Medicinal Importance of Tulsi. Dr.V.Vijaya, Assistant Professor of Botany, E.M.G. Yadava Women's College, Madurai-14.

Explanation about Tulsi - Origin, types, and important Medicinal benefits.

1. MEDICINAL IMPORTANCE OF TULSI Ocimum sanctum DR.V.VIJAYA ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF BOTANY E.M.G. YADAVA WOMEN’S COLLEGE THIRUPPLAI, MADURAI14. [email protected] Ms. V. PRIYADHARSHINI III B.Sc ZOOLOGY, 18 ZOO 27 E.M.G. YADAVA WOMEN’S COLLEGE THIRUPPLAI, MADURAI14.

2. Scientific classification Kingdom : Plantae O rder : Lamiales Family : Lamiaceae G enus : Ocimum Species : O. tenuiflorum

3. INTRODUCTION B asil is easy to grow and widely found in tropical regions of southeast Asia. T ulsi assumes utmost importance in Ayurveda and Naturopathy. F rom the leaves to the seed, holy basil is considered a tonic for the body, mind, and spirit. I t is considered as the holiest of plants by Hindus. For more than 5000 years, Tulsi has been worshipped in India for her sacred and restorative power. Tulsi is called as “The Queen of Herbs” and “Mother Medicine of Nature” for both its medicinal and spiritual properties.

4. MORPHOLOGY H oly basil is an erect, many branched subshrub, 30-60 cm in tall with hairy stems. L eaves are green or purple; they are simple, petioled, with an ovate, up to 5 cm long blade, which usual l y has a slightly toothed margin. T hey are strongly scented and decussate phyllotaxy . T he purplish flower are placed in close whorls on elongated racemes .

5. Types of Tulsi T here are three types of tulsi or holy basil namely, 1.RAMA TULSI Rama Tulsi is also called as green leaf tulsi and this is a different type of tulsi breed that has light purple flowers and has a clove-like scent to it. It consists of eugenol which is usually found in cloves and has a mellow flavour .

6. 2. KRISHNA TULSI This type of Tulsi is also called as purple leaf tulsi and has a clove-like aroma. It tastes like pepper in your mouth. This type of tulsi helps cure infections such as throat infections, respiratory problems, ear aches and skin diseases. The oil from Krishna Tulsi is used as ear drops. It is also used to cure malaria, indigestion, insomnia and cholera.

7. 3.VANA TULSI Vana Tulsi is a native to India, Sri Lanka, and Northeastern parts of Africa. This type of tulsi is usually grown for medicinal purposes and it is imbibed into Indian religious beliefs. This type must be protected freezing and will grow in conditions that have full sun and dry areas. It has light green leaves that are accompanied by a lemony aroma and flavour . Vana Tulsi leaves increases immunity and this is usually used for preparing tea. When consumed in the form of tea, it provides health benefits such as increased physical and mental endurance and adds more oxygen and nutrients in your bloodstream.

8. HEALTH BENEFITS

9. MEDICINAL USES Tulsi can help get rid of many health problems ranging from fever to kidney stones. T he fresh juice of T ulsi taken with black pepper cures periodic fever. E ugenol , a terpene with pain-relieving properties found in Tulsi reduces aches in the body. C amphene , cineole, and eugenol present in tulsi helps to reduce cold and congestion in the chest. J uice of Tulsi leaves mixed with honey and ginger is effective in bronchitis, asthma, influenza, cough and cold. P hytochemicals present in Tulsi have strong antioxidant property. Thus, they help in protecting us from skin, liver, oral and lung cancers. T ulsi is good for diabetic patients. E xtract of tulsi leaves has shown to lower blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.

10. MEDICINAL USES T ulsi detoxifies the body and has diuretic properties. I t is useful in treating kidney stone and gouty arthritis patients because it decreases the level of uric acid in the body. Tulsi is used to treat insect bites. T ulsi leaves help to cure indigestion and loss of appetite. T hey are also used for the treatment of flatulence and bloating. E ugenol present in tulsi proves useful in reducing cholesterol levels in the blood. T ulsi is a natural headache reliever which can also relieve migraine pain. T ulsi is a natural mouth freshener and an oral disinfectant. I t also cures mouth ulcers. I t is rich source of vitamin K. vitamin K is an essential fat soluble vitamin that plays an important role in bone health and heart health.

11. Benefits of Tulsi Tablet Tulsi tablet consists of Tulsi extract and Tulsi powder taken from the Tulsi leaf that helps in treating the common cold, allergic rhinitis, cough and many other respiratory tract diseases. Medlife has taken this holy herb and turned it into a pill that can solve all of these problems. Here are some benefits of Tulsi Tablet that be helpful for you. T ulsi tablet treats common cold. Tulsi tablet helps soothe your throat and cleans your respiratory tract . Protects you from respiratory tract infections , Helps in managing stress .

12. BENEFITS OF USING TULSI 1. Tulsi for Skin: Tulsi is proven to be the safest skin cream that can be used and the benefits are massive. Tulsi helps in skin brightening . Tulsi helps in curing acne face marks . Tulsi mixed with eggs and mixed can help in tightening skin pores . Tulsi helps in curing skin infections and any sort of skin allergies. 2. Tulsi for Hair: Holy Basil can be applied to your hair for multiple reasons and all that it does is it makes your hair look better in all way. Tulsi can prevent hair fall . Tulsi can stop greying of hair and keep it thick and black . Tulsi can stop dandruff . Tulsi can prevent dry scalp .

13. 3. Tulsi for Weight Loss: Tulsi is a natural ingredient that aids weight loss. Tulsi tea controls your metabolism and helps your body absorb essential nutrients. Tulsi tea helps boost your digestive system which is important for losing weight quickly. Tulsi tea has zero calories that boost your stamina. 4. Tulsi for Eyes: Eyes are prone to a lot of dust and pollution every day. Thus most people develop eye-related problems and Tulsi acts as an immediate cure for eye-related problems such as: Tulsi soothes the eye . Tulsi leaves left in boiled water overnight can be used to wash your eyes. Tulsi eyewash can also reduce strain on your eyes .

14. 5. Tulsi Prevents Premature Ageing: Vitamin C & A and phytonutrients are essential oils that are found in Tulsi, which are used as excellent antioxidants that protect the body from premature ageing. If herbal tea is said to make you feel and look young, imagine what Tulsi can do. Consuming 2 cups of Tulsi tea can help you look younger and prevent premature ageing. 6. Tulsi To Quit Smoking: Tulsi leaves fight cancer prevent and prevents it from attacking you. The best aid to stop smoking is by munching tulsi leaves and this help get the nicotine content off your body. It helps in purification of blood. Here are some ways in which tulsi can help you stop smoking. Every time you get the urge to smoke, chew Tulsi leaves . Make it a point to drink tulsi tea .

15. 7.REDUCE STRESS AND ANXIETY: All parts of the holy basil plant act as an adaptogen. An adaptogen is natural substance that helps your body adapt to stress and promotes mental balance. T ulsi reduces stress, sleep problems, forgetfulness, exhaustion. A ccording to the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, holy basil has antidepressant and anti-anxiety properties comparable to diazepam and antidepressant drugs. E ven healthy persons can chew 12 leaves of basil, twice a day, to prevent stress. 8.BOOSTS IMMUNITY: T ulsi is rich in vitamin C and zinc. I t thus act as a natural immunity booster and keep infections at bay. I t has immense anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties which protect as from a variety of infections. T ulsi leaves extract increases the T helper cells and natural killer cells activity, boosting the immune system.

16. SIDE EFFECTS : T ulsi is not suitable for pregnant women. I t can even lead to miscarriage. Due to presence of estragol in Tulsi may cause uterus contractions that may be dangerous. T hese leaves can also affect menstrual cycle of a woman and can cause diarrhoea. T ulsi may affect the reproductive capacity of women who are trying to conceive. I t may not be good for diabetic patients because it cause the sugar level to fall too low. T ulsi has a negative impact on fertility of both the genders. T ulsi may lower sperm count. I t may interfere with blood thinning medicines. I t may cause damage to liver if acetaminophen (pain reliever) and holy basil are taken together regularly. T ulsi leaves have iron which may stain your teeth when chewed.

17. REFERENCE: https://en. W ikipedia.org/ https://food.ndtv.com/ https://www.healthline.com/ https://organicindia.com.au/ https://www.medlife.com/ https://pharmeasy.in/ https://www.dabur.com/