Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum)

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Synonyms : Sacred Basil, Holi Basil.

Family : Labiatae

Ocimum sanctum
Ocimum sanctum 
(Image courtesy: Jubinrajop /
 wikimedia commons)
Geographical occurrence : It is considered to be a sacred plant by Hindus. It is cultivated throughout India in gardens of temples and houses and is worshipped as the avatar of Lakshmi.
 
Characters :  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 recemes, 15-20 cm long in close whorls. Odour is aromatic and taste is pungent. Nutlets are subglobose, slightly compressed, pale brown or red in colour. Seeds are reddish-black and subglobose.

Constituents : The major constituent is a volatile oil (0.7%) which contains eugenol, methyl eugenol, carvacrol, caryophylin. 

Ocimum sanctum
Holy basil flowers
(Image courtesy: Muhammad Mahdi Karim / wikimedia commons)
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 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.

It is used in Antimicrobial, Antimalarial, Antiallergic and Immunomodulator, Anti diabetic, Heart ailments and Antifertility treatment.


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