Tag Archives: Tulsi

Bramhi, Branolia Health, Kulekhara, Trifala, Tulsi

The Indispensable Ayurvedic Herbs

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Essential Ayurvedic Herbs - Branolia Chemicals

 

Ayurveda exemplifies an indigenous system of medicine that has remained an indivisible part of Indian culture. Even though this traditional system of medicine has its roots embedded in India, Ayurvedic practices have been widely adopted by different cultures all over the world. It is believed that Ayurveda’s global demand will observe a meteoric rise in the upcoming years. An article published by Maximize Market Research Pvt Ltd1, an Indian consultancy firm located in Pune, Maharashtra, providing insights into market research and analysis, has predicted that the value of the global Ayurveda market will propel to $US 14.9 billion by 2026 from $ US 4.5 billion in 2017, at a CAGR of 16.14%. Therefore, the future of Ayurveda appears bright as more and more novel Ayurvedic companies foray into the global market and address the needs of the common man.

Branolia Chemical Works is one company that has upheld the principles of Ayurveda for the past 95 years. They offer a wide range of products that are enriched with herbs like Aswagandha, Brahmi, Kulekhara, Triphala, Vasak, Pipul, Nagkesar, Kalmegh, and Tulsi.

Below are listed few herbs which add value to the products of Branolia Chemical Works

Aswagandha(Withania somnifera)- The name of this shrub is justified as it is kept after “ashwa”, meaning horse, since its roots give off the stench of a horse. This herb is a well-known adaptogen. It relieves the body of stress and anxiety. The leaves of this herb are effective against fever. It is present in Branolia’s HoneyGuard, which is used for combating cough and cold. Aswagandha is also effective in treating anemia. It is also one of the constituents of Branolia’s Kulerron which is a tonic that treats iron deficiency.

Brahmi(Bacopa monnieri)– This perennial, creeping, neuroprotective herb stimulates specific chemicals for proper brain functioning and improves memory. Brahmi extracts improve hand-eye coordination in children between 6 to 8 years of age. The intake of Brahmi is one of the appropriate options for curing Alzheimer’s disease as well.

Branolia is an Ayurvedic tonic which is prepared from Brahmi extracts aimed at sharpening the mind and improving concentration. This tonic also possesses properties that rejuvenate the body.

Kulekhara(Hygrophila spinosa T)- Kulekhara is commonly known as swamp weeds. Kulekhara contains terpenoids, alkaloids, and flavonoids as well as various health-promoting properties. Different parts of Kulekhara come handy in the treatment of disorders like anasarca, hyperdipsia, vesical calculi and diseases pertaining to the urinogenital tract. This herb also assists in bolstering the hemoglobin level in the body.  

Branolia’s Kulerron is one product of Branolia Chemical Works which derives its efficacy from the extracts of Kulekhara, Aswagandha, and Nagkesar. Aswagandha is also rich in iron and plays an important role in enhancing hemoglobin content.

Triphala- This is a polyherbal Ayurvedic medicine which comprises the dried fruits of Amlaki, Haritaki, and Bibhitaki. The combination of three herbs not only acts as a laxative but also increases appetite and lessens hyperacidity. It is endowed with anti-bacterial properties that suppress the growth of undesirable gut microbes.

Triphala, along with Kalmegh extracts is formulated into Livonia. This is a product of Branolia Chemical Works which aims at monitoring the functional efficiency of the liver.

Tulsi(Ocimum tenuiflorum)–  This shrub is often referred to as the “elixir of life”. Tulsi possesses germicidal and anti-biotic properties that are helpful in curing fever. This aromatic shrub eliminates any congestion in the bronchial airway. Tulsi also liquefies phlegm deposits and is an excellent antidote against cough and cold. Branolia’s HoneyGuard and Bitocough are two products of Branolia Chemical Works which include the usefulness of Tulsi.

Branolia Chemical Works has always strived to benefit the people by obtaining the best of Ayurvedic herbs to prepare suitable concoctions. The products of Branolia Chemical Works come at reasonable prices thus making it affordable for the masses and aim at diminishing the illnesses affecting the common man.

Bellytone, Bitocough, Branolia, Branolia Health, Haritaki, Honey Guard, Jastimadhu, Livonia, Tulsi, Vasak

Stay Healthy During Monsoon with Ayurveda

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Monsoon stems from an Arabic word meaning ‘seasons’. After the hot and humid summer months, the rains come as a blessing for one and all. Whether it drizzles or comes down as a wall of water, the soft vibration over the green landscape that mutes the noises of daily life reduces the intense speed of our usual activities. The monsoon season is a time of introspection, a period which through nature’s support is ideal for meditation and Ayurvedic treatments.

In Ayurveda, every season has its advantages and disadvantages. Each season is also accompanied by some doshas. Monsoon is the time when the Vata Dosha prevails. Ayurveda primarily focuses on cleansing the body of substances that cause diseases thus re-establishing harmony and balance. The doshas that attain priority during the monsoon season are:

a) Vata – It increases during the monsoon season which is the main cause of weakened digestion, acidic atmospheric conditions and gas produced from the earth and;

b) Pitta – Accumulation of Pitta due to the atmospheric condition gives rise to various stomach ailments.

In order to keep both Vata and Pitta under control, certain food and lifestyle changes are mandatory.

Branolia Chemicals has a potpourri of solutions to tackle the aggravation of Vata and accumulation of Pitta.

The best of therapeutic ayurvedic medicines from the house of Branolia Chemicals are:

  1. Branolia’s Honey Guard – This formulation brings along with it the goodness of Tulsi, Jostimadhu, Ashwagandha, Sunth and Honey to help in digestion and also to prevent cough and cold. It also acts as a health protector which can be consumed by people of all ages. This formulation also helps in fighting disease-causing Tulsi(Ocimum sanctum)  which has been frequently recommended by the Ayurvedic research community because of its ability to fight lifestyle diseases resulting from imbalances of Vata and Pitta.
  2. Bitocough – The essential ingredients used in the making of Bitocough, are Vasak, Pipul, Tulsi, and Jastimadhu. Vasak one of the key herbs in Bitocough has expectorant properties and acts as a bronchodilator. It is greatly used in respiratory troubles. It relieves a cough and fights off respiratory infections. It also helps in the management of asthma. Vasak and Tulsi are the most important ingredients in all ayurvedic cough syrup to fight cough and cold.
  3. Bellytone – During the monsoon, weakened digestion due to the acidic atmospheric condition is one of the prime cause of all diseases. Bellytone from the house of Branolia Chemicals is an ayurvedic syrup which tackles the gastrointestinal problems arising in this particular season. The herbs used in the making of Bellytone are Haritaki, Sonapata, and Ajowan. Consumption of these herbs helps balance the Vata and Pitta dosha in the body.
  4. Livonia –Regular intake of Livonia during the monsoon months works together in a synergistic manner to create an effect that is far more powerful and also more balanced than the effect created by individual herbs. It is one of best tonic to enhance the overall functioning of the liver.

Regular intake of these formulations from the house of Branolia Chemicals will help balance Vata and Pitta dosha in the body and fight against the onslaught of diseases during the monsoon.

Branolia Health, Honey Guard

Researchers Recommend Tulsi to Combat Lifestyle Related Chronic Diseases

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Applause for Tulsi(Ocimum sanctum Linn)  from the Ayurveda research community is becoming more and more pronounced with a number of journal papers attesting Tulsi’s ability to battle lifestyle disease resulting from physical, chemical, metabolic and psychological stress through a unique combination of pharmacological actions (1).

tulsi

Tulsi has been attested to protect organs and tissues against chemical stress from industrial pollutants and heavy metals. Lab results and trials show that Tulsi has protected against the toxic effects of industrial chemicals such as butylparaben,[2] carbon tetrachloride,[3] copper sulfate[4] and ethanol,[5] and common pesticides such as rogor,[6] chlorpyrifos[7], endosulfan[8] and lindane[9]. Tulsi has also been shown to protect against the toxic effects of many pharmaceuticals drugs including acetaminophen [10], meloxicam[11], paracetamol[12], haloperidol[13] and anti-tubercular drugs[14].

Tulsi is also credited with giving brightness to the complexion, mellifluousness to the voice and help foster stamina and a calm emotional disposition. In addition, tulsi is recommended as a treatment for a range of conditions including anxiety, cough, asthma, diarrhea, fever, dysentery, arthritis, eye diseases, otalgia, indigestion, hiccups, vomiting, gastric, cardiac and genitourinary disorders, back pain, skin diseases, ringworm, insect, snake and scorpion bites and malaria[15,16,17,18].

Tulsi helps in prevention of cancers caused by toxic compounds by reducing DNA damage[19] and inducing apoptosis in precancerous and cancerous cells, thereby reducing the growth of tumors[20,21].Tulsi also enables the enhancement in liver detoxification enzymes such as the cytochrome P450 enzymes, which deactivates toxic chemicals and enables them to be safely excreted[22].

Tulsi has radioprotective effects by cleaning free radicals and reducing the oxidative cellular and chromosomal damage brought about by radiation,[23,24,25,26] enabling reduction of organ damage and enhancing post-radiation survival in experimental animals[27,28,29].

Numerous animal experiments and human clinical trials have shown that tulsi has anti-diabetic activity. Tulsi can reduce blood glucose, correct abnormal lipid profiles[30,31] and protect the liver and kidneys from the metabolic damage caused by high glucose levels[32]. Tulsi has also been shown to improve lipid profiles[33,34], prevent weight gain, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and insulin resistance[35,36], and protect the organs and blood vessels from atherosclerosis[32,37] in laboratory animals fed high-fat diets. Similarly, in human clinical trials, tulsi has shown to decrease glucose levels, improve blood pressure and lipid profiles[38,39,40] and reduce many diabetic symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes.[41]

There are many more benefits from Tulsi which scientific studies have verified which we will be discussed in subsequent Branolia Chemicals blog posts.

At Branolia Chemical Works we stand by Tulsi and it is used extensively in all our Ayurvedic formulations may that be Bitocough , Branolia, Honey Guard, Kulleron and Livonia. We at Branolia prefer the black/purple variety of Tusli in our ayurvedic formulas. This is done since the black/purple tulsi has high content of phenolic compounds and anti-oxidant properties compared to the green/white vana tulsi(42).

References:

  1. Cohen, Marc Maurice, Tulsi – Ocimum sanctum: A herb for all reasons, J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2014 Oct-Dec; 5(4): 251–259.
  2. Shah K, Verma RJ. Protection against butyl p-hydroxybenzoic acid induced oxidative stress by Ocimum sanctum extract in mice liver. Acta Pol Pharm. 2012;69:865–70. 
  3. Enayatallah SA, Shah SN, Bodhankar SL. A study of hepatoprotective activity of Ocimum sanctum (Krishna tulas) extracts in chemically induced liver damage in albino mice. J Ecophysiol Occup Health. 2004;4:89–96.
  4. Shyamala AC, Devaki T. Studies on peroxidation in rats ingesting copper sulphate and effect of subsequent treatment with Ocimum sanctum. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 1996;20:113–9.
  5. Bawankule DU, Pal A, Gupta S, Yadav S, Misra A, Rastogi S, et al. Protective effect of Ocimum sanctumon ethanol-induced oxidative stress in Swiss Albino Mice brain. Toxicol Int. 2008;5:121–5.
  6. Verma P, Kedia DK, Nath A. Protective effect of Ocimum sanctum leaf extracts against rogor induced ovarian toxicity in Clarias batrachus Linn. J Ecophysiology Occup Health. 2007;7:177–84.
  7. Khanna A, Shukla P, Tabassum S. Role of Ocimum sanctum as a genoprotective agent on chlorpyrifos-induced genotoxicity. Toxicol Int. 2011;18:9–13. 
  8. Bharath BK, Anjaneyulu Y, Srilatha C. Imuuno-modulatory effect of Ocimum sanctumagainst endosulfan induced immunotoxicity. Vet World. 2011;4:25–7.
  9. Mediratta PK, Tanwar K, Reeta KH, Mathur R, Benerjee BD, Singh S, et al. Attenuation of the effect of lindane on immune responses and oxidative stress by Ocimum sanctum seed oil (OSSO) in rats. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2008;52:171–7.
  10. Makwana M, Rathore HS. Prevention of hepatorenal toxicity of acetaminophen with Ocimum sanctumin mice. Int J Pharm Technol. 2011;3:1385–96.
  11. Mahaprabhu R, Bhandarkar AG, Jangir BL, Rahangadale SP, Kurkure NV. Ameliorative effect of Ocimum Sanctum on meloxicam induced toxicity in wistar rats. Toxicol Int. 2011;18:130–6.
  12. Lahon K, Das S. Hepatoprotective activity of Ocimum sanctumalcoholic leaf extract against paracetamol-induced liver damage in Albino rats. Pharmacognosy Res. 2011;3:13–8. 
  13. Pemminati S, Nair V, Dorababu P, Gopalakrishna HN, Pai MR. Effect of ethanolic leaf extract of Ocimum sanctumon haloperidol-induced catalepsy in albino mice. Indian J Pharmacol. 2007;39:87–9.
  14. Ubaid RS, Anantrao KM, Jaju JB, Mateenuddin M. Effect of Ocimum sanctum(OS) leaf extract on hepatotoxicity induced by antitubercular drugs in rats. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2003;47:465–70.
  15. Singh N, Hoette Y, Miller R. Tulsi: The Mother Medicine of Nature. 2nd ed. Lucknow: International Institute of Herbal Medicine; 2010. pp. 28–47.
  16. Mohan L, Amberkar MV, Kumari M. Ocimum sanctum linn. (TULSI)-an overview. Int J Pharm Sci Rev Res. 2011;7:51–3.
  17. Pattanayak P, Behera P, Das D, Panda SK. Ocimum sanctum Linn. A reservoir plant for therapeutic applications: An overview. Pharmacogn Rev. 2010;4:95–105. 
  18. Mondal S, Mirdha BR, Mahapatra SC. The science behind sacredness of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum Linn.) Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2009;53:291–306. 
  19. Siddique YH, Ara G, Beg T, Afzal M. Anti-genotoxic effect of Ocimum sanctumL. extract against cyproterone acetate induced genotoxic damage in cultured mammalian cells. Acta Biol Hung. 2007;58:397–409.
  20. Jha AK, Jha M, Kaur J. Ethanolic extracts of Ocimum sanctum, Azadirachta indicaand Withania somnifera cause apoptosis in SiHa cells. Res J Pharm Biol Chem. 2012;3:557–62.
  21. Manikandan P, Vidjaya Letchoumy P, Prathiba D, Nagini S. Combinatorial chemopreventive effect of Azadirachta indica and Ocimum sanctumon oxidant-antioxidant status, cell proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis in a rat forestomach carcinogenesis model. Singapore Med J. 2008;49:814–22. 
  22. Rastogi S, Shukla Y, Paul BN, Chowdhuri DK, Khanna SK, Das M. Protective effect of Ocimum sanctumon 3-methylcholanthrene, 7,12-dimethylbenz (a) anthracene and aflatoxin B1 induced skin tumorigenesis in mice. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2007;224:228–40.
  23. Joseph LJ, Bhartiya US, Raut YS, Hawaldar RW, Nayak Y, Pawar YP, et al. Radioprotective effect of ocimum sanctum and amifostine on the salivary gland of rats after therapeutic radioiodine exposure. Cancer Biother Radiopharm. 2011;26:737–43.
  24. Uma Devi P, Ganasoundari A, Vrinda B, Srinivasan KK, Unnikrishnan MK. Radiation protection by the Ocimum flavonoids orientin and vicenin: Mechanisms of action. Radiat Res. 2000;154:455–60.
  25. Reshma K, Rao AV, Dinesh M, Vasudevan DM. Radioprotective effects of ocimum flavonoids on leukocyte oxidants and antioxidants in oral cancer. Indian J Clin Biochem. 2008;23:171–5.
  26. Bhartiya US, Joseph LJ, Raut YS, Rao BS. Effect of Ocimum sanctum, turmeric extract and vitamin E supplementation on the salivary gland and bone marrow of radioiodine exposed mice. Indian J Exp Biol. 2010;48:566–71. 
  27. Monga J, Sharma M, Tailor N, Ganesh N. Antimelanoma and radioprotective activity of alcoholic aqueous extract of different species of Ocimum in C (57) BL mice. Pharm Biol. 2011;49:428–36.
  28. Uma Devi P, Ganasoundari A, Rao BS, Srinivasan KK. In vivoradioprotection by ocimum flavonoids: Survival of mice. Radiat Res. 1999;151:74–8. 
  29. Nayak V, Devi PU. Protection of mouse bone marrow against radiation-induced chromosome damage and stem cell death by the ocimum flavonoids orientin and vicenin. Radiat Res. 2005;163:165–71.
  30. Ahmad MZ, Ali M, Mir SR. Anti-diabetic activity of Ocimum sanctum L. roots and isolation of new phytoconstituents using two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. J Pharmacogn Phytother. 2012;4:75–85.
  31. Singh PK, Baxi D, Banerjee S, Ramachandran AV. Therapy with methanolic extract of Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb and Ocimum sanctum Linn reverses dyslipidemia and oxidative stress in alloxan induced type I diabetic rat model. Exp Toxicol Pathol. 2012;64:441–8. 
  32. Suanarunsawat T, Songsak T. Anti-hyperglycaemic and anti-dyslipidaemic effect of dietary supplement of white Ocimum Sanctum Linnean before and after STZ-induced diabetes mellitus. Int J Diabetes Metab. 2005;13:18–23.
  33. Suanarunsawat T, Ayutthaya WD, Songsak T, Thirawarapan S, Poungshompoo S. Lipid-lowering and antioxidative activities of aqueous extracts of Ocimum sanctum L. leaves in rats fed with a high-cholesterol diet. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2011;2011:962025. 
  34. Dahiya K, Sethi J, Dhankhar R, Singh V, Singh SB, Yadav M, et al. Effect of Ocimum sanctum on homocysteine levels and lipid profile in healthy rabbits. Arch Physiol Biochem. 2011;117:8–11.
  35. Reddy SS, Karuna R, Baskar R, Saralakumari D. Prevention of insulin resistance by ingesting aqueous extract of Ocimum sanctum to fructose-fed rats. Horm Metab Res. 2008;40:44–9.
  36. Suanarunsawat T, Ayutthaya WD, Songsak T, Rattanamahaphoom J. Anti-lipidemic actions of essential oil extracted from Ocimum sanctum L. leaves in rats fed with high cholesterol diet. J Appl Biomed. 2009;7:45–53.
  37. Samak G, Rao MS, Kedlaya R, Vasudevan DM. Hypolipidemic efficacy of Ocimum sanctumin the prevention of atherogenesis in male albino rabbits. Pharmacologyonline. 2007;2:115–27.
  38. Agrawal P, Rai V, Singh RB. Randomized placebo-controlled, single blind trial of holy basil leaves in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1996;34:406–9.
  39. Rai V, Mani UV, Iyer UM. Effect of Ocimum sanctum leaf powder on blood lipoproteins, glycated proteins and total amino acids in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. J Nutr Environ Med. 1997;7:113–8.
  40. Devra DK, Mathur KC, Agrawal RP, Bhadu I, Goyal S, Agarwal V. Effect of tulsi (Ocimum sanctumLinn) on clinical and biochemical parameters of metabolic syndrome. J Nat Remedies. 2012;12:63–7.
  41. Kochhar A, Sharma N, Sachdeva R. Effect of supplementation of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) and Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf powder on diabetic symptoms, anthropometric parameters and blood pressure of non insulin dependent male diabetics. Ethno-Med. 2009;3:5–9.
  42. 42. Wangcharoen W, Morasuk W. Antioxidant capacity and phenolic content of holy basil. Songklanakarin J Sci Technol. 2007;29:1407–15.