Botanical Name: Ocimum americanum Linn.

Family: Labiatae; Lamiaceae

 

 Introduction:

It is used as adulterant of  Tulsi.

 

Names in different Indian languages

 

English

Hoary Basil

Hindi

Vantulsi

Kannada

Nayitulasi

Malayalam

Katturamatulsi, kattutulsi, kattu tritav, naikanni

Sanskrit

Vana-Tulasi, vanabarbarika

Tamil

Ganjamkorai, Nai-Tulasi.

Telugu

Kuppatulsi,kukkatulsi

Unani

 

Folk

 

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

KaaliTulasi, aranya tulasi,

Ocimum canum Sims.

 

Classification according to Charaka, Susrutha & Vagbhata

 

Charaka

 

Susrutha

 

Vagbhata

 

 

          
        

  

 

Varieties & adulterants - (CV – controversy, AD – adulterants) 

 

 

 


Morphology

Branched, aromatic under shrub 30-50 cm high, sometimes  woody, hairy.

Leaves—simple, opposite,  lanceolate , obtuse or acute, - entire or subserrate. Petioles slender hairy 

Flowers— very small, borne in terminal and axillary racemes.

Fruits— subglobose or broadly oblong nutlets.

Flowers and fruits almost throughout the year (mainly during September-February).

 


Distribution & Habitat

All over India

 

Chemical constituents:

 beta-sitosterol, betulinic acid and ursolic acid and flavonoids, pectolinarigenin,methylether , nevadensin, Bornyl acetate, cadinene, camphene, camphor, carvacrol, beta-caryophellene, eugenol

 

Properties:

RASA- Katu, Tikta

GUNA-laghu

VIRYA-ushna

VIPAKA-katu

 

Karma - vãtahara Dipana, Krimighna Putigandhahara, kandughna, vranahara

stimulant, carminative, diaphoretic, bechic, febrifuge, hypoglycaemic, cardiotonic

 

Srotogamitva:

Dosha Pittavardhak, kaphavatashamak. (reducing foul smell of sputum).

Dhatu : Rakta (skin disorders), fat metabolism.

Mala Mutra (dysuria), diaphoretic, mala (foetid smell scavenger).

Organs : Heart, respiratory system.

 Indication:

Hikkä, Kãsa, svãsa, Visaroga, Parvasüla, Krimi, Visama Jvara, arsas, grahani

bronchitis, catarrh, externally in skin diseases, malaria, cough, allergy , dysentery , migraine, vomiting

Part used:

  Leaves, seed

 

Dosage:

10-15 ml jucice

 

 

 

Therapeutic Uses:

 

  1. Leaf juice + honey useful in cough and diarrhea

 

 

Descriptions on  Ayurveda books / Nighandu:

  

 

 

Medicinal plants of India ; Ayurveda

Encyclopedia of Indian Medicinal Plants/Herbs mainly using in Ayurveda with good quality pictures and information like therapeutic usage of Medicinal Plants, cultivation, morphology, habitat, flower characters, Chemical content, parts used, research works etc.

medicinal plants