Uses of Tulsi Tree
The tulsi tree is one of the most sacred plants in traditional Hindu culture. Also called "holy basil," tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) has a wonderful aromatic scent and has been used for thousands of years as a medicinal herb. Tulsi is gaining popularity around the world as a stress-relieving and immunity-enhancing all-around tonic beverage that tastes delicious. Many studies have been conducted on the medicinal uses of tulsi in addition to the traditional use of this amazing herb.
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History
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The earliest use of tulsi goes back at least as far as the Charhaka Samhita, one of the oldest surviving medical texts of ancient India. Tulsi occupies a very sacred place in the Hindu tradition and is often cultivated in households where offerings are made to it to ensure a happy and healthy home. Medicinally, tulsi has been used as a general infection fighter, as well as an overall tonic and to promote longevity.
Stress
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Tulsi has been used extensively throughout its history in India as a supreme antistress solution, used for calming the distraught and dealing with long-term irritants. In a 2000 study performed at the University of Madras, in Madras, India, researchers tested tulsi extract on rats who were also subjected to acute levels of noise. The stress-altered levels of several brain chemical markers, including corticosterone, were lowered after feeding the rats tulsi (reference 1).
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Antiviral
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Tulsi has also been considered a great first line defense in Ayurvedic medicine, an herb-based approach to treatment in India, against colds, influenzas and other infections. In a 2006 study, published in the Indian Journal of Virology, researchers tested an extract of tulsi against the herpes virus in cows. They concluded that tulsi showed protective effects against virus multiplication when given during early stages of the infection (reference 2).
Immunity
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Tulsi is close to being unsurpassed in traditional Ayurvedic medicine as a general overall tonic for the immune system. A team of researchers conducted a review of the studies done on tulsi and published their results in the Indian Journal of Physiological Pharmacology in 2005. They found that tulsi benefits users with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiasthmatic, antifungal and immunosuppressive effects. They attribute much of this action to a compound within the essential oil of tulsi called eugenol (reference 3).
Potential
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With a broad range of potential therapeutic qualities and a very nice aromatic smell and flavor, tulsi is poised to be one of the most popular herbal remedies of our age. In these days of modern stress and fast-spreading viruses, a common plant that is easily cultivated and can be consumed on a daily basis, like tulsi, could find its way into your home, just as it has for thousands of years in India.
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