Extensively used in the kitchen, the spicy-sweet leaves are popular in Mediterranean dishes and oil of basil is used in some liqueurs. It's sweet, coverlike arroma makes it useful in perfumes, cosmetics, and soaps.
Basil has been used medicinally to cure vomiting, stress, headaches, and other pains. It has also been said to be an insect repellent although this is somewhat of a misleading proclamation. Much like other companion plantings, sometimes it isn't about what shoos away the bugs but providing them something to munch on that they like more than your prized plants. Planting basil alongside veggies, such as tomato, that are suseptible to whitefly infestation will attract whiteflies but since they do enjoy the basil more, they will be more likely to leave your veggies alone.