Tulsi and its effects on facilitative cognitive enhancement through lowering levels of stress and anxiety. A randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Ocimum Sanctum or Holy Basil, commonly called Tulsi is a traditional Indian herb. It is believed to bring about a facilitative enhancement of cognitive ability and lower stress levels in individuals. Stress and an inability to perform at a required level of cognition can induce anxiety. This study is looking at the effects of daily consuming Tulsi among a group of individuals who work in an environment that demands memory, attention and executive functioning.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Subjects between the ages of 18 and 50 years, providing written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

Subjects who meet the following criteria

• Education level below 8th grade of schooling
• Unable to read or understand English or having no working knowledge of English
• Known history or neurological conditions that can affect cognition
• Known history of drug abuse or potential for drug abuse, a regular consumer of alcohol or unwilling to withhold consumption of alcohol for the duration of the study.
• A chronic smoker or consumer of other tobacco related products or is undergoing a rehabilitation program for alcohol and or tobacco consumption
• Any history or psychiatric disorders - currently on treatment or treated in within the last 12 months
• Any characteristic that makes the investigator uncomfortable to include the subject in the study.

Concealment of allocation and blinding of active versus placebo and blinded assessment