Ocimum tenuiflorum

Indian basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum )

Indian basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum ), also Tulsi or Tulasi ( Sanskrit: तुलसी ), called King Basil or Holy Basil, is a species of the genus basil (Ocimum ) within the mint family ( Lamiaceae). Its natural habitat is the tropical and subtropical Asia, and northern Australia.

Description

The Indian basil grows as a perennial herbaceous plant growth and reaches heights of up to 100 centimeters. The straight stems can become woody at the base and has many fine hairy branches. The oppositely arranged leaves are continually divided into petiole and leaf blade. The petioles are 1 to 2.5 inches long. The simple leaf blade is at a length from 2.5 to 5.5 centimeters and a width of 1 to 3 centimeters long with a triangular Spreitenbasis, blunt upper end and slightly serrated leaf edge. The leaves are finely hairy everywhere, but especially to the leaf veins.

In terminal, 6-8 cm long inflorescences aged men are six flowers together in Scheinquirlen. The bracts are heart-shaped and pointed at a length and a width of about 1.5 millimeters. The flower stalks are 2.5 millimeters long. The hermaphrodite flowers are zygomorphic and fürfzählig double perianth. The 2.5 -millimeter-long sepals are fused bell-shaped and the chalice is two-lipped. The petals are white to reddish. The brown nutlets are with 1 times 0.7 millimeters slightly ovoid and slightly bumpy.

The chromosome number is 4n = 36

Characteristics distinguishing similar species

As a botanical distinction from similar types of basil in particular the posterior stamens apply. These are imperforated only tenuiflorum O. and O. tashiroi at the base. In contrast to O. Finally, also has tashiroi Indian basil there feathery to hairy tufts, the leaves are more elongated with blunt tip pointed as ovoid, and the bracts rather heart-shaped.

Ingredients

Among the ingredients of basil plants in general, see Basil ( genus ).

The proportion of essential oil in Indian basil is lower than in many types of basil and is between 0.3 and 0.8 per cent, but there are also reports on shares of 4 percent. The highest level is reached towards the end of the flowering period. The substances contained in the oil vary widely, depending on origin and variety. Main ingredient can be so, depending on the chemotype eugenol, methyl eugenol or be estragole. As an example, in the following, the values ​​of two recent studies:

• Oil from Thai varieties contained mainly eugenol (25 to 80 percent), and sometimes much methyleugenol (3 to 40 percent). The most frequent sesquiterpene beta- caryophyllene occurred (up to 30 percent), and beta- elements (up 15 percent).
• In a Warsaw Greenhouse Plants grown, however, mainly beta -bisabolol contained (13 to 20 percent), estragole (5 to 19 percent), 1,8- cineole ( 9-33 percent), eugenol ( 4-9 percent ), ( e ) alpha- bisabolol ( 4-7 percent), alpha-terpineol ( 1.7 to 7 percent). Methyleugenol could not be detected.

Furthermore, the plant comprises in addition a number of other eugenol potent antioxidants which together probably responsible for a large part of medical effects. In a comparison of several types of basil, the antioxidants contained in the Indian basil were the strongest.

Pharmacology

For many of the pharmacological effects of the Indian basil eugenol contained and other antioxidative phenols and flavonoids can be held responsible. Both essential oil and eugenol alone have anthelmintic effect in the laboratory.

In several laboratory studies have antibacterial effects of Indian basil, especially against Staphylococcus aureus, confirmed. Also demonstrated radioprotective effects are due to safety on antioxidant mechanisms.

In addition, ( animals as well as clinical studies) could be shown in several experiments that the plant produces an anti-stress effect. The plant also has analgesic and against stress-related high blood pressure. An anti -diabetic effect of Saatöls made ​​of Indian basil, however, could not be confirmed.

In an animal study with rats the harmful neurological effects of noise have been prevented with alcoholic extract of the plant.

Last time was aqueous extract of dried Indian basil is able to improve certain coordination services in mice, indicating possible use as a nootropic.

Use

Religion

In the religious life of many Hindus, the plant is considered under the name of Tulsi as particularly sacred herb, the religious ceremonies plays a role and is associated with many legends. It is part of Ayurveda, the traditional Indian art of healing, and is used in South and Southeast Asia in the kitchen and for repelling insects. In the Hindu religion Tulsi represents the presence of Vishnu or his incarnation Krishna and expresses his divine protection from. The shrub with the tender leaves is in India to countless doorways or in the courts. Frequently it take a painted decorative stones that make the course with the plant to an altar. Especially among women is the daily worship of Krishna, Vishnu or his wife Lakshmi used in the Tulsi Plant: You sit down to sitting cross-legged on the ground, as before an altar, says his prayers, ringing a small bell and waves a Puja Lamp.

Located in the historic forest of Vrindavan, where Krishna is said to have spent, according to Hindu tradition of his youth, are still tulsi shrubs whose leaves are used by Hindus as a daily sacrifice. On one hand, the Tulsi plant is considered to be herbal form of God - on the other hand is a branch of it, or at least a single sheet as an important offering and is an indispensable part in religious services in honor of Vishnu. Especially his followers carry small balls, cut from the wood of the branches, giving a blessing necklace around your neck or use it as prayer beads ( mala ). The leaves of the plant have, it is believed, such a strong cleaning effect that they can wash away sins themselves - that's why Hindus lay them on the dying often under the tongue and throw them into the fire, where the dead are burned.

Ethnobotany

The Holy of this plant is also expressed in the healing effects: see natural medicine Royal Ayurveda. Throughout Asia, it is estimated as a remedy, especially when all the weaknesses in the digestive tract, protect the immune system against stress, the inner heat treatment as well as for its anti- bacterial effect and to lower cholesterol. In Europe, the plant has found its way into the medicinal tea assortment.

Kitchen

In Ayurveda, Tulsi is commonly used as a tea, this is pure or in various mixtures available (such as with ginger or green tea). Tulsitee is usually obtained from the three different varieties Rama Tulsi, Krishna Tulsi and Vana Tulsi.

In Thai cuisine is Indian Basil Basil is one of the species that may be present in the spice Horapa. Very often it is in fried meat included in a 'country - style' curry as gaprao or pad. Generally leaves of the plant are added towards the end of cooking to preserve their flavor. Also, freeze-dried, you can use it.

Taxonomy

The first publication of Ocimum tenuiflorum was in 1753 by Linnaeus in Species Plantarum, 1, p tenuiflorum 597 synonyms for Ocimum L. are: Ocimum sanctum L. Ocimum sanctum var angustifolium Benth, Ocimum sanctum var cubensis Gomes, Ocimum. sanctum var hirsutum ( Benth. ) Hook.f., Geniosporum tenuiflorum (L.) Merr., Lumnitzera tenuiflora (L.) Spreng., Moschosma tenuiflorum (L.) Heynh. , Ocimum anisodorum F.Muell. , Ocimum caryophyllinum F Muell., Ocimum hirsutum Benth., Ocimum inodorum Burm.f., Ocimum monachorum L., Ocimum. scutellarioides Willd. ex Benth., Ocimum subserratum B.Heyne ex Hook.f., Ocimum tenuiflorum var anisodorum ( F.Muell. ) Domin, Ocimum tenuiflorum f villicaulis Domin, Ocimum tomentosum Lam., Plectranthus monachorum (L.) Spreng.