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| Latin Names |
English Names |
Sanskrit Names |
Hindi Names |
Ocimum tenuiflorum
Linn. / Ocimum sanctum
Linn. Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
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Holy Basil,
Sacred Basil |
Tulasi, Ajaka,
Brinda, Manjari, Parnasa, Patrapuspha,
Suvasa tulasi,
Krishna tulasi,
Sri tulasi |
Tulsi, Baranda,
Kala tulsi |
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| Habitat |
It is found throughout
India ascending upto 1,800 m. in the Himalayas, and in
the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
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| Morphology
Description (Habit) |
At least
two types of O.tenuiflorum are encountered with
in cultivation; the green type (Sri tulasi) is the most
common; the second type (Krishna tulasi) bears purple
leaves.The plant is an erect, herbaceous, much-branched,
softly hairy annual. The leaves are elliptic-oblong, acute
or obtuse, entire or serrate, pubescent on both sides
and minutely gland-dotted; the flowers are in close whorled
racemes, purplish or crimson. The nutlets are sub-globose
or broadly ellipsoid, slightly compressed, nearly smooth,
pale brown or reddish and show small black markings.
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| Principal
Constituents |
A bright yellow volatile
oil. Besides the volatile oil, the plant is reported to contain alkaloids,
glycosides, saponins and tannins. The leaves contan ascorbic acid
and carotene1.The major constituents of the essential oil
from the plant, investigated in Germany, are: 1,8-cineole, 5.6-11.0;
E-ß-ocimene, 4.0-4.7; ß-Caryophyllene, 1.4-2.5; a-humulene,
2.0-3.5; methylchavicol, 11.6-14.4; germacrene-D, 2.4-4.5; ß-bisabolene,
7.6-15.4; a-bisabolene, 9.4-19.6; and eugenol, 24.2- 38.2%2.
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| Pharmacology |
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The ethanol extract
(90%) of the leaves also showed hepatoprotective effect against paracetamol-induced
liver damage in rats. Oral administration of the alcoholic extract
of the leaves lowers blood sugar level in normal, glucose-fed hyperglycemic
and streptozotocin- induced diabetic rats. The extract improves glucose
tolerance and potentiates the action of exogenously injected insulin.
The activity of the extract was 91.55 and 70.43% of that of tolbutamide
in normal and diabetic rats, respectively. The ethanolic extract (50%)
of fresh leaves, volatile oil (from fresh leaves) and fixed oil (from
the seeds) has shown anti-asthmatic activity and has significantly
protected guinea pigs against histamine and acetylcholine induced
pre-convulsive dyspnea. These extracts/oils also showed anti-inflammatory
activity and inhibited the hindpaw edema in rats against carageenan,
serotonin, histamine and PGE-2 induced inflammation. The effect of
ursolic acid, a triterpene from the leaves, in the allergic process
has been evaluated employing rat peritoneal mast cells and by estimating
the changes in the release of histamine induced by compound 48/80.
Ursolic acid exhibited a significant protection of the mast cell membrane
by preventing degranulation and decreased the quantity of histamine
released by compound 48/80. The essential oil from the leaves has
shown significant antipyretic activity in Brewer's yeast-induced pyrexia
in rats. The leaf extract is found effective in checking the protease
activity of the dermatophyte, Trichophyton, at 50% concentration3.
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| Clinical
Studies |
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In a preliminary clinical
trial, on 16 patients suffering from viral encephalitis, the aqueous
extract of O.sanctum leaves has been reported to lead to a
higher survival rate of patients than that in a steroid treated group
of ten patients. The incidence of residual neurological deficit in
a period of one month was reported to be low in the extract treated
patients4.
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| Toxicology |
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The LD50 of the leaf extract in
mice was 3.75g/kg i.p.
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| Product
Range |
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Abana (HeartCare),
Diabecon (GlucoCare), Diakof (CoughCare Sfree), Koflet (CoughCare),
Ophthacare, Rumalaya, Muscle & Joint Rub,
Tulasi.
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| References |
- Uphof, 251; Chem. Abstr., m 1954, 48, 11728; Basu et. al.,
J. Indian chem. Soc., 24, 358.
- Laakso et. al., Planta Med, 1990, 56, 527.
- De et. al., Indian Drugs, 1993, 30, 355; Chattopadhyay,
Indian J Exp Biol, 1993, 31, 891; Singh & Agrawal, J Res Educ
Ind Med, 1991, 10 (3), 23; Singh & Agrawal, Int J Pharmacogn,
1991, 29, 306; Rajasekaran et. al., Indian J Pharmacol,
1989, 21 (1), 21; Tandon et. al., Indian J Pharm Sci, 1989,
51(2), 71; Iyer & Williamson, Geobios, 1991, 18(1), 3.
- Das et. al., Antiseptic, 1983, 323.
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