A study on the role of holy basil (Ocimum sanctum) in auto-healing of Indian garden lizard (Calotes versicolor)

Abstract

The present communication is a firsthand observation indicating the innate faculty of recognition of healing potential of wild herbs by Indian garden lizard (Calotes versicolor). It testimonies the age old therapeutic property of holy basil plant (Ocimum sanctum) as: anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, antiseptic, anticonvulsant, and anti-spasmodic properties on one hand and the ability of garden lizard to recognize these properties on the other hand. Since, most of the observations of such kind are mainly confined to primates and very little work has been done on other groups of animal, this observation is therefore, important in filling the lacuna of knowledge in the field of zoopharmacognosy related to reptiles. The findings further indicate that besides primates, reptiles also have great sense to search the medicinal plants for self-medication during emergency and diseases.