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, betulinic 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
Ocimum sanctum Linn. 445
given 30 g seed/day for 1 month, lowering of fasting plasma glucose level up to 30% was also observed.
Ocimum gratissimum Linn.
Family Labiatae; Lam iaceae.
Habitat Throughout India.
English Shrubby Basil.
Ayurvedic Vriddha Tulasi, RaamTulasi, Raan-Tulasi.
Siddha Elumicha-Tulasi, PeriaTulasi.
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’ (polycross of gratissimum) has been developed in India which yields 4.5— 5.7% 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, methyleugenol 1.74%; other constituents are alpha- pinene, limonene, phellandrene, terpene 4 -ol, alpha-terpineol, carveol, carvene, geranyl acetate, caryophyllone and caryophyllone oxide.
(At Regional Research Laboratory, CSIR, Jammu, a study was conducted
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 kilimandscharicum
Guerke.
Synonym 0. camphora Guerke. Family Labiatae; Lam iaceae.
