What is Tulsi?

  "The Queen of Herbs" - is the most sacred herb of India. Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), although also known as Holy Basil, is a different plant from the pesto variety of Basil (Ocimum basilicum). Tulsi has been revered in India for over five thousand years, as a healing balm for body, mind and spirit, and is known to bestow an amazing number of health benefits. ORGANIC INDIA is pleased to offer Organic Tulsi, for the first time, as a stress-relieving, energizing and delicious tea. For our ORGANIC INDIA Tulsi Tea Collection we utilize a proprietary combination of 3 varieties of Tulsi: Rama Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), Krishna Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) and Vana Tulsi (Ocimum gratissimum). Each variety lends its own distinct and characteristic taste that contributes to the delicious flavor and aroma of our blend.

  Ocimum tenuiflorum, Holy Basil (also tulsi, tulasī), is an aromatic plant in the family Lamiaceae which is native throughout the Old World tropics and widespread as a cultivated plant and an escaped weed. It is an erect, much branched subshrub, 30–60 cm tall with hairy stems and simple, opposite, green leaves that are strongly scented. Leaves have petioles and are ovate up to 5 cm long, usually slightly toothed. The flowers are purplish in elongate racemes in close whorls. The two main morphotypes cultivated in India and Nepal are green-leaved (Sri or Lakshmi tulsi) and purple-leaved (Krishna tulsi).
Tulsi is cultivated for religious and medicinal purposes, and for its essential oil. It is widely known across South Asia as a medicinal plant and an herbal tea, commonly used in Ayurveda and has an important role within the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism in which devotees perform worship involving tulsi plants or leaves.

Use of Tulsi-

Pharmacology

Recent studies suggest tulsi may be a COX -2 inhibitor, like many modern  painkillers due to its high concentration of eugenol (1-hydroxy-2-methoxy-4-allylbenzene). One study showed it to be an effective treatment for diabetes by reducing blood glucose levels. The same study showed significant reduction in total cholesterol levels with tulsi. Another study showed its beneficial effect on blood glucose levels is due to its  antioxidant properties. Tulsi also shows some promise for protection from Radiation  poisining and  cataracts. It has anti-oxidant properties and can repair cells damaged by exposure to radiation. The fixed oil has demonstrated antihyperlipidemic and  cardioprotective effects in rats fed a high fat diet. Experimental studies have shown an alcoholic extract of tulsi modulates immunity, thus promoting immune system function. Some of the main chemical constituents of tulsi are: oleanolic acid, urlosic acid, rosmarinic acid,  eugenol, carvacrol, linalool,β-caryophyllene, β-elemene (c.11.0%), β-caryophyllene (about 8%), and  germacrene D (about 2%). β-Elemene has been studied for its potential anticancer properties, but human clinical trials have yet to confirm its effectiveness.
O. sanctum extracts are antibacterial (against E. coli, S. aureus and P. aeruginosa).

Ayurveda

Tulsi has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda for its diverse healing properties. It is mentioned in the charaka sanhita an ancient Ayurvedic text. Tulsi is considered to be an adaptogen balancing different processes in the body, and helpful for adapting to stress. Marked by its strong aroma and astringent taste, it is regarded in Ayurveda as a kind of "elixir of life" and believed to promote longevity.
Tulsi extracts are used in  Ayurvedic remedies for common colds, headaches, stomach disorders, inflammation, heart disease, various forms of poisoning, and malaria. Traditionally, tulsi is taken in many forms: as herbal tea, dried powder, fresh leaf, or mixed with ghee. Essential oil extracted from Karpoora tulsi is mostly used for medicinal purposes and in herbal cosmetics, and is widely used in skin preparations due to its antibacterial activity. For centuries, the dried leaves have been mixed with stored grains to repel insects