Holy basil, sacred basil, or Krapao (Ocimum
sanctum Linn. or Ocimum tenuiflorum Linn.) is a
tropical, much branched, annual herb, up to 18
inches tall. There are two kinds of holy basil: the
more exuberantly flavored red holy basil (red or
purple variety) has dark green leaves with reddish
purple stems and a purplish cast on the younger
leaves, while the milder white (white or green
variety) has medium-green leaves with very light
green, almost white, stems. In Thailand, this basil
is used in simple stir-fries, and together with
garlic, fresh chilies and fish sauce. It imparts a
wonderful flavor to any meat or seafood, and this
dish is named "Pad Krapao", a very easy and
popular Thai recipe. Holy basil has a strong aniselike,
slightly musky and lemony taste with a
camphoraceous aroma. The dominant aroma
component in holy basil is eugenol. This herb also
has been used by Asians in traditional medicine.
It is used for most stomach disorders, cramps,
diarrhea, headaches, whooping cough and head
colds (Uhl, 2000).