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, pinene, 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%.
Ocimum sanctum Linn.
Synonym 0. tenuflorum 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
446 Ocimum viride Wifid.
dundubhi, Apet-raakshasi, Shuulaghni, 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—adaptogenic, 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, apigenin, luteolin, apigenin-7-O-glucu- ronide, luteolin- 7-0 -glucuronide, onentin and molludistin.
Ursolic acid, isolated from leaves, exhibited significant protection of mast cell membrane by preventing granula tion and decreased histamine release. The ethanolic extract (50%) of fresh leaves, volatile oil from fresh leaves and fixed oil from seeds showed antiasthmatic activity and significantly protected guinea-pigs against histamine and dyspnoea. They also showed anti- inflammatory activity against carrageenan-, serotonin-, histamine- and PGE-2-induced inflammation and inhibited hind paw oedema in rats.
