Ocimum sanctum, known popularly as Tulsi, belongs to family Lamiaceae and used as medicinal plant for thousands of years. Tulsi is known as the Queen of Herbs. The plant is considered holy by the Hindu religion and conserve the plant in front of the home known as 'thulasithara'.Known also as 'sacred basil' tulsi is widely used in Ayurvedic and Unani systems.
In Ayurveda it is considered 'Elixir of Life', helping millions of people to recover from daily ailments. It is used in cold, cough, head ache, stomach issues and various inflammations.
Morphology: The plants are herbs or sub shrubs, with purplish hairs on the brachlets. Leaves grows up to 3 cm, elliptic in shape; inflorescence raceme, growing up to 10 cm. Bracts are present, calyx is purple, campanulate corolla with 5 lobes, corolla has sessile dotted glands, and stamens are usually 4.
Habitat: Being a sacred plant, tulsi is widely cultivated in the houses of the Hindus. The plant occurs from 0 to 2000 m altitude all over the globe.
Constituents: Leaf has volatile oil composed of eugenol, euginal, urosolic acid, limatrol, estragol and sitosterol.
Uses:
1. It is a good home remedy against cold, cough, head ache and fever. People use the leaves of tulsi to vapor, or to make tulsi tea to fight cold related diseases.
2. Recent studies show that tulsi has anti-diabetic properties. It significantly decreases the level of glucose in blood.
3. Studies in rats have proved that tulsi can reduce the production of stress induced cAMP in cardiac tissues.
4. Mouth ulcers can be cured using tulsi extract and lemon.
5. Tulsi reduces the levels of cholesterol in blood.
6. It has anti-aging property due to the presence of vitamin C which acts to reduce free radicals.
7. It can treat kidney stones due to diuretic property, thereby decreasing the levels of uric acid in blood.
8. Tulsi helps to kill bacteria and infections.
9. Eugenol is effective in treating skin diseases.
10. Tulsi can decrease eye infections caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi. It reduces eye inflammation.
11. Tulsi is a natural mouth freshner. It can disinfect oral cavity and prevent dental diseases, dental cavities. It also removes tartar, plaque and bad breath.
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