Benefits of Tulsi
How long ago benefits of Tulsi were recognized?
Tulsi, an herb widely used for spiritual purposes in Hinduism and has a great medicinal value. Scientifically this herb is known as Ocimum sanctum. Many research studies had already scientifically evaluated the traditional application of this herb against many diseases. Evidential research reports supported the pharmacological activities of Tulsi.
India is the native place of Tulsi. Apart from India, Tulsi is also growing in West Africa, Australia, Malaysia, and some of the Arab countries. In western countries, Tulsi is well known as Holi basil.
Tulsi is an important herb in Indian traditional medicinal systems, including Ayurvedic and Unani system. Charaka, principal Ayurvedic practitioner had mentioned the therapeutic benefits of Tulsi in his Ayurvedic textbook Charaka Samhita in the 3rd century BC. [3] Not only the Indian traditional medicinal system, but other Western folk medicine also used Tulsi as an herbal remedy. Pliny, a Roman naturalist reported basil relieves flatulence in the first century A.D. Later scientific research has proven this claim. Americans used Holi basil for headaches. Africans used this herb to expel worms, and Eastern countries used this herb for cough remedy. [2]
What are the Phytochemicals present in Tulsi?
The green leaves of Tulsi contain anthocyans and volatile oil. Many unique phytochemicals combination present in the volatile oil of Tulsi leaf such as eugenol, euginal, ursolic acid, carvacrol, linalool, limatrol, caryophyllene, methyl carvicol. Whereas, volatile oil present in Tulsi seeds contains sitosterol, fatty acids, and some sugar (xylose and polysaccharides) rich mucilage. Bioactive phytochemicals present in leaf and stem of Tulsi include flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and triterpenoids. [3]
What is the Mode of action of benefits of Tulsi?
The wide range of therapeutic benefits of Tulsi promotes longevity and symbolizes as “the elixir of life”. In Ayurvedic and Siddha medicinal system, this herb is used to treat many day to day ailments, including common cold, headache, cough, influenza, earache, fever, colic pain, sore throat, bronchitis, asthma, hepatic diseases, malarial fever, as an antidote for snakebite and scorpion sting, flatulence, migraine headaches, fatigue, skin diseases, wound, insomnia, arthritis, digestive disorders, night blindness and diarrhea. The leaves act as a memory booster and nerve tonic. Mouth ulcer or oral infection treated by chewing the Tulsi leaves. [1]
A combination of these phytochemicals acts as an adaptogen, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory agent. Tulsi is effective to reduce radiation-induced chromosomal damage in the blood tissue. [3,4] It also improves immune functioning and has great microbial properties. [1]
What are the different forms of Tulsi and benefits of Tulsi herb?
Benefits of Tulsi leaves: Decongestant, adaptogen, immunity booster, memory sharpener, cardio-protective.
Benefits of Tulsi juice: Tulsi gargle prepared by using the Tulsi leaf juice can be used to treat sore throat.
Aqueous Tulsi leaf extract: This acts as a bronchodilator and can treat bronchitis, asthma, cold and cough.
Benefits of Tulsi tea: Decoction of Tulsi leaves to use as Tulsi tea and useful to treat fever, dengue, malaria, and the common cold.
Benefits of Tulsi and honey: Mixture of aqueous extract of Tulsi leaf mix with honey can help to excrete out a kidney stone.
Benefits of Tulsi leaves: Shaded dried Tulsi leaf powder use in dental preparation.
Benefits of Tulsi seeds: Seeds are mixed with water and used as an antioxidant, mucilaginous, antiemetic, anti-ulcer, anti-diarrheal and demulcent purposes.
Benefits of Tulsi root: Dried powder of Tulsi root is effective to treat malaria fever, and paste made up of Tulsi for external application purpose can treat insect bite.
What are the health benefits of Tulsi?
Antimicrobial property
Linoleic acid present in Tulsi provides antibacterial effect and effective against multiple bacterial strains like Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus pumius, E. coli, Klebsiella, Candida albicans, Proteus, Vibrio cholerae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and S. aureus. Tulsi tea with honey is effective anthelmintic and excretes worms.
Tulsi tea for weight loss and diabetes
Tulsi significantly increases the glycogen production, insulin, and peptide levels in the blood and improve overall glucose tolerance. These benefits altogether help in lowering the blood glucose level and controlling weight. Preclinical studies prove the anti-diabetic efficacy of Tulsi.
Cardioprotective effect
Different biomarkers of myocardial ischemia such as glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and lactate dehydrogenase levels significantly reduced by treating with Tulsi. The antioxidant property of Tulsi is an effective measure as a cardioprotective effect due to its oxidative stress reduction ability in the cardiac muscle. Tulsi has mild blood thinning property and can normalize blood pressure. Thus, Tulsi prevents cardiovascular diseases.
Tulsi for improving cholesterol
Tulsi has a blood cholesterol-lowering effect. All the bad cholesterol like triacylglycerol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels decreased by treating with Tulsi. However, Tulsi also increases good cholesterol level high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level.
Accelerate wound healing
Application of Tulsi on an open wound helps to strengthen the broken tissue present in the wound and quicken the wound healing process. Tulsi helps in epithelial tissue growth and contraction of the wound and heal up the wound.
Radio-protective effect
Exposure to radiation causes tissue damage. Flavonoids present in Tulsi has promising human radiation protecting property. Animal research results showed significant protection against chromosomal damage in exposure to gamma irradiation.
Tulsi improves digestion
Tulsi increases mucus secretion in the stomach and provides ulcer protective effect. Tulsi significantly reduces peptic activity and histamine release. Both of these factors also provide the antiulcer effect on Tulsi. The liver protective effect and inducing liver functioning of Tulsi also improve digestion.
Tulsi as an Immunomodulator
Tulsi has multiple benefits on the immune system by improving the functioning of the body’s natural defense mechanism. Neutrophil and lymphocyte count increases by treating with Tulsi. This herm also enhances phagocytic activity and engulf foreign materials and toxic substances. Tulsi may mediate immune responsiveness by activating GABAnergic pathway.
Prevent STDs
Tulsi prevents STDs by inhiniting the transmission of disease from one person to another.
Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect
Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of Tulsi have evidentially proven through pre-clinical trials. Different phytochemicals like Eugenol has a potent anti-inflammatory effect. Tulsi blocks arachidonic acid synthesis and metabolism by blocking cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways. [3]
Benefits of Tulsi for joints
Tulsi enhances protein synthesis due to its anabolic effect, which provides muscle mass, gives strength.
Benefits of Tulsi for eyes
Tulsi Juice is an effective remedy to prevent painful eye and night blindness. Mixing Tulsi juice with honey is an effective remedy against conjunctivitis. In clean water add few drops of this mixture for eye washing purpose to treat eye tenderness.
Anticancer
Fresh Tulsi leaf paste has chemopreventive activity. It is an effective anticancer remedy for squamous cell carcinomas and improves the survival rate of the patient. Oral administration of Tulsi inhibits of metabolic activation of carcinogen and prevent cancer progression.
Contraception
Tulsi acts as a natural contraceptive as it acts as anti-male fertility. Oral administration of Tulsi can reduce sperm count and sperm motility. This condition is reversible and normalizes after two weeks of the withdrawal of the treatment.
Side effects and Precuationary Measures
Evidential studies reported Tulsi is relatively safe and does not cause any side effects, even after regular consumption of this herb. However, a review report stated that that Tulsi could cause mild nausea tendencies. Experts believe dosing measurement is important to avoid any side effects. Certain factors such as formulation, age, gender, and health condition of the patient are the determinant of dose calculation. It has suggested that take advises from physicians before taking any Tulsi formulation during pregnancy or taking with other medication.
References
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Chemical constituents and pharmacological action of Ocimum sanctum (Indian holy basil-Tulsi). The Journal of Phytopharmacology 2016; 5(5): 205-207.
- “Tulsi” the Wonder Herb (Pharmacological Activities of Ocimum Sanctum). American Journal of Ethnomedicine, 2014, Vol. 1, No. 1, 089-095.
- Ocimum sanctum Linn. A reservoir plant for therapeutic applications: An overview. Pharmacogn Rev. 2010 Jan-Jun; 4(7): 95–105. doi: 10.4103/0973-7847.65323.
- Marc Maurice Cohen. Tulsi – Ocimum sanctum: A herb for all reasons. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2014 Oct-Dec; 5(4): 251–259.
- 25 Uses of Tulsi | Benefits of Its Leaves, Roots & Seeds. Natural Remedies Home.
- Negar Jamshidi et al. The Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Tulsi in Humans: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2017; 2017: 9217567.
