Tulsi herb 

Important parts used

• Blood & haemopoeitic tissue - seeds are styptic in nature & herb as whole is blood purifier 

• Cardiovascular body system - Tulsi herb is cardiprotective. 

• Respiratory body system - Tulsi herb is useful in cough / bronchitis / asthma 

• Digestive body system - infusion of leaves is used s stomachic & is used in hepatic affections. 

• Reproductive body system - Tulsi herb is an aphrodisiac 

• Skin - leaves are used on boils / ringworms / urticaria / leprosy 

• Ear nose throat - juice poured in ear cures ear ache 

• Immunity - Tulsi herb has antimicrobal properties since Tulsi herb is also anti - inflammatory due to oil eugenol / present in leaves. Ursolic acid present in Tulsi herb / has anti-allergic properties.herb could play role in manangement of immunological disorders such as allergies & asthma. activities of compounds 1-6 were comparable to ibuprofen / naproxen / & aspirin at 10- / 10- / & 1000-microM concentrations / respectively. These results support traditional uses of O. sanctum & identify compounds responsible. 

Antioxidant activities of Tulsi herb
Anti-oxidant bioassay-directed extraction of fresh leaves & stems of Tulsi herb & purification of extract yielded following compounds; cirsilineol [1] / cirsimaritin [2] / isothymusin [3] / isothymonin [4] / apigenin [5] / rosmarinic acid [6] / & appreciable quantities of eugenol. structures of compounds 1-6 were established using spectroscopic methods. Compounds 1 & 5 were isolated previously from O. sanctum whereas compounds 2 & 3 are here identified for first time from O. sanctum. Eugenol / major component of volatile oil / & compounds 1 / 3 / 4 / & 6 demonstrated good antioxidant activity at 10-microM concentrations.Kelm MA / Nair milligram / Strasburg gram / DeWitt DL.

Tulsi herb an immuno stimulant
Preclinical & clinical studies have also proved well known antistress & immunostimulant property of Tulsi herb. A research supporting this involved evaluation of effect of Tulsi herb extract / on mouse swimming performance. Wherein extract of Tulsi herb increased swimming time suggesting central nervous body system stimulant and/or antistress activity. Also effect produced by Tulsi herb extract was comparable to that of desipramine / an antidepressant medicine. In following research effect of Tulsi herb extract was studied on noise stress induced changes in albino rats. Pretreatment with Tulsi herb extract brought back stress-altered values like leukopenia / increased corticosterone level & enhanced neutrophil roles to normal levels indicating stress alleviating effect of Tulsi herb 
Tulsi herb as an anti biotic 
oil of Tulsi herb to possess significant antibacterial & insecticidal properties. Tulsi herb inhibits in vitro growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis & Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus; in antitubercular activity / Tulsi herb has one-tenth potency of streptomycin & one-fourth that of isoniazid. Ether & alcohol extracts of leaves of Tulsi herb were also shown to possess significant activity against Escherichia coli 
Hypoglycaemic / hypolipidemic & antioxidant properties of Tulsi herb on streptozotocin induced diabetes in rats
ABSTRACT - Effect of oral administration of 200 mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract of Tulsi herb mixed with diet for eight weeks to diabetic rats was studied. There was significant reduction in fasting blood glucose / serum lipid profile / lipid peroxidation products / & enhancement in glucose tolerance. aqueous extract also decreased LPO formation & increased antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase / catalase / glutathione peroxidase / glutathione transferase & one antioxidant reduced glutathione in plasma & rat liver / lung / kidney & brain. decrease in TBARS & increase in GSH / SOD / CAT / GPX / & GT clearly shows antioxidant property of Tulsi herb
Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry. 2001 Jul; 16 - 190-4