Basil
Basil ( Ocimum basilicum )
Basil (Ocimum basilicum ), also known as King herb is a herb from the same genus basil (Ocimum ) of the mint family.
- 6.1 Cultivation and Harvesting
- 6.2 Pests and diseases
- 7.1 Kitchen
- 7.2 Medical Importance
Description
Features: basil is cultivated in temperate latitudes mostly as an annual plant. It is an upright, bushy growth, annual to perennial herbaceous plant, up to 60 cm reaches the plant height of 20 cm. The whole plant smells aromatic. Stalks, bracts and often the leaves are hairy. The decussate leaves are simple and often ovoid. The leaf blade is 1.5 to 5 cm long and 0.8 to 3.2 cm wide. The leaf margin is smooth. Short petioles have a length of 5 to 20 mm. The various cultural forms differ in leaf color, size, flavor, growth habit and claims.
Generative features
The flowering period extends mainly from June to September. The Vielblütige eared inflorescence also contains two to dreiblütige cymes. The hermaphrodite, zygomorphe flower is fünfzählig. The flower stem is 2.5 mm long. The five sepals are fused bell- shaped and have the same color as the leaves on. The cup is during the flowering period 1.5 to 3 mm long and increases to fruit maturity at about 9 mm. The five petals are fused into a 8-9 mm long crown. The corolla tube has a length of about 3 mm. The width, more or less flat upper lip vierlappig, about 3 mm long and 4.5 mm wide. The lower lip is about 6 mm. There are two unequal pairs of stamens present, which are adherent to the crown, but are mutually free. The anthers open with a longitudinal slot. The ovary is upper constant. The style ends in a bilobed scar.
The fruit is 1.5 to 2 mm long and wrapped by enlarged calyx.
Ingredients
Content and composition of the essential oil are very different depending on the variety, origin and time of harvest. The content varies from 0.04 to 0.70 %, the German Pharmacopoeia, a minimum content of 0.4 % prescribed (based on the dry matter). The main components of the essential oil are linalool with up to 85 % share, with up to 90% estragole and eugenol with up to 20%. Furthermore, other monoterpenes such as ocimene and cineol are included, sesquiterpenes and phenylpropanoids. In addition to essential oil are still tannins, flavonoids, caffeic acid and esculoside included in appreciable amounts.
Dissemination
The natural range of the basil which includes tropical Africa and Asia.
System
The species name Ocimum basilicum was first published in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum, 2, p 597.
Basil is divided into two subspecies, but there are still other subdivisions in many different varieties:
- Ocimum basilicum L. subsp. basilicum, the form occurring in Europe.
- Ocimum basilicum subsp. minimum L. is widely cultivated in India as an ornamental plant.
There are several varieties (selection):
- Ocimum basilicum L. var basilicum
- Ocimum basilicum var pilosum ( Willdenow ) Bentham
There are a number of varieties, which differ in size, leaf shape, leaf color and fragrance. 'Opal ' is a red-leaved variety. Frequently cultivated varieties are ' Big Green ', ' Genovese ' and 'Opal '. The variety ' Cinnamon ' has a cinnamon- scented and is also called cinnamon basil. The cultivar 'Lemon ' or lemon basil has a lemon- thyme -like fragrance.
Bush or dwarf basil is a 15 cm tall ornamental form.
The Style epithet basilicum goes back to the Greek Words to live by for royal and suggests that the basil was considered a royal spice. Other German names for basil are basil, spicy basil, Josef herb Suppenbasil, Braunsilge German and pepper.
History
The origin of the basil is no longer detectable today. As a region of origin Northwest India is suspected. In the Indian subcontinent basil was already around 1000 BC cultivated as a spice, medicinal and ornamental plant. Finds in pyramids occupy cultivation in Egypt in ancient times. The name is taken from the Latinized Greek, in Greece, there is still numerous folk tales around the basil and its origin. In addition to the Greek basil is traditionally often used in Italian cooking.
After Germany, the basil may have come in the 12th century AD.
Use
Cultivation and harvesting
It is grown mostly in subtropical areas, but also in the tropics and temperate latitudes. Basil is grown in the field as in the greenhouse. It is grown as a pot and bunches. In the field, basil requires loose, water-permeable, well heated floors. The soil pH is optimally 6.5 to 7.2. Basil is a heat plant demanding below 12 ° C is practically no growth instead, but the fungus increases rapidly. In Germany Opengroundplants comes from about the end of June and beginning of October on the market, greenhouse goods all year round. For the collation as the packaging there are no specific instructions. Bunches are often 30 to 40 g in weight, packed in foil bundles. In the greenhouse, especially pot plants are grown. Culture takes between 40 days in the summer and 80 to 100 days in winter.
Diseases and Pests
The most significant virus disease is the Luzernemosaikvirus ( alfalfa mosaic virus ), which causes leaf yellowing. The fungal disease leaf spot disease is (caused by Septoria species ) in the first place, that occurs during periods of rain. In addition, in the field as in the greenhouse is the Fusarium wilt ( Fusarium oxysporum ) of importance. An animal pests are those of importance that feed on leaves: caterpillars of Ampfereule ( Acronycta rumicis ), common meadow bugs ( Lygus pratensis) and snails.
Use
Kitchen
The fresh as the dried leaves are used as a cooking spice. Basil is in the southern European, especially Italian cuisine is one of the most commonly used spices. Upon drying, however, result in loss of flavor. Basil is also used in the meat canning industry. Basilikummazerat and distillate are part of many herbal liqueurs. The essential oil is used in the cosmetics industry for fragrance blends. The fine aroma of the leaves goes well with tomatoes. Basil is almost always part of pestos.
Medical importance
The pharmaceutical drug is as Basilici herba (Latin: the basil leaf ) called. Basil is used in folk medicine, especially in the Mediterranean area, lack of appetite ( stomachic ), flatulence and bloating ( carminative ) and less frequently as a diuretic, Laktagogum and pharyngeal inflammation gargle.
The essential oil has anthelmintic ( deworming ) and anti-inflammatory ( anti-inflammatory ) properties and inhibits the formation of gastric ulcers.
There are known for ingestion of therapeutic doses without side effects. Due to the content of estragole a medicinal application will be considered as feasible. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment 2002 are presented in animal experiments that estragole carcinogenic and genotoxic effects in in vitro and in vivo studies show effects, the data location for a final scientific assessment is inadequate. The Commission E came to the following assessment: Since the effectiveness for the claimed applications is not documented and because of the risks can not be represented a therapeutic application. There are no concerns as to the use of smell and a flavor to 5 % in preparations.