TULASI|dravyasambhasha

TULASI

Sanskrit name: तुलसी

निरुक्ति: तोलयति प्रतिष्ठते इति, ओषधिषु प्रतिष्टितेत्यर्थः । (भा.नि.)

Tulasi (Bp. Ni.): The leaves are considered as sacred.

Latin name: Ocimum sanctum Linn.

(Ocimum tenuiflorum Linn.)

Family: Lamiaceae

Gana/Varga:

Sushruta	Surasadi
Bhavaprakasha Nighantu	Pushpa Varga shloka 50-51
API Part I	Vol II & IV
Dravyaguna Vijnana II P.V.	Vishamajwarghna page 709-711 Krumighna page 513-516

Synonyms:

Based on Habit
ग्राम्या	ग्रामे ग्रामे भवा । (भा.नि.)
Gramya (Bp. Ni.)	It is common plant grown in villages.
सुलभा	सर्वत्रोपलभ्यमाना । (भा.नि.)
Sulabha (Bp. Ni.)	It is grown everywhere.
Based on Swaroopa
पूतपत्री	पूतानि पवित्राणि पत्राण्यस्याः । (रा.नि.)
Putapatri	The leaves are considered as sacred.
स्वादुगन्धिच्छदा	स्वादुगन्धयश्छदाः पत्राण्यस्याः । (अ.नि.)
Swadugandhika	Leaves are having sweet aroma.
सुरसा	शोभनो रसोऽस्याः, शोभनत्वं बहूपयोगित्वं रोगहन्तृत्वञ्च । (भा.नि.)
Surasa (Bp. Ni.)	The juice of the plant cures many disorders.
सुरभि	सुगन्धिः । (ध.नि.)
Surabhi	The plant is aromatic.
अपेतराक्षसि	अपेताः निवारिता राक्षसा अनया, भूतघ्नीत्यर्थः । (भा.नि.)
Apetarakshasi (Bp. Ni.)	It repels organisms.
चक्रपुष्पि	चक्रे स्थितानि पुष्पाण्यस्याः । (कै.नि.)
Chakrapushpi	Flowers in elongate racemes in close whorls.
बहुमञ्जरी	बह्व्यो मञ्जर्योऽस्याः । (भा.नि.)
Bahumanjari (Bp. Ni.)	Inflorescence is elongated raceme.
देवदुन्दुभिः	देवानां दुन्दुभिः, तदाकारपुष्पमञ्जरीत्वात् । (भा.नि.)
Devadundubhi (Bp. Ni.)	Inflorescence arranged like trumphet.
Based on Karma
कायस्था	कायं स्थापयति नानारोगनिवारणेनेति । (अ.नि.)
Kayastha	It restores body by alleviating many diseases.
शूलघ्नी	शूलं हन्तीति । (भा.नि.)
Shulaghni	It cures pain.

Gauri (Bp. Ni.)

Bhutaghni (Bp. Ni.)

Vernacular names:

Hindi	Tulasi
Assami	Tulasi
Kannada	Tulasi
Bengali	Tulasi
Marathi	Tulas
Gujarati	Tulasi
Telagu	Tulasi
Punjabi	Tulasi
Tamil	Tulasi
Malayalam	Tulasi
English	Holy Basil, Sacred Basil

Morphology:

Habit: Erect much branched softly pubescent undershrub, 30-60 cm high with red or purple sub-quadrangular branches; Leaves: simple, opposite, elliptic, oblong, obtuse or acute, entire, serrate or dentate, pubescent on both sides, minutely gland dotted, petioles slender, hairy; Flowers purplish in elongate racemes in close whorls, stamens exserted, upper pair with a small bearded appendage at the base; Fruits nutlets, smooth, not mucilaginous when wetted.

Distribution: Throughout India, as well cultivated.

Types: Bhavamishra has mentioned two types- Shukla and Krushna. And told that both have similar qualities.

Guna-Karma:

Guna	Laghu, Ruksha, Tikshna
Rasa	Katu, Tikta
Vipaka	Katu
Virya	Ushna
Prabhava	-
Karma
Doshaghnata	Pittakara, Kapha-Vatahara Kapha hara: Pertaining to Katu, Tikta rasa and Ushna virya Vatahara: Pertaining to Ushna virya.
Anyakarma	Dahakara, Dipana, Hrudya, Jantughna, Dipana, Pachana, Krimighna, Raktashodhaka, Vishamajwaraghna, Kushthaghna

Prayoga: Kushtha, Mutrakruchra, Raktaroga, Parshwa pida, Kasa, Shwasa, Ashmari, Jwara, Shula, Krimi, Ashmari, Mutrakrichra

Chemical composition: Leaves contain 0.7% volatile oil comprising about 71% eugenol and 20% methyaleugenol. Oil of leaves: carvaxrol and sequiterpine hydrocarbon, caryophyllene, Ursolicaxid.

Others: oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, rosmarinic acid, eugenol, carvacrol, Linalool and β-caryophyllene.

Prayojya Anga: Whole plant, Mula, Bija, Patra

Seeds: Seeds round to oval, about 0.1 cm long, brown with mucilaginous outer covering, slightly notched at the tip and broadly rounded at the base; no odour; taste, pungent, and slightly mucilaginous.

Sangraha Kala:

Amayika prayoga:

Bahya:

1. Shitapitta: Lepana of Tulasi swarasa is advised. (Yogaratnakara)

2. Putikarna: Ear drops of Tulasi patra swarasa is advised. (Sho.Ni.)

3. Netraroga: Anjana with Tulasi swarasa mixed with Madhu is advised. (Sho.Ni.)

Abhyantara:

1. Pranavaha srotas: Katu rasa and Ushna virya liquefies kapha and expectorates it out.

Kasa: Krishna tulasi swarasa should be given with Madhu. (Cha.C hi.22)

2. Rasavaha srotas:

Vishamajwara: Tulasi patra swarasa should be given with Maricha churna.

3. Raktavaha srotas:

Kushtha: Everyday Tulasi mula swarasa should be given. (Vaidyamanorama)

Matra: Swarasa: 1-3 ml.

Bija churna: 1-2 g.

Mula kwatha 50-100 ml

Vishishta Yoga: Tribhuvanakirti rasa, Manasamitra vataka, Mahajwarankusha rasa.

Research:

1. Anticataract activity: The AqE of fresh leaves of Ocimum sanctum delayed the process of cataractogenesis in experimental models of cataract (galacto semic cataractin rats by30% galactose and naphthalene cataract in rabbits by1g/kg naphthalene). Ocimum sanctum 1and2g/kg delayed the onset as well as subsequent maturation of cataract significantly in both the models. (https://www.plantsjournal.com/archives/2018/vol6issue2/PartB/6-2-12-979.pdf)

2. Anti-diabetic activity: Leaves of Ocimum sanctum have been shown to possess hypo-glycemic effects in experimental animals.( https://www.plantsjournal.com/archives/2018/vol6issue2/PartB/6-2-12-979.pdf)

3. Anti-Fertility activity: Albino rats treated with benzene extract of Ocimum sanctum leaves (250mg/kg body weight) decreased the total sperm count and sperm motility. The effects were the results of androgen deprivation due to the anti- androgenic property of O. sanctum leaves. There was an increasing in sperm testosterone level whereas the level of FSH and LH, sperm count were reduced in rabbits. (https://www.plantsjournal.com/archives/2018/vol6issue2/PartB/6-2-12-979.pdf)

4. Antimalarial activity: Ayurvedic preparation containing Ocimum sanctum, Piper nigram Linn. and Curcuma longa Linn. has been shown to possess antimalarial activity against Plasmodium vivax and highly effective against Plasmodium falciparum (Rajeshwari,1992). A decoction prepared from the roots of the Tulsi plant is used as a diaphoretic in malarial fever (Pandey,1990). Tulsi is an important constituent of many Ayurvedic cough syrups and expectorants.( https://www.iamj.in/current_issue/images/upload/3134_3138.pdf)

Important references:

भावप्रकाश-पूर्वखण्ड-मिश्रप्रकरण - ५. पुष्पवर्ग

तुलसी

तुलसी सुरसा ग्राम्या सुलभा बहुमञ्जरी |
अपेतराक्षसी गौरी भूतघ्नी देवदुन्दुभिः ||५०||
तुलसी कटुका तिक्ता हृद्योष्णा दाहपित्तकृत् |
दीपनी कुष्ठकृच्छ्रास्रपार्श्वरुक्कफवातजित् |
शुक्ला कृष्णा च तुलसी गुणैस्तुल्या प्रकीर्तिता ||५१||

कैयदेवनिघण्टु - १. ओषधिवर्ग

तुलसी

तुलसी सुरसा कृष्णा भूतेष्टा देवदुन्दुभिः |
भूतप्रिया नागमाता चक्रपर्णी सुमञ्जरी ||१५५१||
स्वादुगन्धच्छदा भूतपतिश्चापेतराक्षसी |
अपरा राजसी गौरी श्वेत सुरभिमञ्जरी ||१५५२||
श्रीमञ्जरी ग्रसा ग्राम्या भूतघ्नी भूरिमञ्जरी |
शक्रपत्नी नागनामा कायस्था दलसाग्रसी ||१५५३||
भूतवेश्या लता चान्या कर्पूरतुलसी स्मृता |
तुलसी तुवरा तिक्ता तीक्ष्णोष्णा कटुपाकिनी ||१५५४||
रूक्षा हृद्या लघुः कट्वी दाहपित्ताग्निवर्धनी |
जयेद् वातकफश्वासकासहिध्मावमिकृमीन् ||१५५५||
दौर्गन्ध्यपार्श्वरुक्कुष्ठविषकृच्छ्राश्मदृग्गदान् |१५५६|

मदनपालनिघण्टु - ३. कर्पूरादिवर्ग

तुलसी

तुलसी सुरसा गौरी भूतघ्नी बहुमञ्जरी |
तुलसी कटुका तिक्ता हृद्योष्णा दाहपित्तकृत् |
दीपनी कुष्ठकृच्छ्रास्रपार्श्वरुक्कफवातजित् ||१०७||

धन्वन्तरिनिघण्टु - ४. करवीरादिवर्ग

तुलसी

सुरसा तुलसी ग्राम्या सुरभी बहुमञ्जरी |
अपेतराक्षसी गौरी भूतघ्नी देवदुन्दुभिः ||४९||
तुलसी लघुरूष्णा च रूक्षा कफविनाशिनी |
कृमिदोषं निहन्त्येषा रुचिकृद्वह्निदीपनी ||५०||

राजनिघण्टु - १०. करवीरादिवर्ग

तुलसी

तुलसी सुभगा तीव्रा पावनी विष्णुवल्लभा |
सुरेज्या सुरसा ज्ञेया कायस्था सुरदुन्दुभी ||१४८||
सुरभिर्बहुपत्री च मञ्जरी सा हरिप्रिया |
अपेतराक्षसी श्यामा गौरी त्रिदशमञ्जरी |
भूतघ्नी पूतपत्री च ज्ञेया चैकोनविंशतिः ||१४९||
तुलसी कटुतिक्तोष्णा तुलसी श्लेष्मवातजित् |
जन्तुभूतकृमिहरा रुचिकृद्वातशान्तिकृत् ||१५०||

राजनिघण्टु - १०. करवीरादिवर्ग

कृष्णतुलसी

कृष्णा तु कृष्णतुलसी श्वेता लक्ष्मीः सिताह्वया |
कासवातक्रिमिवमिभूतापहारिणी पूता ||१५१||