Tulsi is an aromatic herbaceous plant which is considered as a sacred plant by Hindus. Tulsi is also known as "The Queen of Herbs" or "Mother Medicine of Nature".
Family: Lamiaceae
It is cultivated throughout India in gardens of temples and houses and is worshipped as the avatar of Lakshmi.
It is cultivated throughout India in gardens of temples and houses and is worshipped as the avatar of Lakshmi.
Plant morphology:
The plant is an annual herb of 30 to 60 cm in height. The branches are generally purplish, sub-quadrangular and covered with soft hairs. The plant bears petiolate leaves having an entire or serrate margin. The apex and base are acute. The leaves are minutely gland-dotted and contain trichomes on both the surfaces.
Flowers are verticillate, in racemes, 15-20 cm long in close whorls. Odour is aromatic and the taste is pungent. Nutlets are subglobose, slightly compressed, pale brown or red in colour. Seeds are reddish-black and subglobose.
Flowers are verticillate, in racemes, 15-20 cm long in close whorls. Odour is aromatic and the taste is pungent. Nutlets are subglobose, slightly compressed, pale brown or red in colour. Seeds are reddish-black and subglobose.
Chemical Constituents:
The major constituent is a volatile oil (0.7%) which contains eugenol, methyl eugenol, carvacrol, caryophylin.
Uses:
All parts of tulsi are used in medicine, especially fresh and dried leaves. Leaves have expectorant, diaphoretic, antiperiodic, anticatarrhal, antiseptic and spasmolytic properties and are used in catarrh, bronchitis, cold, cough, fever and gastric disorders. The leaves have been employed as an aromatic, carminative, stimulant and flavouring agent. Dried powdered leaves are taken as snuff in ozena.
Seeds are demulcent and given in disorders of the genito-urinary system. The plant is also used in snake bite and scorpion sting. The volatile oil is antibacterial and insecticidal. The drug is a good immuno-modulatory agent.
Seeds are demulcent and given in disorders of the genito-urinary system. The plant is also used in snake bite and scorpion sting. The volatile oil is antibacterial and insecticidal. The drug is a good immuno-modulatory agent.
It is also used in antimicrobial, antimalarial, anti-allergic and immunomodulator, anti-diabetic, heart ailments and anti-fertility treatments.
- Cohen MM. Tulsi - Ocimum sanctum: A herb for all reasons. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2014;5(4):251‐259. DOI:10.4103/0975-9476.146554
- Govind Pandey and Madhuri S. Pharmacological activities of Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi): A Review. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research. 2010;5(1):61-66.
- Devesh Tewari, Sah AN, Pandey HK and Meena HS. A Review on phytoconstituents of Ocimum (Tulsi). International Journal of Ayurvedic Medicine. 2012;3(1):1-9.
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