Latin:
Ocimum
sanctum
Linn.
Family:
Labiatae
Vernacular
names:
Sanskrit -
Tulasi -
Tulssi -
Surasa -
Krishnamul -
Vishnu-priya;
Hindi -
Kala-tulasi;
English -
Holy basil;
Unani -
Tulsi;
Bengali -
Krishna
tulasai;
Tamil -
Thulasi
Part Used:
leaves,
seeds, root
Ayurvedic
Energetics:
Rasa:
pungent,
bitterVeerya:
heatingVipaka:
pungentGuna:
light,
sharp, dry
Doshas: VK
-; P+
Pharmacological
Action:
demulcent,
expectorant,
anticatarrhal,
antispasmodic,
anthelminthic
Traditional Uses: The leaf infusion or
fresh leaf
juice is
commonly
used in
cough, mild
upper
respiratory
infections,
bronchospasm,
stress-related
skin
disorders
and
indigestion.
It is
combined
with ginger
and maricha
(black
pepper) in
bronchial
asthma. It
is given
with honey
in
bronchitis
and cough.
The leaf
juice is
taken
internally
and also
applied
directly on
cutaneous
lesions in
ringworm.
The
essential
oil has been
used in ear
infections.
The seeds
are
considered a
general
nutritious
tonic.
Indications:
bronchospasm,
cough,
indigestion,
catarrh
Formulations
and Dosage:
fresh leaf
juice :
15-20 ml
with honey
tid leaf
infusion :
2-3 oz tid
Clinical
Research:
The
ethanolic
extract of
the leaves
exhibited a
hypoglycemic
effect in
rats and an
antispasmodic
effect in
isolated
guinea pig
ileum. Tulsi
extract was
administered
to 20
patients
with
shortness of
breath
secondary to
tropical
eosinophia
in an oral
dosage of
500 mg TID
and an
improvement
in breathing
was noted.
The aqueous
extract
showed a
hypotensive
effect on
anesthetised
dogs and
cats and
negative
inotropic
and
chronotropic
activity
(reduces the
force and
rate,
respectively)
on rabbit's
heart.
Antibacterial
activity has
been shown
against
Staphlococcus
aureus and
Mycoplasma
tuberculosis
in vitro as
well as
against
several
other
species of
pathogens
including
fungi. The
plant has
had general
adaptogenic
effects in
mice and
rats and has
been shown
to protect
against
stress-induced
ulcers. It
has also
shown to be
protective
against
histamine-induced
bronchospasm
in animals.
