Role of Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulsi) in Al-Enabled Drug Discovery

Ocimum tenuiflorum L. (syn. O. sanctum; Tulsi, holy basil) is a Lamiaceae herb central to Ayurveda and now a frequent subject of computational drug discovery.

Objective

To review how artificial intelligence (AI) and related in silico methods have been applied to O. tenuiflorum over roughly the last five years, to separate what these studies show from what they do not, and to outline implications for society.

Methods

A structured narrative review of recent literature (2021 to October 2026) was conducted using web-based searches, with older sources used only for background. Thirteen primary Tulsi-focused studies were charted by approach, target, disease area, and main finding.

Findings