The researchers at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have found that 'Ocimum sanctum' (Tulsi) is possessing very strong cardioprotective properties.

A three year long study, supported by Ministry of Environment and Forests under its medicinal plant development programme, and carried out by the Department of Pharmacology at AIIMS, came across the positive effects of oral administration of hydroalcoholic Tulsi leaf extract protection against isoproterenol induced myocardial injury.

Informing this to pharmabiz.com, Dr S K Gupta, head, Department of Pharmacology, AIIMS said that his team of researchers is in the process of developing a cardioprotective drug based on Tulsi. The researchers have found that Tulsi possesses hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, adaptogenic, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, radioprotective and anti-inflammatory properties.

According to Dr Gupta, the animal studies on the herb extract for analyzing the efficacy of the drug is completely over. "We are now conducting toxicology studies. Since Tulsi is a natural product, there is no chance for any adverse report. Trials on humans would be the next major step," he explained.

"We are the first to conduct a study at the molecular level to identify the cardio-protective properties of Tulsi. All advanced techniques have been made use of to analyse the effectiveness of action on animals," he added.

The study was based on a pilot study which demonstrated dose dependent development of severity of myocardial necrotic tissue, confirmed morphologically, biochemically and histopathologically. The results were in confirmation with earlier studies, which also showed that the severity and extent of myocardial damage varies directly with the dose and rate of ISO administration. The AIIMS study was designed to systematically evaluate the hydroalcoholic extracts of Tulsi leaves for its potential as a cardioprotective agent.

The researchers involved in the project are Meenu Sharma, Kamal Kishore, Suresh K Gupta, Sujata Joshi and Dharamvir S Arya.

The results of the study were published in a high-ranking journal "Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry" recently.