Botanical name- Ocimum sanctum Linn.
Family- Labiateaeits
Gana – Surasadi
English name - Holy Basil
Sanskrit names - Tulsi, Vrinda, Swarasa, Bhutaghni, Gouri (white tulsi ), Manjari,
Apetarakshasi, Shoolaghni, Shyama (black tulsi).
Botanical Description-A shrub of height 0.5-0.75m. Leaves - are 3 cm. long, round having strong odour. Flowers - inflorescence 12 to 14 long. Seed - small, pale black or red. It bears flowers and fruits (seeds) in winter.
Varieties -mainly 2 varieties- 1) White and 2 ) Black.
White tulsi hold up white branches and leaves, while black variety hold up black leaves. Black tulsi is more potent than white one. Besides these varities, there is one more variety ex.- wild tulsi. This plant is bigger and hold up big leaves. One more variety is camphor tulsi from which camphor is derived.
Habitat- All over India, in front of many houses, temples and in gardens.
Chemical composition- There are many chemical constituent present in ocimum sanctum such as oleanolic acid, ursolic acid eugenol, , linalool, carvacrol, β elemene, β caryophyllene, germacrene. ocimum sanctum is considered to have diuretic, stimulant property.
Properties-
Guna- laghu, ruksha
Rasa- katu,tikta
Vipak – katu
Veerya- ushna
(Seeds - snigdha, pichchila and sheeta)
DoshaKarma- Kaphavatashamak and pittavardhak. Useful in kapha-vata disorders.
External uses- Because of its insecticidal, deodorant, stimulant, vatahara and oedema relieving actions, the paste of the leaves is useful in chronic ulcers, oedema and pain. Scrubbing of the juice on the skin improves the intradermal circulation. Juice is also used as eardrops in earache.
Internal uses-
Digestive system- Being an appetizer, digestive, laxative and anthelmintic, it is used in anorexia, emesis, abdominal pain and helminthiasis. Tulsi seeds are soaked in water and slimy kheer is prepared from it which is given in dysentery. Tulsi leaves should be chewed in pyorrhoea.
Circulatory system- it is a cardiac stimulant, blood purifier and antiinflammatory, it is used in cardiac debility, vatakapha disorders of blood and inflammations.
Respiratory system- Tulsi has a main action on respiratory system. When tulsi leaves are given with honey, they act as an expectorant and alleviate the symptoms like cough induced by kapha, dyspnoea and fever. Tulsi is a very good home remedy for common symptoms like fever, cold and cough.
Urinary system- Tulsi seed is diuretic. It alleviates gonorrhoea, dysuria, burning micturation, cystitis, calculi andnurethritis.
Skin- Diaphoretic, effective in skin diseases. Hence it is used in fever and particularly in ringworm infection, eczema and scabies. The paste of tulsi leaves and black pepper is effective in ringworm infection.
Temperature - Useful in fever with chills and intermittent fever. Decoction of tulsi leaves is also useful in chronic fever.
Satmikaran - Seed is a tonic. Kheer prepared from the seeds should be used in debility to pittadosha.
Parts used- Leaves, root and seeds.(Leaves become less potent after a few days hence they should be used before they dry up.)
Dosage- Juice 10 to 20 ml.
seed 1 to 2 tsf.
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