So It's True What They Say About Basil? | Arthritis Information
Basil Holds The Key To Anti-Ageing
Main Category:
Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine
Also Included In:
Seniors / Aging;
Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 08 Sep 2008 - 3:00 PDT
Basil can protect against the harmful effects of ageing, according to
research presented at the British Pharmaceutical Conference (BPC) in
Manchester.
Holy basil, (Latin name Ocimum sanctum), is a close relative of the herb
commonly used in Western cooking. Native to India, its extract has long been
used in the ancient system of Ayurvedic medicine practiced in India and other
parts of Asia as a rejuvenation drug, to promote a youthful state of physical
and mental health.
In the first formal study of the herb, pharmacy researchers found that
holy basil extract was effective at actively searching for and eliminating
harmful molecules and protecting against damage caused by some free radicals
in key organs such as the heart, liver and brain.
The researchers, led by Dr Vaibhav Shinde from Poona College of Pharmacy,
Maharashtra, India, studied the herb for anti-oxidant and anti-ageing
properties.
Dr Shinde said: "The study validates the traditional use of herb as a
youth-promoting substance in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. It also helps
describe how the herb acts at a cellular level."
About the British Pharmaceutical Conference 2008 (BPC)
BPC 2008: Pharmacy in the 21st Century: Adding years to life and life to
years. In 2008, as the NHS marks its 60th anniversary year, BPC will examine
how pharmacy and the pharmaceutical services are helping to add years to life
and life to the year of the UK population. The profession of pharmacy plays
an important role in meeting the healthcare challenges associated with the
UK's ageing population.
How can pharmacists contribute to caring for the population as well as
ensuring quality of life? Increasingly, scientists and practitioners have to
consider the cost implications of this conundrum, and the evidence base for
all interventions is becoming of paramount importance: BPC 2008 will debate
these issues and open up discussion on them. Visit: http://www.bpc2008.org
The main sponsors of BPC 2008 are: Boots The Chemists (Lead Sponsor),
AstraZeneca (Associate Sponsor and BPC-PJ Careers Forum Platinum Sponsor),
Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) (Associate Sponsor) and GSK (BPC-PJ
Careers Forum Platinum Sponsor).
Research released at BPC is published in the
Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology (JPP).
It is estimated that by 2025 there will be more than one billion people
globally over the age of 60(1). Therefore, considerable interest focuses on the
prevention of ageing and age-related diseases. World Health Organisation
launches new initiative to address the health needs of a rapidly ageing
population.
1)
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2004/pr60/en/ :
Accessed 4 August 2008.
British Pharmaceutical Conference
levlarry2009-02-28 18:13:37Eat basil! Use egg and olive oil as a facial mask! I have learned a lot today. The fountain of youth....
Thanks for the interesting information. I hope it is so. It would be nice to eat something to help stall time...Funny I feel much younger in my mind then I look like in the mirror.
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