Just a few of my faves in the garden. Tulsi smells like heaven. In my garden, the smell floats in the air. The leaves and flowering tops are harvested and used fresh or dried in teas, tinctures, or infused oils. Tulsi has flavonoids, triterpenes, ursolic acid, and volatile oils, with vitamins A and C. Peppermint and Lemon Balm, come in to soothe and refresh the mind and body. Ginger offers support to the immune system. What an excellent tea.

Tulsi, Ocimum tenuiflorum, Ocimum spp. have 21 medicinal actions. Tulsi’s focus is to open and balance. Here are a few: antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, adaptogenic, immunomodulating, antioxidant, neuroprotective, radioprotective, anticancer, alterative, antispasmodic, expectorant, decongestant, carminative, stimulating, emmenagogue, galactagogue, nervine, heart opening, and antidepressant actions. Its expectorant, decongestant, stimulant, emmenagogic, and galactagogue actions are opening, while its alterative, immunomodulating, carminative, antidepressant, and nervine actions are balancing.

Tulsi is an immunomodulator, strengthening and balancing the immune system’s ability to respond to infection. A clinical trial in 2011 showed significant increases in immunological parameters, which indicate that the leaf extract had an immunomodulatory role on healthy volunteers—this is incredible.

One more I want to share about this amazing botanical. Tulsi is the radioprotective, anticancer action. Tulsi is considered to help guard against cancer and is also used for support during chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Preclinical studies have shown that tulsi prevented chemical-induced skin, liver, oral, and lung cancers. It was shown to mediate these effects by increasing the antioxidant activity, altering the gene expressions, inducing apoptosis, and inhibiting angiogenesis and metastasis. These studies indicate that Tulsi protects against radiation-induced sickness, mortality, skin tissue damage, and DNA damage due to their phytochemicals. (Baliga et al., 2013, Abstract) What fantastic support this plant offers to us.

Avoid use during pregnancy or if you are trying to get pregnant. In addition, be aware that tulsi may speed up the elimination of some medications; it is also slightly blood thinning and has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels.