Common Name: Tulsi (Hindi), Manjari/Krishna tulsi (Sanskrit), Trittavu (Malayalam), Tulshi (Marathi) and Thulsi (Tamil & Telegu). It is called Holy Basil in English
# Acidity:
Grind equal amounts of the dried blossoms of basil, bark of the Neem (Margosa) tree, and black pepper into a homogenous mixture. Take a level teaspoonful of this powder morning and evening with a draft of water, but do not drink milk immediately after. The acidity will be removed from the body with the sweat and urine.
# Blood pressure:
The drinking of basil-leaf tea keeps the blood pressure even.
# Cataract:
Mix a little honey with the juice of the basil leaves and apply over the eyes every morning and evening. Fresh cases are dissolved without surgery, while chronic ones are rendered "ripe" so as to be surgically removed.
# Colds & Cough:
Make a fine powder of the following:
--Basil leaves (dried in shade) 300 gms
--Cinnamon 50 gms
--Bey leaf 100 gms
--Aniseeds (fennel) 200 gms
--Cardamom 200 gms
--Red sandal-wood 200 gms
--Dried orange-peel 25 gms
Take two teaspoonfuls of this mixture and boil it with about 500 ml water till half the quantity of water is left. Add honey (and milk if preferred) and drink it like tea twice a day.
# Earache:
Add a little tincture of camphor to the juice of 10 leaves of basil. Instill a drop or two of the mixture in the ear for instant relief.
# Eye troubles:
The juice of basil leaves mixed with honey is recommended for all sorts of eye troubles associated with pain and burning sensation. The mixture may be stored in an air-tight bottle. In the case of trachoma, grind ten leaves of basil with a clove and apply to the eyes every four hours. For swelling of the eyes, the juice of the leaves of basil with a pinch of alum applied to the eyes is prescribed.
# Epilepsy:
Massage the body daily with the juice of basil leaves (a massage oil may be made with a mineral oil base and the essential oil of basil). Make a habit of smelling the blossoms of basil (essential oil of the blossoms) kept in a handkerchief; also grow a basil plant somewhere near the bedroom. During loss of consciousness during an attack, grind 11 leaves of basil, add a pinch of salt to it and instill a few drops of this juice in the nostrils of the patient.
# Flatulence:
Mix together 10 gms of basil juice, 10 gms of dry ginger and 20 gms of jaggery (raw sugar); make small tablets/pills/capsules from this mixture. Take a pill/capsule swallowed with a little water three times a day. It is advisable to either fast or to eat only easily digestible foods during the period of the treatment.
# Female disorders:
Basil juice is a good tonic for women and its regular use keeps them free from the disorders of the female generative organs.
# Fever/Flu:
Boil about 10 gms of basil leaves in 250 ml water till the water is reduced to 125 ml, then add a little rock salt to taste. This tea produces immediate sweating and relieves the fever. An option is to drink tea made of basil leaves, black pepper, and candy sugar.
# Hoarseness:
Add a little honey to the juice of 10 basil leaves and lick slowly. A spoonful is sufficient to restore the voice.
# Hair loss:
Massage the scalp evenly with the oil of basil and after an hour or so wash the hair with cold water. Good for dandruff too.
# Heart ailments:
As basil has a positive effect over blood pressure and also a de-toxicant, its regular use prevents heart attacks. A tonic may be prepared by mixing 1 gm of dry basil leaves with a spoonful of butter and some candy sugar or honey. Take twice a day; first thing in the morning and before going to bed at night. The wearing of a garland of basil stalks is said to prevent heart attacks. It was common to see Englishmen wearing these “necklaces” during the 19th century in India.
# Hysteria:
Smell the crushed leaves of basil and drink the juice of five basil leaves.
# Indigestion:
Crush a few basil leaves with a little rock salt and swallow with a little water. Drinking the tea made of dried basil leaves also gives quick relief by inducing sweating and urination.
# Insomnia:
The best solution to this tricky problem is to place a few leaves of basil inside the pillow; a specific number of 51 is prescribed, with 50 being placed inside the pillow case and the 51st being chewed upon by the patient. Basil leaves may also be placed around the corners and head of the bed under the bed sheet.
# Itching:
Massage the itching areas with the juice of basil leaves. In chronic cases, make a massage oil by mixing two parts of basil juice with one part of sesame/mineral oil and warming over a water bath; cool and store in a bottle. Use this oil for itches of any type for local relief. For a permanent cure, see a qualified Homoeopathic physician.
# Jaundice:
Add two teaspoons of basil juice to 50ml of radish juice; sweeten with a little jaggery (raw sugar). Drink this juice twice or three times a day for a month for total relief.
# Kidney ailments:
Basil juice is unparalleled in the treatment of all sorts of kidney troubles. Soak overnight about 5-7 gms (one teaspoonful) of Basil seeds in water; next morning grind the seeds with candy sugar and drink the combination. Copious micturition will be induced and soon the congestion will be relieved and infection (if any) will be removed.
# Leucoderma (vitiligo):
(a) To a little basil juice add a few drops of lime-juice and apply on the affected area.
(b) Grind 10gms of basil leaves with a clove of garlic and apply the paste on the affected area daily for 10 days. It is also advised to chew 5 basil leaves every morning, afternoon, and evening or licking a mixture of basil juice and honey in addition to the local application.
# Lethargy:
The tea made from dried basil leaves is an instant pick-me-up and drunk regularly, keeps one free from colds and other ailments associated with phlegm in the body.
# Migraine:
Dry some basil blossoms in the shade and grind to a fine powder; mix two grams of the powder with a dessert-spoonful of honey and lick it slowly. A second dose, if needed, may be taken in the evening. An excellent remedy, when others have failed (AKN)!
# Malaria:
Grind 1gm of black pepper in 10 gms of basil juice and administer at two hour intervals for 5 to six days. In addition give the patient basil tea. The fever along with the malarial symptoms will be totally relieved in a couple of days. This treatment should be effective in Dengue too (AKN).
# Nose-bleeding (epistaxis):
Keep some basil blossoms with you and smell them every now and again. In chronic cases, a drop of the essence of basil blossom put in the handkerchief and smelt at intervals cures the problem almost totally. Drinking basil juice with honey is also recommended.
# Paralysis/hemiplegia :
Massage the affected limbs with the oil of basil or boil a few leaves of basil in 200ml of water; when cool, strain and use this water for massage. The internal intake of the juice is also recommended.
# Pneumonia:
Rub the oil of basil on the chest of the patient and give internally the juice of 5 leaves of basil mixed with a little ground black pepper at six hourly intervals. This will induce sweating and relieve the patient.
# Skin:
Basil leaves’ juice is an astringent and excellent tonic for the skin.
# Sluggish liver:
Grind the following into a homogenous powder: Basil leaves 5 nos; Cummin seeds (roasted)2 gms; Rock salt (black)2 gms. To this mixture add an equal amount of the kernel of wood-apple and then combine the whole with 100 gms of yogurt and eat it with a meal or by itself. For most digestive disorders, a spoonful of a mixture of basil juice and ginger juice gives prompt relief.
# Stones (bladder):
Make the patient sit on a steam bath prepared with about 100 gms of basil blossoms to a liter of water. Continue treatment daily for a week. Depending on the size and nature of the calculii, they should dissolve and be flushed out with the urine.
# T.B.:
Grind 5 gms each of basil leaves and black pepper and mix with a spoon of honey. The patient should take this twice daily for about two months. In the winter, a little ginger juice and a pinch of salt may also be added. Externally, a mixture of basil and ginger juice may be rubbed over the chest.
# Urinary troubles:
Soak overnight about a teaspoonful of basil seeds in water and in the morning grind them with a little candy sugar and drink in two doses--morning and afternoon. A week’s treatment should clear up all symptoms.
# Whooping cough:
Grind together equal amounts of basil leaves and black pepper and add a little honey so as to have a consistency to make small tablets. These tablets, sucked slowly, should be taken four times a day. In the case of dry cough, take a mixture of equal amounts of the juices of basil seeds, ginger and onion. In the case of loose cough, add candy sugar.
The leaves of tulsi are a nervine tonic and also sharpen memory. They promote the removal of the catarrhal matter and phlegm from the bronchial tube. Tulsi leaves strengthen the stomach and induce copious perspiration. The seed of the tulsi plant are mucilaginous. Below are some of the uses of tulsi.
Anxiety and Stress
Tulsi leaves are regarded as an adaptogen or anti-stress agent. Even healthy persons can chew 12 leaves of the basil, twice a day, to prevent stress. It purifies blood and helps prevent several common elements.
Common Cold & Fever
The leaves of tulsi are specific for many fevers. During the rainy season, when malaria and dengue fever are widely prevalent, tender tulsi leaves, boiled with tea, act as preventive against theses diseases. In case of acute fevers, a decoction of the tulsi leaves boiled with powdered cardamom in half a liter of water and mixed with sugar and milk brings down the temperature.
The juice of tulsi leaves can be used to bring down fever. Extract of tulsi leaves in fresh water is given every 2 to 3 hours. Tulsi is also an important constituent of many Ayurvedic cough syrups and expectorants. It helps to mobilize mucus in bronchitis and asthma. Chewing tulsi leaves relieves cold and flu.
Sore Throat
Water boiled with tulsi leaves can be taken as drink in case of sore throat. This water can also be used as a gargle.
Respiratory disorder
The tulsi herb is useful in the treatment of respiratory system disorder. A decoction of the tulsi leaves, with honey and ginger is an effective remedy for bronchitis, asthma, influenza, cough and cold. A decoction of the tulsi leaves, cloves and common salt also gives immediate relief in case of influenza. They should be boiled in half a liter of water till only half the water is left and add then taken.
Kidney Stone
Tulsi can have a strengthening effect on the kidney. In case of renal stone, the juice of tulsi leaves and honey, if taken regularly for 6 months, can expel them via the urinary tract.
Heart disorder
Tulsi has a beneficial effect in cardiac disease and the weakness resulting from them. It reduces the level of blood cholesterol. As 'Tulsi' (basil) has a positive effect over blood pressure and also a de-toxicant, its regular use prevents heart attacks. A tonic may be prepared by mixing 1 gm of dry 'Tulsi' leaves with a spoonful of butter and some candy sugar or honey. Take twice a day; first thing in the morning and before going to bed at night. The drinking of Tulsi-leaf tea keeps the blood pressure even.
Children’s ailments
Common pediatric problems like cough cold, fever, diarrhea and vomiting respond favorably to the juice of tulsi basil leaves. If pustules of chicken pox delay their appearance, tulsi leaves taken with saffron will hasten them.
Mouth infections
The tulsi leaves are quit effective for the ulcer and infections in the mouth. A few leaves chewed will cure these conditions.
Insect Bites
The tulsi herb is a prophylactic; a preventive and curative for insect stings or bites. A teaspoonful of the juice of the tulsi leaves is taken and a repeated after a few hours. Fresh tulsi juice must also be applied to the affected parts. A paste of fresh roots is also effective in case of bites of insects and leeches. The juice of the leaves is used as an antidote for snake and scorpion bites.
Skin disorders
Applied locally, basil juice is beneficial in the treatment of ringworm and other skin diseases. It has also been tried successfully by some naturopaths I, the treatment of leucoderma.
Eye disorders
Tulsi basil juice is an effective remedy for sore eyes and night-blindness, which is generally caused by deficiency of vitamin A.
Teeth disorder
The tulsi herb is useful in teeth disorders. Its leaves, dried in the sun and powdered, can be used for brushing teeth. It can also be mixed with mustered oil to make a paste and used as toothpaste. This is very good for maintaining dental health , counter acting bad breath and for massaging the gums. It is also useful in pyorrhea and other teeth disorders.
Headaches
Tulsi makes a good medicine for headache. A decoction of the leaves can be given for this disorder. Pounded leaves mixed with sandalwood paste can also be applied on the forehead for getting relief from heat, headache, and for providing coolness in general.
Antimicrobial effects
Essential oil of Tulsi have antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. It inhibits the growth of E coli, B.anthracis, M.tuberculosis etc. Its antitubercular activity is one-tenth the potency of streptomycin and one-fourth that of isoniazid. Preperations containing Tulsi extract significantly shorten the course of illness, clinical symptoms and the biochemical parameters in patients with VIRAL HEPATITS and viral encephalitis.
Antimalarial effects
Essential oil of Tulsi has been reported to possess 100% larvicidal activity against the Culex mosquitoes. Trials have shown excellent antimalarial activity of Tulsi. Its extracts have marked incecticidal activity against mosquitoes.It's repellant action lasts for about two hours.
Antifertility effect
One of the major constituents of the leaves, ursolic acid has been reported to possess antifertility activity in rats and mice. This effect has been attributed to its antiestrogenic effect which may be responsible for arrest of spermatogenesis in males and inhibitory effecton implantation of ovum in females. This constituent may prove to be a promising antifertility agent devoid of side effects.
Anti diabetic effect
A randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over single blind trial on 40 human volunteers suffering from Type II diabetes was performed. During the four week trial, subjects alternately received a daily dose of 2.5 g of Tulsi leaves powder or a placebo for two week periods. The results showed 17.6 % reduction in fasting blood glucose and 7.3% decline in postprandial blood glucose on treatment with Tulsi as compared to the blood glucose levels during treatment with placebo.
