Plants are excellent sources of active components that act as natural antimicrobial agents and have been used to treat various diseases since ancient times. Tulsi is the most sacred plant of India. The Ocimum sanctum has many beneficial properties, antioxidative, antimicrobial, antistress, antidiabetic, antiviral, and many others. Tulsi is one of the most aromatic herbs, which is widely used in the Pharmaceutical Industry. O. sanctum is mostly used in the form of extract and oil. The main secondary metabolites of Tulsi extract are Eugenol, Linalool, β-Caryophyllene, Carvacrol, Apigenin, Rosmarinic Acid, and Urosolic Acid. These are derivatives of alkaloids, phenols, glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, steroids, and quinones isolated from Ocimum sanctum and other medicinal plants. Tulsi leaf extract also inhibits the growth of pathogens, responsible for the spoilage of fresh products. Tulsi extract shows inhibitory effects against pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus mirabilis, Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella phae, Shigella dysentriae, Bacillus pumilus, Aspergillus spp., Candida albicans, and Penicellium spp. Essential oil and extract of Tulsi leaves has antiviral properties and are used extensively in medical practices. It is an excellent antimicrobial agent, so it is used in food products as an ingredient in medicine.
Shalini Jaiswal (Wed,) studied this question.