Uses in Tradition systems of medicine

• Used in Ayurveda and Unani
• Leaves, stem, flower, root, seeds are used for the treatment of bronchitis, malaria, diarrhea, dysentery, skin disease, arthritis, eye diseases, insect bites
• Served herbal tea, dried power or fresh leaf.
• Finds mention in Charakasamhita (Ayurvedic text)
• Word Tulsi means “the incomparable one”

• Vitamin C and A
• Minerals- Zinc & Iron
  
• Protein: 30 Kcal, 4.2 g; Fat: 0.5 g; Carbohydrate 2.3 g; Calcium: 25 mg; Phosphorus 287 mg; Iron: 15.1 mg and Edible portion 25 mg vitamin C per 100 g.

Suggested Medicinal Properties

• Anti-fertility
• Anticancer
• Antidiabetic,
• Antifungal,
• Antimicrobial,
• Cardioprotective,
• Analgesic,
• Antispasmodic
• Adaptogenic
• Wound healing activity
• Radio protective activity
• Gastroprotective activity
• Immunomodulatory activity

Active Phytochemicals
1. Eugenol (1-hydroxy-2-methoxy-4-allylbenzene
Eugenol is a naturally occurring phenolic molecule found in Tulsi. It has been used as a topical antiseptic as a counter-irritant and in dental preparations with zinc oxide for root canal sealing and pain control. Although not currently available in any FDA-approved products (including OTC), eugenol has been found to have anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, antipyretic, antioxidant, antifungal and analgesic properties. Its exact mechanism of action is unknown, however, it has been shown to interfere with action potential conduction. There are a number of unapproved OTC products available containing eugenol that advertise its use for the treatment of toothache.

2. Euginal

3. Urosolic acid (2,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydro-1H-picene-4a-carboxylic acid)

4. Carvacrol (5-isopropyl-2-methylphenol)
5. Linalool (3,7-dimethylocta-1,6-dien-3-ol)
6. Limatrol
7. Caryophyllene (4,11,11-trimethyl-8-methylene-bicyclo[7.2.0]undec-4-ene)
8. Methyl carvicol (1-allyl-4-methoxybenzene)
9. Rosmarinic acid ((2R)-2-[[(2E)-3-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-1-oxo-2-propenyl]]oxy]-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) propanoic acid,
10. apigenin (5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one,
11. cirsimaritin (5,4’-dihydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavone),
12. isothymusin (6,7-dimethoxy-5,8,4’-trihydroxyflavone)
13. isothymonin.
14. Orientin (8-C-beta-glucopyranosyl-3’,4’,5,7-tetrahydroxyflav-2-en-3-one)
15. Vicenin (6-C-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-8-C-beta-D-glucopyranosyl apigenin)

Along with fatty acids and sitosterol, sugars and the anthocyans and a variety of saponins, flavonoids, triterpenoids, and tannins