Abstract

GENERAL INTRODUCTION, CLASSIFICATION, MORPHOLOGY, PHYTOCONSTIUENTS, TRADITIONAL & MEDICINAL USES, PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF TULSI (OCIMUM SANCTUM)

Ashutosh Shival, Aboli Bornare, Aishwarya Shinde* and Deepak Musmade

Abstract

Plants have served humankind as a source of medicinal agents since its earliest beginnings. Tulsi is one of the drugs belonging to such a kind. It is an aromatic plant. It is found throughout India. As it has medicinal as well as spiritual importance in India, especially in Hinduism, it mostly found and cultivated near Hindu houses and temples. The leaves, seeds, and roots of this plant have been used as ayurvedic medicines. The chemical composition of Tulsi is highly complex, containing many nutrients and other biological active compounds the main chemical composition of tulsi are: Oleanolic acid, Ursolic acid, Rosmalinic acid, Eugenol, Carvacrol, Linalool and β-caryophyllyne. Tulsi standardization has so far, included in modern sciences. Perhaps best known of many active that have been identified and extracted are Eugenol (an essential oil) and Ursolic acid. Many specific studies have indicated that Tulsi (ocimum Sanctum) has anti- stress, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, immumnomodulating, anti-inflamatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antipyretic, antidiuretic, antidiabetic, antimalerial and hypolipidemic with a wide margin of safety. In Ayurvedic Medicine, Tulsi is being used alone or in combination with other drugs in various clinical conditions like anxiety, chronic cough, bronchitis, various respiratory syndromes, fever, snake and scorpion bites.

Keywords: Ocimum sanctum, essential oil, antimicrobial activity, use in chronic cough and various respiratory syndromes.