Benefits of Basil; 
One of the primary medicinal uses for basil is for its anti-inflammatory properties. This effect stems from eugenol, a volatile oil in basil that blocks enzymes in the body that cause swelling, making basil an ideal treatment for people with arthritis.
 
Basil, especially as an tincture or oil, is known to have exceptionally powerful antioxidant properties that can protect the body from premature aging, common skin issues, age-related problems and even some types of cancer. The herb also contains the flavonoids orientin and vicenin, which are plant pigments that shield your cell structures from oxygen and radiation damage. 
 
Basil oil can be used to treat constipation, stomach cramps and indigestion as well as the cold, flu, asthma, whooping cough, bronchitis and sinus infections. It is also a great source of magnesium, an essential mineral that helps the body’s blood vessels relax, which can improve blood flow." 
In small doses, it can have a pleasantly stimulating effect on the mind and nerves, relieving fatigue and aiding insight. In larger doses, Basil has a kind of detoxicant effect, helping to bring clarity to a clouded mind in a rather robust manner.
A good way to get to appreciate the power of Basil to use it as a compress to rapidly clear the head when someone has a heavy, congestive headache, the kind where people say, 'they just can't think' This is done by soaking a cloth in a strong tea of Basil (one tsp of the dried herb or tincture soaked for 10 minutes in a covered cup of freshly boiled water) and then placing the cloth wringing wet over the sore head. See what happens next, in a matter of minutes the fog may clear and the headache with it, or at the least it should significantly subside.
 
Basil combines particularly well with Rosemary and Ginkgo when we want to increase the flow of energy to the mind and it works perfectly with Bacopa, Withania and/or St John's wort when we want a restorative tonic to the brain and nervous system.