Tulsi

HABITAT

It is mainly grown in temperate climate and hence found widely distributed along the Indian subcontinent. Tulsi, grown as a pot plant, is found in almost every traditional Hindu house. The natural habitat of Tulsi varies from sea level to an altitude of 2000 m. It is found growing naturally in moist soil nearly all over the globe.

INTRODUCTION

Tulsi, known by the scientific name, Ociumum sanctum, in India is ubiquitous in Ayurvedic tradition. Tulsi is a Sanskrit word which means “matchless one”. It is called by names like Rama Tulsi & Krishna Tulsi in Sanskrit and Holy Basil in English. It is probably the most widely known and common household herb in the Indian sub-continent. It is considered sacred, and rightly so, owing to its diverse healing properties. Within Ayurveda, Tulsi is known as “The Incomparable One,” “Mother Medicine of Nature” and “The Queen of Herbs,” and is revered as an “Elixir of Life” since it promotes longevity.

Tulsi has mentions in the Rigveda and has been used for its therapeutic properties since 5000 B.C. Different parts of plant are used in Ayurveda and Siddha Systems of Medicine for prevention and cure of many illnesses and everyday ailments like common cold, headache, cough, flu, earache, fever, colic pain, sore throat, bronchitis, asthma, hepatic diseases, malaria fever, as an antidote for snake bite and scorpion sting, flatulence, migraine headaches, fatigue, skin diseases, wound, insomnia, arthritis, digestive disorders, night blindness, diarrhea and influenza and also to keep away mosquitoes and flies.

BENEFITS

Healing Power: Tulsi is a natural a nerve tonic and helps sharpen memory. It promotes the removal of catarrhal matter and phlegm from the bronchial tube. The leaves strengthen the stomach and induce copious perspiration. The seed of the plant are mucilaginous.

Stress: Tulsi is regarded as an 'adaptogen' or anti-stress agent. Recent studies have
shown that the leaves afford significant protection against stress. It purifies blood and helps prevent several common elements.

Fever and Common Cold: The leaves of Tulsi are used for many fevers. It acts as preventative against malaria and dengue fever and helps bring down high temperatures.

Coughs: Tulsi is an important constituent of many Ayurvedic cough syrups and expectorants. It helps to mobilize mucus in bronchitis and asthma.

Heart Disorder: Tulsi has a beneficial effect in cardiac disease and in dealing with the weaknesses resulting from them. It reduces the level of blood cholesterol.

Kidney Stones: Tulsi acts a mild diuretic & detoxifying agent which helps in lowering the uric acid levels in the body. Acetic acid present in Tulsi helps in the breakdown of the stones.

Insect Bites: The herb is a prophylactic or preventive and curative for insect stings or bites.

Skin Disorders: Tulsi helps kill bacteria and infections. The primary active compound of holy basil oil is eugenol which helps fight skin related disorders. Tulsi helps treat skin infections both internally and externally.

Eye Health: Tulsi's anti-inflammatory properties help promote eye health by preventing viral, bacterial and fungal infections. It also soothes eye inflammation and reduces stress.

Oral Health: Tulsi is a natural mouth freshener and an oral disinfectant. The leaves are quite effective for ulcer and infections in the mouth. Holy basil destroys the bacteria that are responsible for dental cavities, plaque, tartar, and bad breath, while also protecting the teeth. Tulsi is good for maintaining dental health, counteracting bad breath and for massaging the gums. It is also useful for pyorrhoea and other teeth disorders.

Headaches: Tulsi is a natural headache reliever which can also relieve migraine pain. A decoction of the leaves can be given for this disorder for getting relief from heat, headache, and for providing coolness in general.

Natural Antioxidant: When cells are attacked by free radicals, excess oxidations occur which damage and destroy cells. Antioxidants stop this process. The cellular damage caused by free radicals can be responsible for causing and/or accelerating many diseases. Tulsi is rich in antioxidants and is recommended to guard against free radicals and protect from damaging excess oxidation. Tulsi extract has significant ability to scavenge highly reactive free radicals.

Hypoglycaemic and Hypolipidemic: Tulsi Extract is known for lowering of blood sugar and potentially regulate corticosteroid-induced diabetes mellitus. In addition to the hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic effect of Tulsi is also indicated.

MECHANISM OF ACTION

Tulsi strengthens the immune response by enhancing both cellular and humoral immunity by boosting the cell-mediated immune responsiveness and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) pathways that play an important role in immunity.

Tulsi contains a considerable amount of eugenol and methyl eugenol that provide an analgesic effect due to its cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibition activity.

There are other mechanisms to describe the medicinal benefits of Tulsi, like free radical scavenging, metal chelation, as well as immune modulation that act at different levels individually or in combination to bring about the radioprotective, chemo preventive, adaptogenic, antidiabetic effects etc.

CLINICAL STUDIES & REFERENCES

Jeba C. R., Vaidyanathan R., and Rameshkumar G. Immunomodulatory activity of aqueous extract of Ocimum sanctum in rat. International Journal on Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Research. 2011, 2:33-38.
Jyoti S, Satendra S, Sushma S, Anjana T, Shashi S. Antistressor activity of Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) against experimentally induced oxidative stress in rabbits:Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol. 2007, 29:411-416.
Chattopadhyay RR, Sarkar SK, Ganguly S, Medda C, Basu TK. Hepatoprotective activity of O. sanctum leaf extract against paracetamol induced hepatic damage in rats. Indian J Pharmacol, 1992; 24: 163.