Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi): a miracle herb and boon to medical science - a review.

Abstract

Plants are considered as one of the most important source of medicine and drugs of today and they have been used for different ailments of human beings worldwide from the beginning of the civilization. Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi or Holy Basil) belongs to Family Labiaceae and is cultivated abundantly throughout tropical and semitropical region of India and other Asian countries. Different parts of this plant are traditionally utilized in the Ayurveda and Siddha systems for treatment of several aliments. The chemical composition of Ocimum sanctum is complex. Some commonly recognized biologically active phytochemical constituents include: eugenol and urosolic acid; alkaloids and flavonoids; tannins and carbohydrates etc. The presence of multiple active principles consequently leads to the overall effects of Tulsi which cannot be fully duplicated by the use of purified active principle or with isolated compounds or extracts. They are involved in pharmacological activities against different disease conditions. Benzene as well as diethyl ether and chloroform extracts; aqueous alcoholic extracts; acetone and methanolic extracts along with essential oils have been routinely used throughout world against various ailments. The antibacterial activities of the plant against a wide variety of gram positive and gram negative bacteria (including enteric organisms); fungi and viruses (including fish pathogens) indicate that different extracts of this plant possess versatile anti-infective properties. Methanol extract and aqueous suspension of Ocimum sanctum leaves; Ocimum sanctum seed oil (OSSO); aqueous and ethanolic extracts have immunomodulatory properties. The leaves of the plant when taken can induce cytokine secretion. Fixed oil and linolenic acid of tulsi use to possess analgesic as well as antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activities. The phytoconstituents also can protect lens of the eye; possess radioprotective activity and anti-tumor activities. Along with such properties anti-toxic; antitussive; hepatoprotective; hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic properties have certainly designated the plant as queen of herbs. To the people of present generation fitness has become a religion and they have the habit of gulping allopathic medicine that has high cost involvement and fatal outcome. In this context use of various phytochemical constituents of Ocimum sanctum certainly proves beneficial and forms the topic of discussion of this review.