Tulsi, or holy basil, is Ocimum tenuiflorum, also listed under the older name Ocimum sanctum. It is a sacred plant in India and one of the best known Ayurvedic herbs.
For export it is sold mainly as dried leaf, cut-and-sift for herbal teas and powder for supplements. Seeds, extracts and essential oil are also traded.
Types of tulsi
Tulsi is commonly traded under a few traditional names. Rama tulsi has green leaves. Krishna or Shyama tulsi has purple tinged leaves. Vana tulsi is often a different species, Ocimum gratissimum. Many tea brands blend types for flavour.
Ask for the botanical name of each type you buy. Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a different plant and should not be supplied as tulsi.
Forms on offer
- Whole dried leaf: used for loose teas and further processing.
- Cut-and-sift: screened for tea bags and loose blends. Tea bag cut is the most requested.
- Leaf powder: used in capsules, tablets and drink mixes.
- Leaf and stem mixes: lower priced. Some buyers accept a set stem content, others do not.
- Seeds: sold for cultivation and some food uses.
- Extracts: standardised to a marker compound, made by extraction units rather than herb processors.
- Essential oil: distilled from the plant, sold separately.
Quality points
See what HPTLC is and when it is used for how identity is checked.
- Botanical identity: confirm species. HPTLC is often used to check tulsi against a reference.
- Plant part: leaf only, or a defined leaf and stem ratio.
- Colour and aroma: fresh, clove-like aroma and good colour.
- Volatile oil content, if aroma is part of your product claim.
- Moisture, foreign matter and fines.
- Microbiology, heavy metals and pesticide residues for your market.
Rules depend on use
Tulsi in a herbal tea is regulated as food in most markets. Tulsi in a capsule may fall under supplement rules, and health claims are tightly controlled. In the EU, check whether the form you plan to sell has a history of use as food before you launch. Our guides to US supplement rules and EU novel food rules explain the basics.
Sampling tips
Tulsi types differ in taste and colour, so approve each one on a sample. Ask the supplier to name the type and species on the sample label. If you blend types, agree the ratio in writing.
Tulsi powder is hard to judge by eye. Ask for an identity result with each sample, and repeat it on the pre-shipment sample, so you know the product you approved is the product you receive.
How Creston & Co helps
We find tulsi processors who grow or buy, dry and cut the leaf themselves, test identity and safety at NABL-accredited labs, and supervise packing. Tell us your form and market in a free sourcing review.