A Systemic Review of Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum or Ocimum sanctum): Phytoconstituents, Ethnobotanical and Pharmacological Profile

Abstract

Ocimum tenuiflorum Linn. is an Ayurvedic herb commonly regarded as Tusli or Holy Basil. The plant has a long traditional medicinal history. In India Tulsi is worshipped by Hindus and is abundantly found in all regions. Each part of a plant like stems, roots, seeds, leaves, flowers, and fruits have their own curative properties and functions reported by many researchers. The varieties of active chemical constituents; terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, fatty acid derivatives, essential oil, fixed oil, and steroids are extracted from the Ocimum tenuiflorum plant and are determined of great therapeutic activities. The therapeutic actions of Tulsi compounds recreate their remedial attention and in the standardization of their medicinal results. Eugenol, Oleanolic Acid, Linalool, Ursolic Acid, Beta-Caryophyllene, Rosemarinic Acid, Estragole, Carvacrol, Methyl Cinnamate are the major compounds which are leads to various actions against diseases. This review article summarizes researchers validated various pharmacological actions of these active chemical constituents that have great potential against, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anti- inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral (especially against Covid-19/Coronavirus, helpful in the current scenario of “pandemic”), cardioprotective, antihypertensive, and other activities as well. This will be useful for developing new active principles and therapeutics or new life-saving drugs by researchers, practitioners, and students who were implicated in the field of ethnopharmacology.