 weeks | 183.63 ± 36.11 | 164.86 ± 23.32 | 0.107 | |
| p a | 0.243 | 1.000 | ||
| Triglycerides (mg/dL) | Baseline | 100.94 ± 32.22 | 92.79 ± 28.73 | 0.473 |
| After 8 weeks | 88.69 ± 35.29 | 87.71 ± 39.35 | 0.944 | |
| p a | 0.019 | 0.578 | ||
| LDL-C (mg/dL) | Baseline | 123.69 ± 29.61 | 104.73 ± 26.53 | 0.077 |
| After 8 weeks | 109.18 ± 26.68 | 101.81 ± 18.18 | 0.392 | |
| pa | 0.001 | 0.415 | ||
| HDL-C (mg/dL) | Baseline | 45.13 ± 11.34 | 41.57 ± 13.17 | 0.434 |
| After 8 weeks | 54.94 ± 8.45 | 46.29 ± 13.02 | 0.037 | |
| p a | 0.001 | 0.025 | ||
| VLDL-C (mg/dL) | Baseline | 20.19 ± 6.44 | 18.56 ± 5.75 | 0.473 |
| After 8 weeks | 17.74 ± 7.06 | 17.54 ± 7.87 | 0.944 | |
| p a | 0.019 | 0.578 | ||
| LDL/HDL | Baseline | 2.82 ± 0.66 | 2.63 ± 0.73 | 0.458 |
| After 8 weeks | 2.00 ± 0.49 | 2.34 ± 0.71 | 0.150 | |
| p a | 0.000 | 0.055 | ||
| TC/HDL | Baseline | 4.28 ± 0.80 | 4.11 ± 0.82 | 0.560 |
| After 8 weeks | 3.37 ± 0.59 | 3.75 ± 0.87 | 0.170 | |
| p a | 0.000 | 0.090 |
Results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation
a p value was calculated using paired t tests
b p value was calculated using student€™s t test
Conclusion
Our study has for the first time demonstrated the beneficial effect of O. sanctum in young overweight/obese subjects. Supplementation with O. sanctum capsules twice daily for 8 weeks resulted in significant improvement in body weight, BMI, serum lipid profile (except serum total cholesterol), plasma insulin and insulin resistance (IR) in the intervention group.
With a high degree of safety margin, O. sanctum can therefore become an easily available and cost-effective way of improving insulin resistance and lipid profile in over-weight and obese individuals.
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