The Holy Basil of India: Ocimum Sanctum

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The Holy Basil of IndiaOcimum Sanctum

• A Presentation By Kavita Rampersad

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Tulsi Taxonomy
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Physical Description

• Shrub-like plant
• 0.5-1.5 m
• Leaves 2-4 cm
• Soft hairs
• Small purple flowers
• Branched annual herb
• Native to India
• flourishes in temperate climate

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Ayurvedic Medicine

• Indias traditional system of medicine
• In Sanskrit ayu life
• veda knowledge
• 3000-5000 years old by Brahmin Sages of Ancient
  India

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Principles of Ayurvedic Medicine

• Nothing exists in isolation interaction and
  interdependence of all elements of ones life
• a dynamic state of balance and integration
  of body, mind, and spirit. -Deepak
  Chopra

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Yoga
Diagnoses
Meditation
Pathology
Herbal Remedies
Surgery
Treatment
Lifestyle
Philosophy
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The Tulsi Plant (Ocimum sanctum)
Medicinal uses in Ayurveda
9. Stress 10. Mouth Infections 11. Insect
Bites 12. Skin Disorders 13. Teeth Disorder
14. Headaches 15. Eye Disorders 16.
Intestinal Parasites

• Healing Power
• 2. Fever common cold
• 3. Coughs
• 4. Sore Throat
• 5. Respiratory Disorder
• 6. Kidney
• 7. Heart Disorder

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Tulsi As...

• An Adaptogen
• An Antioxidant
• An Immuno-modulator

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Biochemistry of Ocimum sanctum

• Flavanoids

Orientin
Vicenin
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Biochemistry of Ocimum sanctum

• Phenolic Compounds

Apigenin
Eugenol
Cirsilineol
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Hinduism and the Tulsi
The Vedas
The Puranas
The Ramayan
The Bhagavad Gita
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"Leaves, flowers, fruits, root, branches and the
main stem and everything about tulsi is sacred
even the soil under the tulsi plant is holy."
- excerpt from the Padmapurana
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The Tulsi Legend

• Woman turned plant!

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Another Legend

• No amount of gold could outweigh Krishna,
  but a single Tulsi leaf placed on the pan in
  loving devotion tilted the scale.

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Tulsi WorshipDevotees of Lord Vishnu and Lord
Krishna

• In the Hindu home
• Temples and courtyards
• Religious ceremonies
• Funeral pyre/death bed

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Tulsi Japa Mala (Rosary)

• Meditation and Prayer

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Tulsi VivahTulsi marriage

• Mythical marriage of Tulsi to Lord Vishnu/Krishna
• Lunar calendar, mid October
• 5 day long festival ending on night of a full
  moon
• Commences the annual marriage season in India

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References
Chopra, Deepak. Creating Health. Houghton
Mifflin Books Boston, 1996. Crooke, W. the
Legends of Krishna. Folklore, Vol. 11, No. 1
(Mar., 1900), pp. 1-42 Miller, Sam et al.,
Tulsi Queen of Herbs Indias Holy Basil,
2003 Mohanty, Ipseeta, et al. Effect of Curcuma
longa and Ocimum sanctum on myocardial apoptosis
in experimentally induced myocardial
ischemic-reperfusion injury BMC Complement
Altern Med. Vol. 6, No. 1, 2006. Maharaj et al.,
A Daily Guide to Hindu Worship, Symbolism and
Philosophy. H.E.M. Enterprises Ltd., Trinidad,
1999.

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References

• Holy Basil Tulsi
• http//www.holy-basil.com
• Holy Basil/Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum)
• http//www.ecoherbs.com/Tulsi-Tulasi-Ho
  ly-Basil.htm
• Planet Ayurveda Holistic Healing through Herbs
• http//www.planetayurveda.com/tulsipowder.h
  tm
• Chopra Center
• http//www.chopra.com
• Knapp, Stephan Tulasi Devi The Sacred Tree
• http//www.stephen-knapp.com/tulasi_dev
  i_the_sacred_tree.htm