LAWSONIA IMERMIS DRY EXT. [MEHANDI]

Botanical Name : Lawsonia Inermis

Common Name : Mehndi

Plant Parts Used : Bark, Leaves, Flowers, Seeds

Description :
A glabrous much branched shrub or quite a small tree with grayish brown bark. Leaves are opposite, subsessile, elliptic or broadly lanceolate, entire, acute or obtuse, 2-3 cm long and 1-2 cm wide. Flowers are numerous, small, white or rose coloured, fragrant.

Characteristics and Constituents :
The leaves of lawsonia inermis contain soluble matter, lawsone, 2-hydroxy - 1:4 - naphthoquinone resin and tannin, gallic acid, glucose, mannitol, fat, resin and mucilage are also present. The colouring matter is the quinone.

Actions and Uses :
Alcoholic extract of the leaves showed mild anti- bacterial activity against Staph aureus and E. coli. Antibacterial and antifungal activities have been confirmed. The antihaemorrhagic properties are attributed to lawsone. The naphthoquinone has emmenogogue and oxytocie actions.

Leaves are used as emmenogogue and as an antifungal drug:Unani physicians prescribe it for external us in headache. It is used for jaundice. As a cooling agent it is used for burning of skin.
The local use on palms and soles is widespread in India. Allergic reaction is rare. No mutagenic activity was observed in Ames' test.