Tulsi, Holy Basil

Plant: Ocimum tenuiflorum, or tulsi or holy basil is an annual in Ontario. This immensely fragrant plant is from the Lamiaceae family. Holy basil likes rich soil with lots of moisture. (Carpenter and Carpenter 2015) It is a tender plant and will not tolerate frost. We plant tulsi on the farm after May long weekend, when morning frost is no longer a danger.

Parts Used: aerial parts (Chevallier 2023)

Constituents: Volatile oil, flavonoids, triterpene, polyphenols, saponins

Actions: Analgesic, anti-inflammatory, adaptogen

Energetics: Cooling and drying ( Easley and Horne 2016)

Traditional Medicine: Holy basil is used in Ayurvedic medicine. It is a herb sacred to the goddess Lakshmi, wife of Vishnu, the god that preserves life. It is primary used for fevers. Avicenna considered all basils to be heart exhilarants, useful for increasing joy and happiness (Easley and Horne 2016) Laboratory research is shown in to reduce blood pressure.

Safety considerations: Do not take if pregnant. Do not take if trying to conceive. (Chevallier 2023)