Therapeutic potential and phytopharmacology of tulsi

World health organization (WHO) has advocated the evaluation of therapeutic potential of plants for diseases where we lack safe allopathic drugs. Ocimum sanctum described as sacred and medicinal plant in ancient literature, commonly known as Tulsi is derived from ‘Sanskrit’, which means "the incomparable one". This plant belongs to the family Lamiaceae which is native throughout the Old World tropics and cultivated for religious and medicinal purposes. Several medicinal properties have been attributed to the plant not only in Ayurveda and Siddha but also in Greek, Roman and Unani. It is widely known across South Asia as a medicinal plant and an herbal tea. The chemical constituents isolated from various parts of the plant include eugenol, cardinene, cubenol, borneol, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, oleic acid, palmitric acid, steric acid, Vallinin, Vicenin, Vitexin, Vllinin acid, Orientin, Circineol, Gallic Acid, vitamin A, vitamin C, phosphrous and iron. Ocimum sanctum has been shown to possess multifarious medicinal properties such analgesic activity, anti-ulcer activity, antiarthritic activity, immunomodulatory activity, antiasthmatic activity, antifertility activity, anticancer activity, anticonvulsant activity, antidiabetic activity, antihyperlipidemic activity, anti-inflammatory activity, antioxidant activity, antistress activity in addition to possessing useful memory enhancer and neuroprotective activity. The present review article provides up-to-date information on the therapeutic potential of tulsi. We have tabulated the chemical constituents of Ocimum sanctum. This review article will help the scientists working in the area of traditional medicines and medicinal food in their research. Key-Words: Ocimum sanctum, Tulsi, Chemical constituents, medicinal properties Introduction Plants are of the important sources of medicine & a large numbers of drugs in use are derived from plants. The therapeutic uses of plant are safe, economical & effective as their ease of availability. Among the plants known for medicinal value, the plants of genus Ocimum belonging to family Lamiaceae are very important for their therapeutic potentials. Ocimum sanctum has two varieties i.e. black (Krishna Tulsi) and green (Rama Tulsi), their chemical constituents are similar. Ocimum sanctum is widely distributed covering the entire Indian sub continent, ascending up to 1800 m in the Himalayas and as far as the Andaman and Nicobar Island. Tulsi is a Sanskrit word which means “the incomparable one” and has a very special place in the Hindu culture. Several medicinal properties have been attributed to the Tulsi plant not only in Ayurveda and Siddha but also in Greek, Roman and Unani systems of medicine. * Corresponding Author E.mail: [email protected] Mob.: +919560538683 Various synonyms used in India (refer table I) and all over the world (refer table II) for Ocimum sanctum have also been enumerated in this review article. The phytoconstituents isolated from various parts of the plant include eugenol, cardinene, cubenol, borneol, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, oleic acid, palmitric acid, steric acid, Vallinin, Vicenin, Vitexin, Vllinin acid, Orientin, Circineol, Gallic Acid, vitamin A, vitamin C, phosphrous and iron (refer table III). Ocimum sanctum is one such plant showing multifarious medicinal properties viz. analgesic activity, anti-ulcer activity, antiarthritic activity, immunomodulatory activity, antiasthmatic activity, antifertility activity, anticancer activity, anticonvulsant activity, antidiabetic activity, antihyperlipidemic activity, anti-inflammatory activity, antioxidant activity, antistress activity in addition to possessing useful memory enhancer and neuroprotective activity. (refer table IV). This review article summarises various phytoconstituents present in Ocimum sanctum, enlists various biological activities of Ocimum sanctum. Review Article [Kadian & Parle, 3(7): July, 2012] CODEN (USA): IJPLCP ISSN: 0976-7126 Int. J. of Pharm. & Life Sci. (IJPLS), Vol. 3, Issue 7: July: 2012, 1858-1867 1859 Table I: Synonyms of Tulsi in Indian Languages S/No Name Language State/Region 1. Tuloxi, Tulasii. Assamese Assam , North-East India 2. Tulsi, Kalotulsi, Kural Bengali West Bengal 3. Tulsi, Niyan Posh Dogri Himachal Pradesh 4. Sabje, Talasi Gujarati Gujarat 5. Karitulasi,, Tulasiya Kannada Karnataka 6. Pachcha, Kunnakam Malayalam Kerala 7. Mayangton, Naoshek lei Manipuri North-eastern India 8. Sabja, Tulasa Marathi Maharashtra 9. Dhala tulasi, Karpura Oriya Orissa 10. Tulsi Punjabi Punjab 11. Tulsi, Manjari, Ajaka Sanskrit India, Nepal, Bengladesh 12. Tiruttizhai, Tiviragandam Tamil Tamilnadu 13. Oddhi, Rudrajada Teligu Andhra Pradesh 14. Tulsi, Janglitulsi Urdu Kashmir, North India Table II: Synonyms of Tulsi in International Languages S/No Name Language Country/Region 1. Dohsh, Schadjant, Vasub Arabic Middle East , North Africa 2. Shahasbram, Rehan Armenian Armenia 3. Bosilek Bulgarian Bulgaria 4. Laun, Pinzainpinzin Burmese Burma 5. Loh lahk, Yu heung choi Chinese China 6. Basilikum Danish Denmark, Greenland 7. Baziel, Koningskruid Dutch Netherlands, South Africa 8. Basilie, Sweet Basil English England 9. Basilika Finnish Finland, Sweden, Norway 10. Basilic sacre, Herbe royale French France 11. Rekhani, Rehani Georgian Georgia 12. Indisches Basilikum German Germany 13. Besil, Tulsi, Jangli tulsi Hindi India 14. Basilika Icelandic Iceland 15. Basilico Italian Italy 16. Bajiru, Kami-meboki Japanese Japan 17. Che tak, Mareah proeu Khmer Cambodia 18. Naruk-pul, Yanggajuk Korean Korea 19. Saphaa, Phak i tou thai Laotian Northeast of Thailand 20. Kemangi, Selasi jantan, Malay Malaya 21. Tulsi patta, Bavari phul, Nepali Nepal 22. Madurutala, Mudura tulla. Sinhalese Sri Lanka 23. Alfabega, Albacar Spanish Spain 24. Basilika, Basilkaort Swedish Sweden and Finland 25. Horapa, Kaphrau Thai Thailand 26. Nhu tia, Cay hung que Vietnamese Vietnam Review Article [Kadian & Parle, 3(7): July, 2012] CODEN (USA): IJPLCP ISSN: 0976-7126 Int. J. of Pharm. & Life Sci. (IJPLS), Vol. 3, Issue 7: July: 2012, 1858-1867 1860 Table III: Phytochemicals Present in Ocimum sanctum S/No Extracts Phyto Chemicals Plant Parts 1. Fixed oil 5 Linoleic acid, Linolenic acid, Oleic acid, Palmitric acid, Stearic acid. Seeds 2. Essential oil 6, 7, 27 Aromadendrene oxide, Benzaldehyde, Borneol, Bornyl acetate, Camphor, Caryophyllene oxide, cis-α-Terpineol, Cubenol, Cardinene, D-Limonene, Eicosane, Eucalyptol, Eugenol, Farnesene, Farnesol, Furaldehyde, Germacrene, Heptanol, Humulene, Limonene, n-butylbenzoate, Ocimene, Oleic acid, Sabinene, Selinene, Phytol, Veridifloro, α-Camphene, αMyrcene, α-Pinene, β-Pinene, α-Thujene, β-Guaiene, βGurjunene, methyl chavicol and linalool. Leaves 3. Mineral