Ocimum gratissimum Health Dictionary

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Ocimum Gratissimum: From 1 Different Sources

Linn.

Family: Labiatae; Lamiaceae.

Habitat: Throughout India.

English: Shrubby Basil.

Ayurvedic: Vriddha Tulasi, Raam- Tulasi, Raan-Tulasi.

Siddha: Elumicha-Tulasi, Peria- Tulasi.

Action: Plant—used in neurological and rheumatic affections, in seminal weakness and in aphthae of children. Seed—used in cephalalgia and neuralgia. Essential oil— antibacterial, antifungal.

In homoeopathy, fresh mature leaves are used in constipation, cough, fever, nasal catarrh; also in gonorrhoea with difficult urination.

A heterotic hybrid 'Clocimum' (po- lycross of gratissimum) has been developed in India which yields 4.55.7% essential oil having a eugenol content up to 95%. Direct production of methyl eugenol and eugenol acetate from 'Clocimum' oil is reported.

Major constituents reported from 'Clocimum' oil are myrcene 8.87, eugenol 68.14, isoeugenol 13.88, methyl- eugenol 1.74%; other constituents are alpha- pinene, limonene, phellandrene, terpene 4-ol, alpha-terpineol, carveol, carvene, geranyl acetate, caryophyl- lone and caryophyllone oxide.

(At Regional Research Laboratory, CSIR, Jammu, a study was conducted Ocimum kilimandscharicum Guerke.

Synonym: O. camphora Guerke.

Family: Labiatae; Lamiaceae.

Habitat: Native of Kenya. Cultivated on a small scale in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Dehr Dun.

English: Camphor Basil.

Ayurvedic: Karpura Tulasi.

Action: Plant—spasmolytic, antibacterial. Decamphorized oil— insecticidal, mosquito repellent.

Essential oil contains camphor, pi- nene, limonene, terpinolene, myrcene, beta-phellandrene, linalool, camphene, p-cymene, borneol and alpha-selinene. The Camphor content varies in different samples from 61 to 80.5%.
Health Source: Indian Medicinal Plants
Author: Health Dictionary

Ocimum Basilicum

Linn.

Synonym: O. caryophyllatum Roxb. O. minimum Linn. O. pilosum Willd.

Family: Labiatae; Lamiaceae.

Habitat: Lower hills of Punjab; cultivated throughout India.

English: Sweet Basil, Basil Herb.

Ayurvedic: Barbari, Tuvari, Tungi, Kharpushpa, Ajgandhikaa, Baabui Tulasi.

Unani: Faranjmishk. (also equated with Dracocephalum moldavica Linn. by National Formulary of Unani Medicine.), Raihan (also equated with O. sanctum). (used as a substitute for Phanijjaka.)

Siddha/Tamil: Tiruneetruppachhilai.

Folk: Bana-Tulasi. Sabzaa (Maharashtra).

Action: Flower—stimulant, carminative, antispasmodic, diuretic, demulcent. Seed—antidysenteric. Juice of the plant—antibacterial. Essential oil—antibacterial, antifungal, insecticidal.

(Because of high estragole content of the essential oil, the herb should not be taken during pregnancy, nursing or over extended periods of time.) (German Commission E.) Included among unapproved herbs by German Commission E.

The herb contains an essential oil; major constituents are linalool (up to 55%) methyl ether (estragole) up to 70% and eugenol; caffeic acid derivatives; flavonoids. Thymol and xan- thomicrol were isolated from the leaves. Aesculetin, p-coumaric acid, eriodic- tyol, its 7-glucoside and vicenin-2 from leaves have been isolated.

The essential oil at concentration of 0.15% completely inhibited mycelial growth of twenty two species of fungi, including mycotoxin-producing strains of Aspergillus flavus and A. par- asiticus. Leaves act as an insect repellent externally; bring relief to insect bites and stings.

In homoeopathy, the fresh mature leaves are used to treat haematuria, inflammation and congestion of kidney.

Dosage: Whole plant—50-100 ml decoction; seed—1-3 g powder. (CCRAS.)... ocimum basilicum

Ocimum Canum

Sims.

Synonym: O. americanum Linn.

Family: Labiatae; Lamiaceae.

Habitat: Plains and lower hills of India.

English: Hoary Basil.

Ayurvedic: Kaali Tulasi, Vana-Tulasi.

Siddha/Tamil: Ganjamkorai, Nai-Tulasi.

Action: Plant—stimulant, carminative, diaphoretic. Leaf—bechic, febrifuge; used in cold, bronchitis, catarrh, externally in skin diseases. Essential oil—antifungal. Seeds— hypoglycaemic; also used in the treatment of leucorrhoea and other diseases of urinogenital system.

The essential oil at the flowering stage contains citral as a major component along with methylheptenone, methylnonylketone and camphor.

Leaves yielded beta-sitosterol, be- tulinic acid and ursolic acid and flavonoids, pectolinarigenin-7-methylether and nevadensin.

Seeds exhibited antidiabetic activity, improved glucose tolerance was observed in diabetic patients who were given 30 g seed/day for 1 month, lowering of fasting plasma glucose level up to 30% was also observed. to assess the inheritance pattern of major chemical constituents of essential oils in hybrids produced by interspecific as well as intraspecific crosses of Ocimum sp.).... ocimum canum

Ocimum Sanctum

Linn.

Synonym: O. tenuiflorum Linn.

Family: Labiatae; Lamiaceae.

Habitat: Throughout India; grown in houses, gardens and temples.

English: Holy Basil, Sacred Basil.

Ayurvedic: Tulasi, Surasaa, Surasa, Bhuutaghni, Suravalli, Sulabhaa, Manjarikaa, Bahumanjari, Deva- dundubhi, Apet-raakshasi, Shuu- laghni, Graamya, Sulabhaa.

Unani: Tulasi.

Siddha/Tamil: Tulasi, Nalla-Tulasi.

Action: Leaf—carminative, stomachic, antispasmodic, antiasthmatic, antirheumatic, expectorant, stimulant, hepatoprotective, antiperiodic, antipyretic and diaphoretic. Seed— used in genitourinary diseases. Root—antimalarial. Plant—adap- togenic, antistress. Essential oil— antibacterial, antifungal.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India recommends the use of the leaf and seed in rhinitis and influenza; the seed in psychological disorders, including fear-psychosis and obsessions.

Major components of the essential oil are eugenol, carvacrol, nerol and eugenolmethylether. Leaves have been reported to contain ursolic acid, api- genin, luteolin, apigenin-7-O-glucu- ronide, luteolin-7-O-glucuronide, orientin and molludistin.

Ursolic acid, isolated from leaves, exhibited significant protection of mast cell membrane by preventing granulation and decreased histamine release. The ethanolic extract (50%) of fresh leaves, volatile oil from fresh leaves and fixed oil from seeds showed antiasth- matic activity and significantly protected guinea-pigs against histamine and dyspnoea. They also showed anti- inflammatory activity against carrage- enan-, serotonin-, histamine- and PGE-2-induced inflammation and inhibited hind paw oedema in rats.

The ethanol extract (90%) of the leaves showed hepatoprotective effect against paracetamol-induced liver damage.

The plant extract exhibited antiul- cerogenic property against experimental ulcers.

Oral administration of alcoholic extract of leaves lowers blood sugar level in normal, glucose-fed hyperglycaemic and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The activity of the extract was 91.55 and 70.43% of that of tolbutamide in normal and diabetic rats respectively.

Administration of the juice of the plant affected a significant reduction in the size of urinary brushite crystals.

A study of methanol extract and aqueous suspension of the leaves showed immunostimulation of humoral immunologic response in albino rats indicating the adaptogenic action of the plant.

Dosage: Seed—1-2 g powder (API, Vol. IV); plant—50-10 ml infusion (CCRAS.).... ocimum sanctum

Ocimum Viride

Willd.

Family: Labiatae; Lamiaceae.

Habitat: Native to Africa; introduced into India.

English: Fever plant of Sierra Leone.

Folk: Taap-maari Tulasi (Maharashtra).

Action: Leaves—febrifugal. Used as a remedy for coughs and fevers. Oil—antiseptic.

Ocimum viride species, cultivated in Jammu-Tawi, gives maximum oil yield

(0.4%) at full bloom stage and highest percentage of thymol (55.12%) in the oil, which can be used as a substitute for thyme-ajowan oil.... ocimum viride

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