Tulsi is an aromatic, tropical perennial shrub native to India and Southeast Asia and it is an important symbol in the religious traditions of the Hindus.
Tulsi Kapoor is one of four main forms of Tulsi that are generally recognized and it is cultivated for religious and medicinal purposes and for its essential oil.
Tulsi Kapoor is an erect, much branched shrub 30-60 cm tall, with small, strongly scented, toothed green leaves.
It bears close whorls of purple/ pinkish flowers in elongate racemes.
In temperate regions Tulsi can be grown as an annual - it prefers full sun and will do well in pots or window boxes.
Name - Karpura tulasi
Latin name - Ocimum sanctum
Family - Lamiaceae
Synonym -
Gouri, Bahumanjari, Visnu vallava , surasa.
Eng name - Indian basil / Holybasil
Morphology -
Branched, aromatic under shrub 30-50 cm high, sometimes woody, hairy.
Leaves-simple, opposite, ovate-oblong. - entire or subserrate. Petioles slender hairy
Flowers- very small, pale white, borne in terminal and axillary racemes.
Fruits-subglobose or broadly oblo nutlets.
Flowers and fruits almost throughout the year (mainly during September-February)
Chemical constituents - camphor, pinene, limonene, terpinolene, myrcene, beta-phellandrene, linalool, camphene, p-cymene, borneol and alpha-selinene
Distribution & Habitat : Cultivated all over India
Rasa - Katu, Tikta
Guna - Laghu , Ruksa
Virya - Usna
Vipaka - Katu
Karma - Kapha-Vatahara
Indication - hikka , kasa, swasa ,visama jwara , cough , ulcer , anorexia , infections
Part use - Whole plant
Dose - Fresh juice : 10 - 20 ml
Powder : 2 - 4 g
Decoction : 50 - 100 ml
Formulation - Surasadi kasaya , Nimabadi lepa
Therapeutic Uses: Leaf juice useful in cough
Medicinal Uses.
Apart from the religious significance, Tulsi Kapoor also has substantial medicinal meaning - it is used in Ayurvedic treatment and in Suriname's traditional medicine.
Studies support the use of Tulsi Kapoor for human and animal disease therapy and reinforce the importance of the ethno-botanical approach as a potential source of bioactive substances.
Tulsi Kapoor has adaptogenic, cardio protective, analgesic, immune enhancing, anti-fertility, anticancer, and anti-diabetic, antifungal, anti-allergic, antimicrobial, antibacterial and antispasmodic actions.
It will help in the treatment of bronchitis, malaria, diarrhea, dysentery, skin disease, arthritis, eye diseases and insect bites.
Tulsi Kapoor also contains vitamin C and A, calcium, zinc and iron, as well as chlorophyll and many other phytonutrients and enhances the efficient digestion, absorption and use of nutrients from food and other herbs.
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