Pharmacological Activities of Ocimum Sanctum ( Tulsi ) : a Review

In the present review, an attempt has been made to congregate the botanical, phytochemical, ethnomedicinal, pharmacological and toxicological information on Ocimum sanctum Linn. (OS, Tulsi), a medicinal herb used in the indigenous system of medicine. OS has been adored in almost all ancient ayurvedic texts for its extraordinary medicinal properties. It is pungent and bitter in taste and hot, light and dry in effect. Its seeds are considered to be cold in effect. The roots, leaves and seeds of Tulsi possess several medicinal properties. Ayurvedic texts categorise OS as stimulant, aromatic and antipyretic. While alleviating kapha and vata, it aggravates pitta. It has a wide range of action on the human body mainly as a cough alleviator, a sweat-inducer and a mitigator of indigestion and anorexia. OS has a variety of biological / pharmacological activities such as antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antimalarial, anthelmentic, antidiarrhoeal, analgesic, antipyretic, antiinflammatory, antiallergic, antihypertensive, cardioprotective, central nervous system (CNS) depressant, memory enhancer, antihypercholesterolaemic, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, antiasthmatic, antithyroidic, antioxidant, anticancer, chemopreventive, radioprotective, immunomodulatory, antifertility, antiulcer, antiarthritic, adaptogenic / antistress, anticataract, antileucodermal and anticoagulant activities. This review will definitely help for the researchers as well as clinicians dealing with O. sanctum to know its proper usage as this herb is seemed to be highly valuable, possessing many pharmacological / medicinal properties.