Common Name:
Tulsi, Holy Basil
There are different varieties and chemotypes of Tulsi. A chemotype is a species of plant that changes chemistry and therapeutic actions depending on where it is grown. This can be due to soil, elevation or climate. Besides the herb of Tulsi, some essential oil plants such as Rosemary and Basil have chemotypes.
To make this even more involved, the chemistry of Tulsi changes during its growth cycle – before and after flowering – which can affect its therapeutic actions.
Other common names for Tulsi varieties include Rama, Krishna, Vana and Kapoor. There is much regional variation of names in India leading to significant confusion and varying opinions.
What does this all mean to the Community Herbalist? All Tulsi is beneficial and health promoting. My preference is to use Rama, Krishna and Vana mixed together for making tea.
Botanical Name:
Ocimum sanctum , O. tenuiflorum, O. gratissimum – there are various other species and varieties in commerce
Energy & Taste:
Warming, drying, aromatic, slightly pungent, bitter and astringent
Traditional Uses:
Respiratory, heart, circulatory tonic
Radio & hepato – protective
Anti-inflammatory
Supports healthy blood sugar
Increases mental capacity & consciousness, a Shen-spiritual herb
Helps one to deal with general stress of everyday modern life
Good tasting, can use as spice
Tulsi essential oil is strongly anti-microbial and excellent in diffusers for respiratory health. It is also strongly irritating to the skin and is not recommended for topical use.
Quality & Cost:
Excellent and affordable quality is readily available in dried leaf form. It should be pleasantly aromatic and smell similar to clove. The powder is commonly available from Ayurvedic suppliers.
Method of Preparation:
Tea, powder mix
The Plant Profiles are brief materia medica summaries of plants encountered during plant walks or introduced during class on our longer programs. They are presented here to help students organize plant info on an ongoing basis. Although the Profiles are not meant to be comprehensive, they are offered here to the public in the hope that others find these pages useful.