NOW® Holy Basil Extract 500 mg is a pure, standardized herbal supplement designed to help your body adapt to daily life stress while supporting healthy carbohydrate metabolism. Revered for centuries in Ayurvedic tradition as Tulsi ("The Incomparable One"), this formula delivers authentic whole-leaf extract of Ocimum tenuiflorum guaranteed to provide a minimum of 2% active ursolic acid. By helping calm your body's adrenal stress responses and promoting cellular glucose balance, each vegetarian capsule provides everyday calm, steady energy, and cellular protection without causing grogginess.
Quick Specs Snapshot
✓Active Form & Potency: Delivers 500 mg of pure Holy Basil Leaf Extract (Ocimum tenuiflorum) per single capsule, standardized to at least 2% ursolic acid (yielding a minimum of 10 mg of active ursolic acid [C30H48O3]).
✓Primary Cellular Target: Buffers the body's central stress control system (the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis) and supports healthy carbohydrate and glucose transport [1, 2].
✓Supply & Value Math: 90 vegetarian capsules per bottle deliver a complete 3-month (90-day) supply at a fraction of the cost of daily brewed herbal teas.
✓Formulation Purity: 100% vegetarian capsule; non-GMO; free of yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, and sesame; packaged in a 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin bottle.
Buyer's Guide & Botanical Form Comparison
Why the Form Matters: Many discount brands and generic store shelves sell raw, cut dried holy basil leaf powder. Raw dried leaves carry unpredictable, trace concentrations of active triterpenes that vary widely depending on soil quality and weather [1, 3]. In contrast, NOW® uses a laboratory-verified, standardized extract that concentrates the leaves to deliver a guaranteed 2% ursolic acid (C30H48O3) in every batch [1]. This ensures you receive the exact bioactive level required to assist stress hormones and carbohydrate enzymes consistently, rather than guessing with weak leaf powders.
Is This Formula Right for You?
Ideal For Shoppers Who:
✓ Experience daily workplace, family, or mental tension and want non-drowsy herbal support to help stay calm and focused [1, 4].
✓ Want natural dietary support to maintain healthy blood sugar and carbohydrate metabolism already within normal limits [2, 3].
✓ Prefer a simple, flavorless once-daily vegetarian capsule rather than drinking multiple cups of bitter, strong-tasting herbal tea.
Consider Another Option If:
✗ You are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or nursing (botanical adaptogens like holy basil are strictly reserved for non-pregnant adults).
✗ You are taking prescription blood sugar lowering medications (such as insulin or metformin) without physician oversight, as holy basil may have additive effects on glucose levels [2, 5].
✗ You take prescription blood thinners or anticoagulant medications without consulting your medical doctor first [3].
Risk-Free Guarantee: Every purchase from VitaNet®, LLC is backed by our unconditional 100% money-back guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied, return the bottle—even if opened—and we cover the return shipping costs so you can test digestive comfort and personal fit risk-free.
Biochemical Mechanisms & Cellular Pathways
To understand how holy basil works, think of your body's stress system as a home thermostat. When life gets hectic, your adrenal glands turn the heat way up by pumping out stress hormones like cortisol (chemical formula C21H30O5). If that thermostat gets stuck on high, your cells feel exhausted, your sleep suffers, and your body craves quick sugars. Holy basil acts like a smart sensor that helps turn the thermostat back down to a comfortable setting through three natural pathways:
1. Calming the Adrenal Stress Pathway (HPA Axis Regulation)
When mental or physical pressure hits, your brain sends signals down the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis to release cortisol (C21H30O5) [1, 4]. Standardized ursolic acid (C30H48O3) and natural plant triterpenes in holy basil help buffer this response [1]. By moderating hormone surges, holy basil prevents that "wired-and-tired" feeling, promoting daytime mental calm without making you sleepy [1, 4].
2. Supporting Normal Carbohydrate & Glucose Metabolism
Whenever you eat carbohydrates, your digestive system breaks them down into circulating blood sugar, known chemically as glucose (C6H12O6). Research shows that bioactive flavonoids and polyphenols in holy basil support normal pancreatic beta-cell function and healthy insulin sensitivity [2, 5]. This encourages your muscle and liver cells to pull glucose cleanly out of the bloodstream and use it for sustained physical fuel, blunting steep post-meal blood sugar surges [2, 3].
3. Scavenging Free Radicals & Cellular Defense
Both emotional stress and fluctuating blood sugars generate reactive oxygen species (ROS)—unstable molecules that damage cell walls and mitochondria [1, 3]. Holy basil contains natural antioxidant compounds, including rosmarinic acid and eugenol, that neutralize free radicals, protecting delicate vascular tissues and cellular membranes against oxidative stress [1, 3].
Dosing, Timing & Nutritional Synergy Protocol
Optimal Timing & Meal Pairing: Take one (1) vegetable capsule daily with a meal and an 8-ounce glass of water [1]. Because ursolic acid (C30H48O3) is a fat-soluble triterpenoid, taking your capsule alongside foods containing healthy dietary fats (such as eggs, olive oil, avocado, or yogurt) assists digestive micelle formation and enhances intestinal absorption [1, 3].
Daily Schedule & Split-Dosing Strategy
For steady daytime support against workday stress, take your capsule with breakfast [1, 4]. If your primary struggle is evening tension or unwinding before bed, taking it with your evening meal helps smooth out nighttime cortisol rhythms [1]. If you choose to take two capsules daily under the guidance of your healthcare provider, divide your intake: take one capsule with breakfast and one with dinner to maintain balanced plasma levels throughout the day [1, 2].
Smart Synergies & Absorption Spacing Rules
✓Beneficial Pairing with Ashwagandha & Rhodiola: Holy basil pairs seamlessly with other adaptogenic herbs, offering a comprehensive shield against both physical tiredness and mental tension.
✓Beneficial Pairing with Cinnamon or Chromium: When focusing on carbohydrate health, combining holy basil with whole cinnamon bark or chromium supports complementary pathways of cellular glucose uptake [2, 5].
✗Two-Hour Spacing from Prescription Drugs: Because holy basil influences liver enzymes and cellular glucose uptake, space your capsule at least two hours away from any prescription pharmaceutical medications [3].
Timeline of What to Expect
Week 1 (Initial Acclimation): Digestive tolerance is smooth. You may notice an initial feeling of mental calm and smoother responses to everyday frustrations [1, 4].
Weeks 3–4 (Hormone & Glycemic Balance): Cellular levels of active ursolic acid build up. Daytime energy feels cleaner, afternoon mental fatigue diminishes, and post-meal energy dips become far less noticeable [1, 2].
Delivery Format & Swallowability: NOW® Holy Basil Extract is encapsulated in a standard two-piece vegetarian capsule (size "0"). The capsule shell measures approximately three-quarters of an inch long. Its silky plant-derived surface glides down easily with a swallow of water, completely avoiding the chalky taste or throat-sticking issues common with large, pressed herbal tablets.
Natural Aroma, Taste & Color
Inside the clear capsule is a fine, uniform green-brown herbal powder. It carries a pleasant, warm, sweet-spicy herbal aroma characteristic of freshly dried Tulsi leaves. Because the powder is safely locked inside a plant capsule, you will not experience the astringent, bitter herbal taste typical of liquid extracts or brewed teas. Slight variations in natural powder color can happen from batch to batch depending on crop harvest conditions, which is entirely normal for pure botanicals.
Other Ingredients Demystified
Hypromellose (Cellulose Capsule): A completely natural, vegan fiber made from plant cellulose that forms the outer capsule shell, dissolving rapidly in stomach fluids.
Ascorbyl Palmitate: A fat-soluble, gentle form of Vitamin C used as a clean, natural antioxidant to keep the active herbal oils fresh without synthetic chemical preservatives.
Silicon Dioxide: A pure, naturally occurring mineral silica that prevents the finely milled herbal powder from clumping during encapsulation, ensuring every single pill contains an exact 500 mg dose.
Packaging & Storage: Packaged in an amber-tinted bottle made from 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin to block damaging UV light. Store tightly closed in a cool, dry pantry or cabinet away from heat, direct sunlight, and excessive moisture.
Many discount and "big box store" herbal brands do little to no testing on their raw materials. Because herbal leaves naturally absorb minerals and run-off from agricultural soils, low-cost store brands frequently test positive for high levels of toxic heavy metals, synthetic pesticides, or unlisted cheap filler grasses. NOW® Foods operates over 40,000 square feet of private, state-of-the-art analytical testing facilities accredited under ISO/IEC 17025:2017, performing more than 19,000 individual laboratory assays every month to ensure unmatched purity and safety.
How NOW® Protects You from Big Box Store Contaminants:
✓ ICP-MS Heavy Metal Testing (Parts-Per-Billion Precision): Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), NOW tests every single batch of holy basil leaves down to parts-per-billion (ppb) concentrations. This guarantees finished products are clear of dangerous heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, meeting strict California Proposition 65 and USP safety standards.
✓ HPLC & UHPLC Potency Verification: High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) verifies that every capsule contains the full 500 mg extract standardized to at least 2% active ursolic acid, ensuring you never receive an under-dosed or weak product.
✓ GC-MS/MS 500+ Pesticide & Solvent Screen: Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry screens raw botanical harvests against more than 500 agricultural pesticides, fungicides, and chemical extraction solvents to ensure complete chemical purity.
✓ Botanical Identity & Microbiological Screening: High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) confirms the exact botanical identity of Ocimum tenuiflorum, weeding out counterfeit plant species. Real-time PCR testing guarantees zero contamination from pathogens such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, or mold.
✓ A-Rated GMP Manufacturing: Formulated and bottled in company-owned facilities holding an "A-rating" for Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), independently audited by the Natural Products Association (NPA) and UL Solutions.
When you choose NOW® through VitaNet®, you are investing in genuine, lab-verified botanical nutrition that completely eliminates the safety risks and filler deceptions common to mass-market discount brands.
Holy Basil Extract (Tulsi Extract) (Leaves) (Ocimum tenuiflorum) (Standardized to min. 2% Ursolic Acid)
500 mg
†
† Daily Value not established.
Other Ingredients: Hypromellose (cellulose capsule), Ascorbyl Palmitate and Silicon Dioxide.
Allergen Specifications: Not manufactured with yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut, or sesame ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.
Safety Warnings: For adults only. Not recommended for pregnant or nursing women. Consult physician if taking medication or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.
Quality & Sourcing: Made and quality tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients. Family and employee owned. This bottle is made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin. Store in a cool, dry place after opening.
Curator's Quality Note: VitaNet®, LLC
Founded in 1995, VitaNet®, LLC brings 31+ years of dedicated natural health experience, supplement curation, and human biochemistry knowledge to our customers. Headquartered in Hartville, Ohio, our family-owned business maintains strict factory-direct distribution accounts with leading American vitamin makers like NOW® Foods. Every bottle is kept in our climate-regulated, temperature-controlled facility to protect fragile plant bioactives from heat and moisture. As a Better Business Bureau (BBB) A+ accredited company, we stand behind your order with an unconditional 100% money-back guarantee—we even cover return shipping costs, even on opened bottles. If you have questions about your wellness routine, call our friendly team directly at (330) 877-8786 or toll-free at 1-800-877-8702.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
What is the difference between Holy Basil (Tulsi) and regular sweet culinary basil?
While both belong to the mint family, sweet culinary basil (Ocimum basilicum) is an Italian cooking herb prized primarily for its sweet taste and aroma. Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum or Ocimum sanctum), known as Tulsi in Ayurvedic tradition, is a revered botanical adaptogen packed with active triterpenoids like ursolic acid that specifically support stress hormone balance and normal carbohydrate metabolism [1, 3].
Can I open the vegetable capsule and mix the powder into a beverage or smoothie?
Yes. The two-piece vegetarian capsule easily twists apart so you can stir the pure botanical powder directly into warm water, unsweetened tea, yogurt, or a morning smoothie. Keep in mind that pure holy basil extract has a strong, earthy, and peppery herbal flavor. Taking the capsule whole allows you to bypass this intense natural taste completely.
Will taking NOW Holy Basil Extract break an intermittent fast?
No. A single vegetarian capsule contains zero sugar, zero protein, and less than one single calorie, meaning it will not spike your blood insulin or disrupt your fasting state. However, because ursolic acid is a fat-soluble compound that absorbs best in the presence of dietary lipids, taking your daily capsule with your first meal of the day provides optimal digestive absorption [1].
How does Holy Basil support both everyday stress and carbohydrate metabolism?
Stress and carbohydrate processing are closely tied inside the human body. When you feel stressed, adrenal cortisol surges, triggering your liver to release stored glucose into the bloodstream. By modulating the HPA axis to buffer excess cortisol and supporting cellular insulin sensitivity, holy basil helps keep both stress levels and circulating blood sugars in smooth, natural balance [1, 2, 5].
Can I take this supplement every day, and how long does one bottle last?
Yes. Botanical adaptogens work best when taken consistently each day to build cellular resilience [1, 4]. With 90 vegetarian capsules per bottle and a recommended serving of 1 capsule daily, a single bottle provides a full 90-day (3-month) supply, delivering premium daily stress and metabolic support for just pennies a day.
Scientific References:
Cohen, M. M. (2014). Tulsi - Ocimum sanctum: A herb for all reasons. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 5(4), 251–259.
Agrawal, P., Rai, V., & Singh, R. B. (1996). Randomized placebo-controlled, single blind trial of holy basil leaves in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 34(9), 406–409.
Jamshidi, N., & Cohen, M. M. (2017). The Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Tulsi in Humans: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2017, 9217567.
Saxena, R. C., Singh, R., Kumar, P., Negi, M. P., Saxena, V. S., Geetharani, P., Allan, J. J., & Venkateshwarlu, K. (2012). Efficacy of an Extract of Ocimum tenuiflorum in the Management of General Stress: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012, 894509.
Bhattacharyya, D., Sur, T. K., Jana, U., & Debnath, P. K. (2008). Controlled programmed trial of Ocimum sanctum leaf on generalized anxiety disorders. Nepal Medical College Journal, 10(3), 176–179.
Helpful Customer Reviews
Review of HOLY BASIL EXTRACT 90 VCAPS - NOW Product N3124 Reviewed by Maverick of sky
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 Rating: 5/5
Basil is a herb, and it is originally from India. I would not dive into describing the benefits of herbs. However, it is clear that to maintain a healthy immune system, each of us should take some as often as we can.
Now the problem is the arrangement of these herbs. Not all of them are readily available. Even if they are in your store's shelf, they are priced at pretty high range. They are perishable and you cannot stock your entire month's supply.
The solution is Now Basil Extract. You can get it whenever you want, and can stock for months. It would save you some bucks as well. I recommend this product for those who are looking for a healthy life.
