Plant Report

Scientific name: Ocimum tenuiflorum

Common name: Tulasi/Tulsi
Conditions for proper growth:
Tulasi grows in rich loamy soil with ample precipitation and strong sun. Tulasi does fine in a
standard rich potting soil. Though Tulasi grows as a perennial throughout India, it is planted right
before the monsoon in the intense heat and sun of North Indian summers. In most areas, the first
planting is in April, typically indoors in a greenhouse or some protected area.

Uses:
Tulasi has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda for its diverse healing properties. It is
mentioned in the Charaka Samhita, an ancient Ayurvedic text. Tulasi 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.
Tulasi extracts are used in ayurvedic remedies for a variety of ailments. Traditionally, tulasi is
taken in many forms: as herbal tea, dried powder, fresh leaf or mixed with ghee. Essential oil
extracted from Karpoora tulasi is mostly used for medicinal purposes and in herbal cosmetics.
For centuries, the dried leaves have been mixed with stored grains to repel insects. In Sri Lanka
this plant is used as a mosquito repellent.
Isolated tulasi extracts have antibacterial activity against E. coli.

ANSHUMAN MITRA
12 A
ROLL NO : 7