Tulasi: Hindus’ holy plant with surprising health benefits

Tulasi (also known as holy basil or basil) is cultivated in most of the Hindu’s houses and worshipped daily. Along with its religious connotation in Nepal and India among Hindus, this plant has also got medicinal and nutritious properties.

Tulasi (sometimes spelt as ‘Tulsi’) is a herb from the Lamiaceae family that is native to India and Southeast Asia. Tulasi ( Ocimum sanctum ) is also considered ‘The queen of herbs’ as it is regarded as a pre-eminent herb in Ayurvedic medicine. In traditional medicine, Tulasi and each of its parts including stems, roots, leaves, flowers, and seeds have been recommended for curing multiple diseases like bronchitis, malaria, diarrhoea, dysentery, skin disease, arthritis, eye diseases, insect bites and so on.