Holy Basil It is also known as Tulsi and is an aromatic culinary herb found everywhere in India. It`s scientific name is Ocimum Sanctum.
Tulsi is antibacterial, antiparasitic, antiviral (it works against Herpes), antifungal and it improves the cellular and humoral immunity. It`s essential oil is a powerful mosquito repellent, blood purifer and the essential oil of tulsi also is ideal for the treatment of ringworms, malaria, cholera, ear infections and dengue fever. Tulsi has been found to be effective against SARS. SARS, stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and it is a viral respiratory illness that was first reported in Asia 2003. Tulsi normalzes the stresshormon cortisol and works anti-inflammatory. Besides, tulsi works as an antibiotic and it is very useful in bronchitis, asthmatic conditions, cold, sore throat and cough. Tulsi also helps to reduce symptoms of viral hepatitis and it is antioxidative. Antioxidative properties are important, because chronic diseases increase harmful substances like free radicals in the body. These aggressive molecules decrease the immune system and rob our organism several vitamins like vitamin C, E, A / beta carotene and various minerals.
The leaves of tulsi have properties similar to the currently available anti-TB (Tuberculosis) drugs like Streptomycin and Isoniazide.
Recent studies show, that it is also helpful in inhibiting growth HIV.
A study in New Delhi, India, found that tulsi was the most effective of five medicinal plants traditionally used for antimicrobial activities at killing the two most prevalent Candida species causing candidiasis: C. albicans and C. tropicalis. These properties were reported in an April 2010 issue of Phytomedicine.
According to a study performed by the University of Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research could be tulsi an effective antibacterial agent against the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus pumilus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
The results, published in the “Indian Journal of Experimental Biology.
Holy Basil has synergetic effects to turmeric, pepper leaves, neem and ginger.