Holy Basil Ocimum sanctum

“Oh, Narada! Every house, every village, every forest, wherever the plant of Tulsi is grown, their misery, fear, disease and poverty do not exist. Tulsi in all aspects and places is holier than holy. Where the breeze blows through Tulsi plants, it spreads Tulsi's fragrance making the surrounding area pious and pure ”
Shiva

Holy Basil has been used for thousands of years in the traditional medicinal of India, Ayurveda. Known to Hindus as Tulsi the plant is also used in religious ceremonies. Holy Basil is used in Ayurvedic medicine for common colds, headaches, stomach disorders, inflammation, heart disease, various forms of poisoning, and malaria.

Holy Basil is an excellent example of an adaptogen herb that can help relieve the stress of modern living. Oxidation caused by free radicals and chronic inflammation are potent sources of mind and body stress. Sipping tulsi-leaf and other green leaf teas let us "borrow" some of the adaptogenic and antioxidant chemicals that plants produce when making oxygen in their leaves. The phytochemical ursolic acid has a pronounced anti-inflammatory action and is a selective COX-2-inhibitor. It is similar to green tea in its anti-tumor and anti-ulcerative properties. ³ Many clinical studies now support the folklore traditions of holy basil as a safe neuroprotective, that protects the brain against degenerative diseases. ^Citations