Holy basil (tulsi)

These are the amounts published trials administered — not a recommendation, and not a dose to copy. Trial participants were screened, supervised and given a characterised preparation. What is in a retail bottle is frequently not what was studied, and the amount that suits one person is not general advice.

• Studied for Perceived stress

  300–1200 mg

  Limited

  Leaf extract, divided doses · 6–8 weeks

  Trials are small and Indian-centred, and the extracts differ in solvent and plant part, so the range reflects heterogeneity rather than a dose-response relationship.

• Studied for Glycaemic markers in type 2 diabetes

  1–2.5 g

  Not enough

  Dried leaf powder · 4–12 weeks

  Based on a small number of older Indian trials with limited methodological reporting; the finding has not been replicated in larger or independent studies.

This is general information about food, not medical advice. It cannot diagnose, treat or replace guidance from a clinician who knows your history.

None of the timings below were directly compared in a trial. They reflect how the research happened to dose, or what the pharmacology implies — which is not the same as a timing being better.

• 🕐Any time

  Not enough

  No timing comparison exists. Traditional use is as a morning tea, which is custom rather than pharmacology.

  Timing was not directly compared. This reflects convention or how the compound behaves in the body, not a trial showing this window works better.