Benefits of the plant species boldo and basil in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Keywords:
herbal medicine, ocimum basilicum, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, peumusAbstract
Introduction: the efficacy of boldo (Peumus boldus L.) and basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has aroused great interest as a phytopharmaceutical, due to the high prevalence of this disease and its complications.
Objective: to analyze the scientific literature on the hepatoprotective effect of boldo and basil and its feasibility for the design of phytopharmaceuticals for oral use.
Methods: a systematic review of 14 sources was carried out, corresponding to seven original articles from indexed journals, available in SciElo in Spanish and PubMed in English, three master's theses, published between 2020 and 2025, two pharmacognosy books and two current official pharmaceutical compendia.
Development: boldo and basil possess significant hepatoprotective potential, derived from their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chemopreventive properties. The following metabolites have been identified in boldo: boldine, sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, sterols, and saponins; in basil: linalool, estragole, eugenol, quercetin, and phenolic acids. The trends found lie in the experimental designs, the extraction processes in which ultrasonic extraction stands out, and the analysis methods, mainly chromatographic.
Conclusions: there is consensus on the therapeutic potential of both species. It is recommended to advance in the standardization of extracts, characterization of active metabolites, conduct clinical trials, and promote the formulation of phytopharmaceuticals for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Downloads
References
1. Younossi ZM, Golabi P, Paik JM, Henry A, Van Dongen C, Henry L. The global epidemiology of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): a systematic review. Hepatology [Internet]. 2023 [citado 18 Jul 2025];77(4):1335-47. Disponible en: https://journals.lww.com/hep/fulltext/2023/04000/the_global_epidemiology_of_nonalcoholic_fatty.27.aspx
2. Castillo-Castillo, MDL Ángeles, Bravo-Roche RG, Rueda-López RJ, Cedeño-Robalino ZE. Esteatosis Hepática en la Práctica Médica: “Prevalencia y Factores de Riesgo a Nivel Mundial". JAH [Internet]. 2024 [citado 18 Jul 2025];7(1):[aprox. 11 p.]. Disponible en: https://jah-journal.com/index.php/jah/article/view/183/387
3. Tovar-Cabañas R, May-Arias, EM, Bustos-González, F, Ortiz-Ramírez, A. Medicina tradicional en Centla, Tabasco: el caso de la albahaca medicinal [Internet]. 2023 [citado 18 Jul 2025]; Disponible en: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rodrigo-Cabanas/publication/389249131_Medicina_tradicional_en_Centla_Tabasco_el_caso_de_la_albahaca_medicinal/links/67b9d4a9645ef274a4903b5e/Medicina-tradicional-en-Centla-Tabasco-el-caso-de-la-albahaca-medicinal.pdf
4. Farías C, Cisternas C, Morales G, Muñoz L, Valenzuela R. Albahaca: Composición química y sus beneficios en salud. Rev Chil Nutr [Internet]. 2022 [citado 18 Jul 2025];49(4):502-12. Disponible en:
https://www.scielo.cl/pdf/rchnut/v49n4/0717-7518-rchnut-49-04-0502.pdf
5. Cárdenas-Montemayor A, Lizarazo-Ortega C, Rodríguez-Castillejos G, Castillo-Ruiz O, Quiroz-Velásquez JDC. Una revisión bibliográfica de los compuestos no volátiles, y sus propiedades funcionales, de Ocinum Basilicum L., Albahaca. Rev boliv quím [Internet]. 2023 [citado 18 Jul 2025];40(1):1-7. Disponible en: http://www.scielo.org.bo/pdf/rbq/v40n1/0250-5460-rbq-40-01-1.pdf
6. Kamelnia E, Mohebbati R, Kamelnia R, El-Seedi HR, Boskabady MH. Anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and anti-oxidant effects of Ocimum basilicum L. and its main constituents: A review. Iran J Basic Med Sci [Internet]. 2023 [citado 18 Jul 2025];26(6):617-27. Disponible en: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10237160/pdf/IJBMS-26-617.pdf
7. Cueva-Mestanza RE. Efecto hepatoprotector de una mezcla de plantas medicinales y vitaminas en Rattus norvegicus con intoxicación hepática. Edu.pe [Internet]. 2022 [citado 15 May 2025];12(1):21-27. Disponible en: https://revistas.unitru.edu.pe/index.php/agroindscience/article/view/4361/4807
8. Organización Mundial de la Salud. Estrategia de la OMS sobre medicina tradicional 2014-2023 [Internet]. Ginebra: OMS; 2013 [citado 18 Jul 2025]:[aprox. 72 p.]. Disponible en: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/95008/9789243506098_spa.pdf?sequence=1
9. Farías-Castro C. Efectos de la harina de semilla de albahaca rica en fibra dietética frente a la resistencia a la insulina y esteatosis hepática inducida por una dieta alta en grasa en ratón [Internet]. Santiago de Chile: Universidad de Chile; 2023 [citado 15 May 2025]. Disponible en: https://repositorio.uchile.cl/bitstream/handle/2250/193718/Efectos-de-la-harina-de-semilla-de-albahaca.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
10. National Library Medicine. Linalol [Internet]. 2025 [citado 15 May 2025]. Disponible en: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Linalool
11. National Library Medicine. Estragol [Internet]. 2025 [citado 15 de May 2025]. Disponible en: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Estragole
12. da Silva-Moura E, D’Antonino-Faroni LR, Fernandes-Heleno F, Zinato-Rodrigues AA, Figueiredo-Prates LH, Lopes-Ribeiro de Queiroz ME. Optimal Extraction of Ocimum basilicum Essential Oil by Association of Ultrasound and Hydrodistillation and Its Potential as a Biopesticide Against a Major Stored Grains Pest. Molecules [Internet]. 2020 [citado 15 May 2025];25(12):2781. Disponible en: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7355779/pdf/molecules-25-02781.pdf
13. Bensaid A, Boudard F, Servent A, Morel S, Portet K, Guzman C, et al. Differential Nutrition-Health Properties of Ocimum basilicum Leaf and Stem Extracts. Foods [Internet] 2022 [citado 15 May 2025];11(12):1699. Disponible en: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9222536/pdf/foods-11-01699.pdf
14. Bucarey-Soto BA. Determinación de boldina en cultivos celulares de Peumus boldus mediante atr-ftir apoyado con métodos de extracción de alcaloides [Internet]. Concepción: Chile; 2024 [citado 15 May 2025]. Disponible en: https://repositorio.udec.cl/server/api/core/bitstreams/5447e04d-126b-406c-a3b8-733fae772434/content
15. Espinoza-Mijangos AJ. Evaluación de extractos metanólicos libres y nanoencapsulados de smilax spp., chiranthodendron pentadactylon, y Peumus boldus contra bacterias de interés dermatológico [internet]. México: Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León; 2023 [citado 15 May 2025]. Disponible en: http://eprints.uanl.mx/26322/1/1080312692.pdf
16. Salas-Pérez L, Moncayo-Lujan M del R, Borroel-García VJ, Guzmán-Silos TL, Ramírez-Aragón MG. Composición fitoquímica y actividad antioxidante en tres variedades de albahaca por efecto de distintos solventes. Rev Mex De Cienc Agric [Internet]. 2022 [citado 15 May 2025];13(28):113-23. Disponible en: https://www.scielo.org.mx/pdf/remexca/v13nspe28/2007-0934-remexca-13-spe28-113-en.pdf
17. Anda-de la Rosa NF, Bravo-Loor DM, Cedeño-Narváez AS, Espinoza-Farías JG, Pazmiño-Panta NA. Evaluación de rendimiento de extractos acuosos de Albahaca (Ocimun Sanctum) por tres métodos de extracción [Internet]. 2023 [citado 15 May 2025];11(1):79-87. Disponible en: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/9798712.pdf
18. Sharapin N. Fundamentos de tecnología de productos fitoterapéuticos [Internet]. Santafé de Bogotá; CAB; 2000 [citado 15 May 2025]. Disponible en: https://books.google.com.pe/books?id=XH2HzSlJPywC&printsec=copyright&hl=es&source=gbs_pub_info_r#v=onepage&q&f=false
19. Bagué-Serrano AJ, Álvarez-Cruz NS. Tecnología Farmacéutica [Internet]. Cottolengo, San Vicente: Editorial Club Universitario; 2012 [citado 15 May 2025]. Disponible en: https://books.google.co.cr/books?id=yiYQDgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=es#v=onepage&q&f=false
20. Formulario Nacional Fitofarmacos y Apifármacos [Internet]. La Habana: Editorial Ciencias Médicas; 2017 [citado 16 May 2025]. Disponible en: https://www.calameo.com/read/006693435a6fd6905a02b
21. Farmacopea Vegetal Caribeña [Internet]. Mérida: Centro Público de Investigación del Sistema Conacyt; 2014 [citado 16 May 2025]. Disponible en: https://fitoterapiabrasil.com.br/sites/default/files/documentos-oficiais/tram-far3.pdf
22. Código de Regulaciones Federales Título 21 Parte 12. Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos [Internet]. 2020 [citado 16 May 2025]. Disponible en: https://www.fda.gov/media/138483/download
23. Escobar C. Estándares para el cultivo, cosecha, empaque y almacenamiento de los productos agrícolas frescos para el consumo humano [Internet]. 2020 [citado 16 May 2025]. Disponible en: https://www.fda.gov/media/138483/download
24. Presidente de la República de Nicaragua (Nicaragua). Ley de medicina natural, terapias complementarias y productos naturales en Nicaragua. Ley 774. Gaceta No. 10 del (18 de Enero del 2012) [citado 16 May 2025]. Disponible en: https://www.minsa.gob.ni/sites/default/files/2022-10/LEY%20774%20DE%20MEDICINA%20NATURAL%20%2C%20TERAPIAS%20COMPLEMENTARIAS%20Y%20PRODUCTOS%20NATURALES%20EN%20NICARAGUA.pdf
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Débora Rebeca Hernández Flores
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Those authors who have publications with this journal accept the following terms of the License CC Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0):
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
The journal is not responsible for the opinions and concepts expressed in the works, which are the exclusive responsibility of the authors. The Editor, with the assistance of the Editorial Committee, reserves the right to suggest or request advisable or necessary modifications. Original scientific works are accepted for publication, as are the results of research of interest that have not been published or sent to another journal for the same purpose.
The mention of trademarks of specific equipment, instruments or materials is for identification purposes, and there is no promotional commitment in relation to them, neither by the authors nor by the editor.
