Siddha Home Remedies: Medicinal Benefits of Thulasi (Holy Basil)

Herbs have been used in religious ceremonies since time immemorial.  Arugampul (Bermuda grass), vilva, neem, thulasi are some examples.  Thulasi or Holy Basil is the prasada given to devotees in Indian temples.  Thulasi thirtha or holy water infused with thulasi leaves is beneficial to both body and mind.

Thulasi is a kayakalpa herb.  It grows to a height of 75 centimeter to a meter with small hairy leaves and hairy stem.  It has white flowers and small black seeds. Siddha and Ayurveda medicinal systems make use of thulasi to treat fevers, vomiting, dysentery, malaria, bronchitis etc.  Unani medicinal system uses thulasi to purify blood, treat heart conditions and cool the body.

Tulsi is used in treating

•     Ailments of chest including cough, cold, bronchitis
•     Fevers like malaria, pneumonia and influenza
•     Heart conditions
•     Cholera, dysentery
•     Migraine
•     Asthma
•     Smokers cough
•     Inflammation of lungs
•     Blood pressure
•     Abdominal distention
•     Liver diseases
•     Hemorrhoids
•     Anal itch
•     Skin diseases
•     Leprosy
•     Head lice
•     Menstrual disorders
•     Poisonous bites
•     Nail infections

Thulasi for Children

Thulasi or holy basil is known to clear chest congestion in infants.  For this infants are fed milk mixed with juice of tulsi leaves.  This also helps cure indigestion and loose watery stools in kids.  One method to treat whooping cough in infants - collect mature dry tulsi leaves and flowers, long pepper and sweetflag in equal quantity by weight.  Grind and powder all the three to a fine consistency.  Half a teaspoon of this preparation is mixed with honey and given twice a day.

Thulasi for Asthma

Four tulsi leaves and four vilva leaves along with four peppercorns are taken first thing in the morning on empty stomach.  This is thoroughly chewed and then swallowed down.  This helps ease labored breathing of asthmatic patients.

Thulasi for Heart

Juice obtained from thulasi leaves is mixed with honey of equal quantity.  A spoonful of this is taken in the mornings on empty stomach on a regular basis.  This is found to benefit irregular palpitation and strengthen the heart muscles.

Tulsi for Lungs

Fresh tulsi leaves are crushed to obtain 25-50 ml of juice.  This is added to ginger juice of same quantity.  A spoonful of this mixture is taken with honey for a month or two depending on the intensity.  This is found to bring down inflammation of lungs.  This relieves asthma, cough etc.  In case of influenza, a pinch of powdered cloves and salt are added to tulsi steeped water and taken three times a day.

Tulsi for Teeth

Tooth cavity and diseases of gums can be taken care of with the help of thulasi.  Press powdered thulasi leaves, powdered cloves and a pinch of camphor on affected tooth.  The same preparation can also be used as a tooth powder.  This takes care of inflamed gums and removes bad breath.

Thulasi home remedy for Bloody Hemorrhoids

Juice obtained from crushed thulasi leaves 250 ml is added to kuppaimeni juice of equal quantity.  Castor bean oil 250 ml is added to this mixture and boiled thoroughly to remove the moisture content.  50 ml of the resulting oil is taken at night for a week.  This is found to relieve hemorrhoids.

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Medicinal Uses of Flowers

Snake gourd flower

Snake gourd or serpent gourd is a vegetable obtained from Trichosanthes cucumerina, a vine found mostly in the tropical regions. The vegetable is popular in South Asian cuisine. The shoots, leaves, flowers all have medicinal value. This soft fleshy vegetable can grow to a length of 1 m to 1.5 m and has a bland taste. Snake gourd flower is well known for its alkaline property.

Poriyal (Tamil word for dish made from shallow frying of vegetables or flowers) made from thoroughly washed snake gourd flowers is good for the eyes. People with burning sensation or itching in the eyes due to ‘body heat’ can take this regularly for a few days to cool their bodies.

Juice extracted from the flowers (this can be done by crushing the flowers) is mixed with papaya latex and the ensuing paste is applied on eczema, scabies etc. Regular application of this mixture is very effective in curing these skin conditions.

One cure for dry cough is to mix honey with snake gourd flower juice (the juice should be slightly heated and then brought to room temperature before mixing). The mixture should be applied externally on the throat as a thin layer. Regular application results in quick healing of dry cough.

Vallarai flower

Vallarai herb grows abundantly in shady areas by the side of rivers and water bodies. This herb is called brain tonic because of its action on brain tissues. It enhances memory, intelligence, complexion, voice etc. It is an excellent herb for anemia. Flowers of this herb also serve the same purpose.

Vallarai flowers can be dried in sunlight and then powdered to a fine consistency. This can be taken with milk. This is an excellent memory enhancer. The same can be mixed in tender coconut water and taken once in the mornings. This helps alleviate tuberculosis symptoms.

Bitter melon flower

Bitter melon or bitter gourd is the most bitter of all fruits that grows widely in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean etc. Known for its distinctive warty exterior, bitter melon comes in different varieties and shapes. The leaves and shoots of the bitter melon plant are eaten as greens. Tea made from the leaves is used in preventing and treating malaria. It has substances like charantin and lectin which have hypoglycemic properties.

Bitter melon flowers have anti bacterial and anti viral properties. The juice obtained by crushing the flowers is an excellent vermifuge. This is taken orally for expulsion of worms from the intestines.

Ajwain water (Caraway seeds) is added to crushed bitter gourd flowers and taken in the mornings and evenings. This is a very effective remedy for painful, bloated stomach.

Decoction of bitter gourd flower is an excellent remedy for controlling blood sugar levels in diabetic patients. For this eight to ten bitter gourd flowers are taken and boiled in four glasses of water. The water is reduced to one glass and allowed to cool. This is taken in the mornings on empty stomach.

The flowers are dried in sunlight for a couple of days. The dried flowers are added to buttermilk and taken in the mornings for a week or two. This is found to be an excellent cleanser.

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