Vern. : — Râm-tulsi (Hind, and Dec); Râm-tulshi (Beng.) ; Furanjmishk (Arab.); Palangmishk (Pers.) ; Elumich-chamtolashi (Tam.) ; Nimmatulasi (Tel.) ; Káttu-tuttuvá (Mal.) ; Banjere (Pb.) ; Râmatulas (Mar.) ; Avachibâ-vachi (Guz.)
Habitat : - Bengal, Chittagong, E. Nepal and throughout the Deccan Peninsula.
A strongly-scented, perennial shrub, 4-8ft. glabrescent, much- branched, woody below. Leaves 2-4in. ovate acute crenate or coarsely toothed. Petiole l-2in. Racemes strict, slender; whorl rather close set ; bracts sessile, lanceolate, awned from a rounded base, longer than the Calyx. Calyx pubescent, fruiting ¼in. long, recurved ; two lower Calyx-teeth minute, much shorter than the rounded upper, lateral triangular, broader than the lower. Corolla 1/6in., hardly exceeding the Calyx, pale yellow. Filaments exserted, knee bearded. Nutlets sab-globose, rugose, with glandular depressions (J. D. Hooker).
Uses : — It is an esteemed remedy in gonorrhœa. Dr. Waitz (Dis. of Children in Hot Climate, p. 196) states that in the aphthae of children he found a strong decoction of the plant effectual when ordinary European remedies had failed. He also advises {Ibid., p. 230) the use of aromatic baths of fumigations prepared with this plant in the treatment of rheumatism and paralysis (Bouton, Med. Plants of Mauritius p. 120). Ph. Ind.
A decoction of the leaves is of value in cases of seminal weakness (S. Arjun). The seeds are given in headaches and neuralgia.
The sample of oil of Ocimum gratissimum L. prepared at Dabakala is very limpid and golden yellow in colour. Tts odour is perfectly similar to that of the oil of ajowan seeds.
Its constants are :
- Density at 15° C ... ... ... 0.9105
- Polarmetric rotation ... ... +0.58'
Soluble in l 1/5 vol. of 80 per cent alcohol, later an opalescence.
Judging from its odour, this essential oil should contain a large proportion of thymol or carvacrol.
Agitation with a 5 per cent aqueous solution of caustic soda showed that it contains, as a matter of fact, 44 per cent of phenolic constituents. The alkaline solution is decomposed by dilute sulphuric acid, then exhausted with ether. By rapid evaporation in a small porcelain capsule, this solvent
