Surasa

Ocimum sanctum L.

Surasa

Section/Chapter	Herb database/Surasa
Botanical name(s)	Ocimum sanctum L.(syn. Ocimum tenuiflorum L.)
Family	Lamiaceae
Availability	Available
Contributors	Team Dravyaguna
Year of publication	2026
Publisher	Charak Samhita Research, Training and Skill Development Centre
DOI	Awaited

Tulasi (Ocimum sanctum L.) is one of the most commonly used and widely available herbs with significant therapeutic efficacy.

Botanical Profile & Phytochemistry

Taxonomic Classification

• Family: Lamiaceae
• Species: Ocimum sanctum L.(syn. Ocimum tenuiflorum L.)
• Common Names: Tulsi, Holy Basil, Surasa

Therapeutic uses

Aruchi,Swasa(dyspnea), kasa(cough), krumiroga(worm), kustha(skin disease), pratishyaya(rhinitis), parshwashoola(flank pain)

Synonyms in Charak Samhita

Surasa, Tulsi, Kutherak, Phaninjhak, Arjaka(Tulsi bheda)

Synonyms in bhavprakasa nighantu

Gramya(Common plant grown in all villages), Sulabha(can be seen every where), bahumanjari(tulasi has got many spikes), Apetaraxasi(tulasi brings back normalcy by alleviating many disease), gauri , bhutagni, devadundubhi(the spikes of tulasi resemble a trumpet)

Varieties

Bhavaprakasa nighantu

Mentioned 2 types

1. Sweta tulasi
2. Krishna tulasi

Ayurvedic pharmacological properties

Properties

Sr.no.	Pharmacological criteria	Properties
1	Taste (rasa)	Pungent (katu), Bitter (tikta)
2	Potency (veerya)	Hot (ushna)
3	Post digestion effect (vipaka)	Pungent (katu)
4	Qualities (guna)	Light (laghu), Rough (ruksha)
5	Actions (karma)	Pacify Kapha and Vata
6	Extra ordinary effect (prabhava)	Destroys microbes/germs (krimighna)

Reference in Charak Samhita and its actions

Herbs and their activities

Sr.no.	Reference in Charak Samhita	Activity
1	Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 2/4	Sirovirechana (Errhine therapy)
2	Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 4/9(37)	Shwasahara mahakashaya
3	Cha.Sa.Nidana Sthana 2/4	Nidana of Raktapitta
4	Cha.Sa.Vimana Sthana 6/17	Abhyantar Krimi Chikitsa
5	Cha.Sa.Vimana Sthana 6/21	Abhyantar Krimi Chikitsa
6	Cha.Sa.Chikitsa Sthana 3/267	As an ingredient of Agurvadi taila
7	Cha.Sa.Chikitsa Sthana 5/70	Ingredient of Hingusauvarchaladya ghrita
8	Cha.Sa.Chikitsa Sthana 7/112	Ingredient in Kanakakshiri Taila
9	Cha.Sa.Chikitsa Sthana 8/101	Ingredient in Avaleha

Dose

• 2-3 gm of the drug in powder form

Important formulation

As per A.P.I.

• Manasamitra vataka
• Tribhuvana kirti
• Mukta Panchamruta rasa
• Mahajwarankusa rasa

Current availability

Available India- All over india

Current researches

Primary Phytoconstituents

• Phenylpropanoids: Eugenol (up to 70–80% in volatile oil), methyleugenol, rosmarinic acid.
• Triterpenes: Ursolic acid, oleanolic acid.
• Flavonoids: Apigenin, luteolin, orientin, vicenin.
• Sesquiterpenes: β-caryophyllene.

Pharmacological Mechanism & Therapeutic Efficacy

Adaptogenic and Antistress Activity

• Mechanisms: Regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, suppresses acute elevation of plasma cortisol, and modulates central neurotransmitters (dopamine and serotonin).
• Evidence: Clinical trials using standardized extracts demonstrate reductions in self-reported stress, cognitive fatigue, and stress-induced sleep disturbances.

Immunomodulatory and Anti-inflammatory Effects

• Mechanisms: Downregulates pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β) through inhibition of the NF-κB pathway. Ursolic acid and eugenol selectively inhibit cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity.
• Evidence: Human clinical studies show significant increases in natural killer (NK) cells and T-helper (CD4⁺) lymphocytes following leaf extract administration.

Antidiabetic and Metabolic Regulation

• Mechanisms: Enhances insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells, increases peripheral glucose uptake, and inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis.
• Evidence: Clinical studies show a statistically significant reduction in fasting blood glucose (FBG) and postprandial blood glucose (PPBG) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Antimicrobial and Biofilm Inhibition

• Mechanisms: Disrupts bacterial plasma membrane integrity and inhibits quorum sensing due to high eugenol content.
• Evidence: Broad-spectrum antibacterial action demonstrated against Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Key Bioactive Compounds

Primary Bioactive Compounds of Ocimum sanctum

Chemical Class	Major Compound	Biological Activity	Primary Mechanism
Phenolic/Monoterpene	Eugenol	Anti-inflammatory, Analgesic	COX-2 inhibition, free-radical scavenging
Pentacyclic Triterpene	Ursolic Acid	Anti-inflammatory, Antitumor	Downregulation of NF-κB, induction of apoptosis
Flavonoid Glycoside	Orientin / Vicenin	Radioprotective, Antioxidant	Lipid peroxidation suppression, DNA repair acceleration
Polyphenol	Rosmarinic Acid	Immunomodulatory, Antiviral	Complement activation inhibition, ROS neutralization

Clinical Evidence Summary

Summary of Clinical Outcomes

Target Condition	Study Type	Dosage & Duration	Key Clinical Outcome	Reference
Generalized Anxiety / Stress	Double-Blind RCT	300–1200 mg/day extract (6–8 weeks)	Decreased stress scores, improved attention and sleep	Cohen (2014)
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus	Crossover Clinical Trial	2.5 g leaf powder daily (4 weeks)	Significant reduction in FBG (17.6%) and PPBG (7.3%)	Cohen (2014)
Immune Response Modulation	Open-label Phase I Trial	300 mg ethanolic extract daily (4 weeks)	Significant elevation in IFN-γ, IL-4, CD4+ count	Cohen (2014)
Metabolic Syndrome / Lipids	Double-Blind RCT	1000 mg/day extract (8 weeks)	Reduced total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglycerides	Cohen (2014)

Toxicology and Safety

• Acute Toxicity: Preclinical studies indicate an LD₅₀ > 4000 mg/kg body weight for aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts, establishing a wide therapeutic index.
• Adverse Effects: Highly tolerated in clinical trials. Mild transient gastrointestinal distress reported rarely.
• Drug Interactions: May exert additive effects when co-administered with hypoglycemic agents or anticoagulants (due to mild antiplatelet activity). Use caution in patients on antiplatelet therapy.

External links

IMPPAT database