ocimum sanctum (tulasi)


In modern world, cancer is a leading cause of death. Cancer treatment options such as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are costly, have serious side effects and residual morbidity. It has been found that ethanolic extract of Tulsi produces a reduction in tumor size and an increase in the life expectancy of mice that have Sarcoma-180 solid tumors. This result has also been demonstrated by anticancer activity of Ocimum sanctum in Lewis lung carcinoma animal model. Ursolic acid has anticancer property. O. sanctum provides a protective effect on DNA from harmful radiations. O. sanctum is significantly useful against a variety tumor genesis states. The administration of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of O. sanctum to mice having Solid Sarcoma-180 tumors leads to a considerable reduction in tumor size. Tulsi extract also has an anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenging potential which also play a crucial role in reducing certain type of cancerous cell growth. Ursolic acid and Curcumin isolated from Tulsi has an anti-inflammatory, cyclooxygenase inhibitory and antioxidant activity. O. sanctum increases the production and storage of glutathione and produces an increase in glutathione-S-transferase activity by approximately 78% in mice. In Dalton Lymphoma ascites tumor model in Swiss, the chemo preventive effect and anti-tumor growth of O. sanctum L., were observed in Albino mice. The crude herb ingestion leads to an increase in the survival time and produces a reduction in the peritoneal ascetic fluid in a DMBA  induced rat hepatocyte. There was dose dependent decrease in the levels of DMBA-DNA by using extract. It is stated that O. sanctum leaf extract produces a reduction in chemical carcinogenesis through the metabolic activation pathway inhibition in the carcinogen seed [36]. Oil of O. sanctum is effective as a chemo preventive agent against the development of fibro sarcoma in Swiss albino mice induced through a subcutaneously injected 20-methylcholanthrene. This produces an increase in the survival rate and delay in tumor incidence when administered to mice. The end product lipid peroxidation and Liver enzymatic and malondialdehyde levels were considerably altered when oil was given to mice as compared to untreated mice that had been injected with 20-methylcholanthrene. The chemo preventive potential is thus, due to the antioxidant properties and produces a considerable reduction in tumor size. In rats, the radio-protective effect was studied stated by administration on the salivary glands and the activity was compared with a radio protectant, amifostinepre. O. sanctum and amifostinepre-supplemented and consequently given to rats for 3 and 6 months with positive results on high dose . Alcoholic root extract of tulsi is also effective against lung carcinoma cells.


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