Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial native to tropical South Asia. No longer known in the wild state, it is cultivated extensively throughout the warmer parts of the world, especially in India and China. Turmeric has been used as both spice and medicine in traditional Indian medicine for over 2,500 years. Knowledge about its medicinal value could be the reason for its inclusion as a food ingredient and in auspicious traditional rituals and ceremonies. Turmeric is a household remedy for local application to cuts and wounds and other inflammatory and painful conditions. Use of turmeric in the treatment of jaundice and other liver disorders is well known.

Cosmetic use

In India, turmeric has been used for centuries as a natural cleanser; the powder is mixed with milk to bring a healthy glow to the skin. In the form of a paste (made by rubbing the prepared rhizome on a hard wet surface) turmeric is used as a facial cosmetic possibly for its antimicrobial effect. Such an application is believed to improve skin appearance by eliminating superfluous hair and easing out wrinkles.

Today turmeric and its derived chemicals are extensively included in cosmetic formulations. It is reported with many cosmetic and therapeutic benefits. The chief colouring principals of turmeric are diaryl hepatanoid derivatives primary of which is curcumin. Turmeric powder, extracts and curcumin are reported to have powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, choleretic, immunomodulatory and antimicrobial properties. It is recommended for use in the treatment of eczema and acne as it moisturizes skin and accelerates healing. On account of its wound-healing potential it is widely included in skin care cosmetics.

Turmeric contains about 5% curcuminoids, 5% essential oil, 25% of which is zingiberene and a minor proportion of bioactive polysaccharide fraction.

Ocimum tenuiflorum (Lamiaceae) Syn: Ocimum sanctum

Tulsi or Holy Basil is an aromatic plant cultivated for religious and medicinal purposes and for its essential oil. Tulsi in Sanskrit means ‘the incomparable one’ and it is a sacred plant worshipped in India. Tulsi has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda for its diverse healing properties. It is mentioned in the Charaka Samhita, an ancient Ayurvedic text. Tulsi is considered to be an adaptogen and is regarded in Ayurveda as a kind of ‘elixir of life’ as it is believed to promote longevity. Tulsi extracts are used in Ayurvedic remedies for common colds, headaches, stomach disorders, inflammation, heart disease, various forms of poisoning and malaria. Tulsi is recommended to be taken in many forms as whole leaves in water, herbal tea, dried powder with ghee etc. Its antioxidant, analgesic, radioprotective property is reported in literature. It has antioxidant properties and can repair cells damaged by exposure to radiation.

Cosmetic use

Essential oil is mostly used for medicinal purposes and in herbal cosmetics, and is widely used in skin preparations due to its antibacterial activity. Classed as a fragrance ingredient and skin-conditioning agent it is used in anti-acne preparations. Tulsi extracts are used as a prime ingredient in herbal cosmetics, including face packs, creams and many other products.

Some of the main chemical constituents of tulsi are oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, rosmarinic acid, eugenol, carvacrol, linalool, β-caryophyllene (about 8%),[12], β-elemene (c.11.0%) and andgermacrene D (about 2%).