A Phytopharmacological Review on Lawsonia Inermis L.

 

Leena Sahu*, Amit Roy, Trilochan Satapathy

Columbia Institute of Pharmacy, Tekari,  Raipur C.G., India.

 

 

ABSTRACT:

Medicinal plants have  very  important  place as they not only  maintain  the  health  and  vitality of  human  beings and  animals. India is the largest producer of medicinal plants and is rightly called the “Botanical Garden of the World”. The plant Lawsonia inermis L. (family- Lythraceae) commonly known as Henna or Mehndi is known for its cosmetic properties. This plant has relabeled that use of wildlife medicinal resources in the concern not only from conservation point of view but in the therapeutic point of view. Henna plant is a much branched glabrous shrub or small tree, cultivated for its leaves although stem bark, roots, flowers and seeds have also been used in traditional medicine. The plant has been reported  the various in-vitro and in-vivo studies to  have antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial, immunostimulant, wound healing, analgesic, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, antitrypanosomal, antioxidant, antifertility, tuberculostatic, anticancer, enzyme inhibitory, memory and behaviour effectiveness, antitrypanosomal, antisickling, antidiabetic, and many other  properties. Henna, the potential medicinal plant is the unique source of various pharmacologically important compounds. This review gives a bird’s eye view mainly on the pharmacognostic characteristics, traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological actions of the plant.

 

KEYWORDS: Lawsonia inermis L., Traditional medicine, Anti-inflammatory, Enzyme inhibitory,  Phytochemistry, Pharmacological actions.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Man’s interest in plants is mainly for food and medicine is as old as human civilization. In the past, almost all the medicines were used from the plants: the plants being man’s only chemist for ages. Drugs are the chemical substances, which by interacting with biological systems change their behavior which is used for the purpose of diagnosis, prevention, relief or cure of a disease in man or animals. [1] India is a varietal emporium of medicinal plants and is one of the richest countries in the world with regard to genetic resources for medicinal plants. The revival of interest in herbal medicines is due firstly to increased awareness of the limited horizon of synthetic pharmaceutical products to control major diseases, and secondly to the current widespread belief that ‘‘green medicine’’ is safe, more accessible and more affordable.[2] The Ayurvedic concept appeared and developed between 2500 and 500 BC in India.[3] The primary objective of all systems of medicine is to provide accessible and affordable health care services to all people so that they can maintain good health. In India Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) are officially recognized systems of health care services. Ayurveda one of the oldest codified medical system in the world was evolved through intuitive, experimental and perceptual methodology in India. The main objective of Ayurveda is to promote health thereby preventing the ailments and to relieve the humanity from all categories of miseries, i.e. physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual. In view of the potential of Ayurveda, it has been realized that Ayurveda can also contribute substantially to the success of the


present health care delivery system. [4] Over the last century, ethno botany has evolved into aspecific discipline that looks at the people–plant relationship in a multidisciplinary manner, such as ecology, economic botany, pharmacology and public health. [5]

 

Medicinal plants have  very  important  place as they not only  maintain  the  health  and  vitality of  human  beings and  animals,  but  also  cure  several  diseases,  including  liver disorders without causing any toxicity. India is the largest producer of medicinal plants and is rightly called the “Botanical Garden of the World”. Over the past few decades,    herbal    medicines    have    been    accepted universally, and they put the impact on both world health and international trade. As per the WHO estimates, about three  quarters  of  the  world’s  population  currently  use  herbs phytomedicines (medicinal plants or herbal drugs) and  other  traditional  medicines  for  the  treatment  of various  diseases.  Nowadays,  more  than  50%  of  all modern  drugs  in  clinical  use  are  of  natural  products. According   to   WHO,   more   than   80%   people   in developing countries depend on traditional medicine for their primary   health needs, and a recent survey shows that   more   than   60%   of   patients   use   vitamins   or phytomedicines at some point in their therapy.[6] Plants are having a great importance to pharmaceutical industry, because these are rich source of drugs and a vast reservoir of chemical diversity for screening programs aimed at new drug discovery. Most of the drugs which are mention in the Indian medicinal system are from plant source. [7]

Plants and plant extracts have been used for thousands of years for the treatment of disease. More recently there has been renewed interest in the use of natural products because of their reduced side effects on the human body in comparison to synthetic medicinal drugs. [8]

 

Scientific studies availableon medicinal plants indicate that promising phytochemicals can be developed for many health problems (Gupta, 1994). For example, the vinca alkaloids (vincristine, vinblastine and vindesine), derived from Catharanthus roseus, Vinca rosea, Lochnera rosea, and Ammocallis rosea have been employed for their anticancer properties. Modern pharmaceuticals still contain at least 25% drugs derived from plants. Medicinal plants have various effects on living systems. Some are sedatives, analgesics, antipyretics, cardioprotectives, antibacterial, antiviral and antiprotozoal.[9] Inspite of rapid development in methods of organic synthesis in laboratories, medicinal plants continue to play a significant role in modern medicine due to their inherent distinct chemical and biological properties. In nature a plant is able to synthesize complex molecules, namely alkaloids, terpenoids, tannins, saponins, glycosides etc collectedly called secondary metabolites, from simple ones through highly specific reaction mechanism that they use for defense and communication. It is difficult and expensive to duplicate such synthesis in laboratory. The compounds synthesized by the plants play an important role as medicinal and pharmaceutical agents not only as purified isolated and extractive but also as lead compounds for synthetic optimization. As botanist Walter Lewis and microbiologist Memory Elvin Lewis, put it in their book Medical Botany: Nature is still mankind’s greatest chemist and many compounds that remain undiscovered in plants are beyond the imagination of even our best scientists”. Apart from being the sources for new drugs the plants continue to play an important role in modern therapy. [10]

 

Lawsonia  Inermis L.

The plant Lawsonia  Inermis (Lythraceae), commonly called as Henna or Mehndi is known for its cosmetic propertie. it has been also known as the natural source of dye,[11] .Lawsonia  Inermis plant of Indian origin having tremendous therapeutic and potential use but due to unawareness of people it is not fully utilized. Henna plan have a lot of pharmacological potency for treatment of several diseases. A native of North Africa and South-West Asia, the plant is now widely cultivated throughout the tropics as an ornamental and dye plant. [12]

 

Henna has been used to adorn young women's bodies as part of social and holiday celebrations, women with markings consistent with henna on their nails, palms and soles. Especially in the marriages, the Night of the Henna was celebrated by most groups in the areas where henna grew naturally: Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Zoroastrians, among others, all celebrated marriages by adorning the bride, and often the groom, with henna. [13]

 

Fig: Lawsonia Inermis L.[42]

 

Botanical Name - Lawsonia inermis L.

Family – Lythraceae

Common names [15, 16, 17,]

Sanskrit :              Mendhi, Mendika, Timir

Hindi      :              Hena, Mhindi

English   :               Henna

Gujarati                  :              Medi

Marathi :              Mendhi, Mendi 

Greek     :              Kypros Samphire, Cypress shrub

Arabic    :              Alhenna, Hinna

French    :              Alcana d’ orient

Tamil     :              Alvanam,Aivani

Telugu    :              Goranta, Kormmi

 

Taxonomical Classification [18]

Kingdom               :               Plantae – plants

Subkingdom:        Tracheobionta- vascular plants

Superdivision  :    Spermatophyte- seed plants             

Division :               Magnoliophyta – flowering

Class      :               Magnoliphyta- dicotyledons

Order      :               Myrtales

Family   :               Lythraceae – looses trife family

Genus     :               Lawsonia

Species   :               L. inermis

 

History - Henna has been used as a cosmetic hair dye for 6,000 years. In Ancient Egypt, Cleopatra and Nefertiti were known to have used it. It was commonly used for many centuries in areas of India; the Middle East, and Africa. In Europe, henna was popular among women connected to the aesthetic movement and the Pre-Raphaelite artists of England in the 1800s.[19]

 

Morphology

Lawsonia inermis L. a much branched glabrous shrub or small tree (2 to 6 m in height). , cultivated for its leave although steam bark, roots, flowers, and seeds have also been used in traditional medicine Leaves are small, opposite in arrangement along the branches, sub-sessile, about 1.5 to 5 cm long, 0.5 to 2 cm wide, greenish brown to dull green, elliptic to broadly lanceolate with entire margin, petiole short and glabrous and acute or obtuse apex with tapering base. Young branches are green in colour and quadrangular which turn red with age. Bark is greyish brown, unarmed when young but branches of older trees are spine tipped. Inflorescence is a large pyramid shaped cyme. Flowers are small, about 1 cm across, numerous, fragrant, white or rose coloured with four crumbled petals. Calyx is with a 0.2 cm tube and 0.3 cm spread lobes. Fruit is a small brown coloured round capsule. Fruit opens irregularly and splits into four sections at maturity and is many seeded. Seeds are about 3 mm across, numerous, smooth, pyramidal, hard and thick seed coat with brownish coloration. [20] Flowering and fruiting is during April – July. [21]

 

Habitat and distribution – Henna, a traditional product with religious associations, has been widely used over the centuries for medical and cosmetic purposes in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and many other parts of the world. Henna is a finely ground brown or green powder originating from dried leaves of the plant Lawsonia inermis which is grown in dry tropical and subtropical zones, including North Africa, India, Sri Lanka, and the Middle East.[15]

In India, these spices are found throughout in country, chiefly in dried parts of plants. It is commercially cultivated in Rajasthan, Panjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. [22]

 

Propagation: By seeds.[15]

 

Cultivation and collection

The henna plant is native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, southern Asia, and northern Australasia in semi-arid zones. Henna's indigenous zone is the tropical savannah and tropical arid zone, in latitudes between 15° and 25° N and S from Africa to the western Pacific rim, and produces highest dye content in temperatures between 35 °C and 45 °C. The optimal soil temperature range for germination is 25-30 °C. During the onset of precipitation intervals, the plant grows rapidly; putting out new shoots, then growth slows. The leaves gradually yellow and fall during prolonged dry or cool intervals. It does not thrive where minimum temperatures are below 11 °C. Temperatures below 5 °C will kill the henna plant. Henna is commercially cultivated in UAE, Morocco, Algeria, Yemen, Tunisia, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Turkey, Somalia and Sudan. Presently the Pali district of Rajasthan, Panjab, Gujrat are the most heavily cultivated henna production area in India, with over 100 henna processors operating in Sojat City. [23]

 

Useful Plant parts – [24-30]

 

Ethanobotanical Uses-

Henna has been used cosmetically and medicinally for over 9,000 years. Traditionally in India, mehndi is applied to hands and feet. Henna symbolizes fertility. Its use became popular in India because of its cooling effect in the hot Indian summers. Henna leaves, flowers, seeds, stem bark and roots are used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of disease.[20]

 

 

Table 1: Ethnomedicinal uses of different parts of L. inermis[31- 38]

Plant Parts

 

Traditional Uses

 

Seeds

 

Antipyretic, Intellect Promoting, Constipating, Intermittent Fevers, Insanity, Amentia, Diarrhea, Dysentery And Gastropathy.

 

Leaves

 

Bitter, Astringent, Acrid, Diuretic, Emetic, Edema, Expectorant, Anodyne, Anti-Inflammatory, Constipating, Depurative, Liver Tonic, Haematinic, Styptic, Febrifuge, Trichogenous, Wound, Ulcers, Strangury, Cough, Bronchitis, Burning Sensation, Cephalalgia, Hemicranias, Lumbago, Rheumatalgia, Inflammations, Diarrhoea, Dysentery, Leprosy, Leucoderma, Scabies, Boils, Hepatopathy, Splenopathy, Anemia, Hemorrhages, Hemoptysis, Fever, Ophthalmia, Amenorrhoea, Falling Of Hair, Greyness of Hair, Jaundice.

 

Flowers

 

Cardiotonic, Refrigerant, Soporific, Febrifuge, Tonic, Cephalalgia, Burning Sensation, Cardiopathy, Amentia, Insomnia, Fever.

Bark

Burning sensation, jaundice, enlargement of spleen, leprosy, skin diseases.

 

Root

 

Bitter, Depurative, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, abortifacient, Burning Sensation, Leprosy, Skin diseases, Amenorrhoea, Dysmenorrhoea and Premature greying of hair

 

 

Phytochemistry- The therapeutic value of the plant depends on the active constituents present inside the different part of the plant, which may be present in the small or large quantity. [39]

 

Much work is done in the field of phytochemical investigation of the plant. The chemical constituents isolated from L. inermis are phenolic compounds napthoquinone derivatives, aliphatic derivatives terpenoids, sterols, xanthones, coumarin, fatty acids, amino acids and other constituents. [20]

 

Phytochemicals reported in L. inermis L. are listed in (Table -2), with their structures.

 

Pharmacological profile:

Several researchers have reported the different biological actions of L. inermis in various in-vitro and in-vivo test models. Henna leaves, flower, seeds, stem bark, roots have been found to exhibit different diseases. These are described in greater details in the following sections.

 

1.       Antifungal Activity

During screening of barks of 30 plant species against Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes, only L. inermis L. extract exhibited absolute toxicity. The extract showed broad fungitoxic spectrum when tested against 13 ring worm fungi. Further the fungitoxicity of the extract remained unaltered at high temperature oncautoclaving and after long storage.[57]The ethanolic extract of the whole plant also showed Antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis and Aspergillus niger.[58]Alcoholic and aqueous extracts of Henna leaves and of lawsone were tested separately in vitro. No Antifungal activity was determined for the Henna solution in vitro. On the other hand, the lawsone aqueous solution showed a fungistatic activity. Bark decoction of Henna inhibited the activity of protopectinase and polygalactouronase.[59]

 

2.       Antibacterial activity

The 50 % ethanolic extract of the whole aerial part did not show antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli and A. tumerfaciens.[58]Quinonic compounds from henna were studied in-vitro for antimicrobial properties.[60]Aqueous extract of leaves of L. inermis showed the significant antibacterial effect against.[61] Aqueous, methanol and chloroform crude extracts of leaf showed the in-vitro antimicrobial activity to inhibit the growth of 6 human pathogenic fungi and 4 types of bacteria in dose dependent manner.[62,63]

 

3.       Antiviral activity

The ethanol soluble fraction of L. inermis fruits displayed highly potent activity against Sembiki forest virus (SFV) in swiss mice and chick embryo models exhibiting 100 to 65 % activities after 10 to 25 days of virus challenge.[64]

 

4.       Immunomodulatory activity

Methanolic extract of Henna leaves showed significant immunostimulant activity in mice. [65] Methanol extract of henna leaves at 1 mg/ml concentration had displayed immunostimulant action as indicated by promotion of T-lymphocyte proliferative responses. Seven compounds were isolated adopting the lymphocyte transformation assay (LTA)-guided fractionation of the total methanolic extract of henna leaves [66] Naphthoquinone fraction obtained from leaves L. inermis showed significant immunomodulatory effect. [67]

 

5.       Wound healing activity

Chloroform and aqueous extracts of leaves of the plant were capable of inhibiting the growth of microorganisms that are involved in causing burn wound infections.[68.69] Ethanol extract of the plant (200 mg/kg/day) was used to evaluate the wound healing activity on rats using excision, incision and dead space wound models. Extract of L. inermis when compared with the control and reference standard animals: a high rate of wound contraction, a decrease in the period of epithelialization, high skin breaking strength, a significant increase in the granulation tissue weight and hydroxyproline content. Histological studies of the tissue showed increased well organized bands of collagen, more fibroblasts and few inflammatory cells when compared with the controls which showed inflammatory cells, scanty collagen fibres and    fibroblasts. [70]

 

6.       Anticoagulant effect

Lawsone and its oxazine derivatives isolated from leaves of L. inermis had proven to be potential anticoagulant agent. [71]

 

7.       Nootropic  activity

The effect of acetone soluble fraction of petroleum ether extract of L. inermis leaves was investigated on memory, anxiety and behaviour mediated via monoamine neurotransmitters using elevated plus maze and passive shock avoidance paradigms. The extract exhibited prominent nootropic activity, potentiated clonidine induced hypothermia and decreased lithium induced head twitches. However, haloperidol induced catalepsy was not modified [72]

 

8.        Hepatoprotective activity

Alcoholic extract of the bark of L. inermis showed hepatoprotective effect against CCl4. The extract causes elevation in serum marker enzymes (GOT and GPT), serum bilirubin, liver lipid peroxidation and reduction in total serum protein, liver glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-s-transferase, glycogen, superoxide dismutase and catalase activity. [73, 74, 75] The hepatoprotective activity of the ethanolic extract of the dried leaves of L. inermis and its fractions (petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, butanol and butanone fractions) was evaluated against CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in mice. The ethanolic extract and its fractions significantly reduced the total bilirubin content and SGOT, SGPT and SAL activities, and reduced liver weight compared to LIV-52 used as control.[76, 77]

 

9.       Enzyme inhibitory activity

The ethanol extract of L. inermis L. leaves and lawsone tested for trypsin inhibitory activity showed an IC50 value of 64.87 and 48.6μg/ml, respectively.[78]

 

10.  Memory and behaviour effectiveness

L. inermis showed significant effect on memory and behaviour mediated via monoamine neurotransmitters.[72]

 

11.    Antitrypanosomal activity

Crude Methanolic extract of leaf of L. inermis showed invitro activity against Trypanosoma brucei at concentration of 8.3 mg/ml of blood in mice but not in-vivo. The treatment tends to ameliorate the disease condition, but did not affect the level of parasitaemia and pack cell volume.[79]

 

12.    Tuberculositatic activity

The tuberculostatic activity of the herb henna (Lawsonia inermis Linn.) was tested in vitro and in vivo. On Lowenstein Jensen medium, the growth of tubercle bacilli from sputum and of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv was inhibited by 6 micrograms/ml of the herb. In vivo studies on guinea pigs and mice showed that the herb at a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight led to significant resolution of experimental tuberculosis following infection with M. tuberculosis H37Rv.[80]

 

13. Antisickling activity

Aqueous extract of leaves of L. inermis was found to inhibit sickling and to increase the oxygen affinity of HbSS blood. [81]

 

14.    Anticancer  activity

The anticarcinogenic activity of chloroform extract L. inermis leaves was carried using microculture tetrazolium salt assay on the human breast (MCF-7), colon (Caco-2), liver (HepG2) carcinoma cell lines and normal human liver cell lines (Chang Liver). The preliminary results showed that the henna extract displayed the cytotoxic effects against HepG2 and MCF-7 and IC-value of 0.3 and 24.85 μg/ml respectively.[82]Isoplumbagin at a concentration of 10.5–10.8 M, the compound typically produced LC50 – level responses against a majority of the melanoma and colon cancer cell lines as well as against several of the non-small cell lungs, colon, CNS, and renal cell lines. Isoplumbagin showed an interesting profile of cytotoxic activity.[83]

 

The antitumour activity of L. inermis leaf extract was studied on 7, 12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) induced 2-stage skin carcinogenesis and B16F10 melanoma tumour model using swiss albino mice. Topical application of L. inermis leaf extract at a dose level of 1000 mg/kg body weight was found to be effective in reducing the number of the papillomas. The tumor yield was significantly decreased to 1.6 as compared with the DMBA treated control group decrease of 3.5. In other experiment the effect of cyclophosphamide (CP) alone and in combination with L. inermis was studied in B16F10 melanoma tumour bearing mice. The Inhibition rate was 25.9% in the CP treated group but these increased to 35.14% with L. inermis. The life span time and volume of tumour doubling time were also increased. Results from two models showed that L. inermis extract have protective potential against skin tumour.[84]

 

15.    Antidiabetic  activity

Ethanol (70 %) extract of L. inermis showed significant hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic activities in alloxan induced diabetic mice after oral administration. The feeding of 0.8 g/kg of L. inermis extract decreased the concentration of glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides to normal.[85]Methanol (95 %) extract of leaves of L. inermis showed significant in-vitro antihyperglycemic effect.[86]

 

16.    Antifertility activity

Ethanol extract prepared from the powdered seeds of L. inermis failed to show significant antifertility activity. However in subsequent studies it was observed that the powdered leaves of henna, when administered as suspension or incorporated into the diet inhibited the fertility of rats. The fertility induced appeared was found to be permanent [87].

 

17.    Abortifacient activity

Methanol extract of roots of L. inermis was most effective in inducing abortion in mice, rats and guinea pig. The effect apparently was dosage dependent. The results of the whole animal experiments support the methanol extract effectiveness as an abortant due to its maternal and foetal toxic effects. [88]

 

18.    Nematicidal activity

A suppressive effect was obtained by L. inermis against Meloidogyne incognita development. Henna reduced tomato root gall numbers, number of the egg-laying females and rate of the nematode reproduction, when tomato and henna were grown together. Also, same reduction in the nematode biological processes was found, when tomato plants were grown in soil containing root exudates of henna, but with less amount. When henna was grown alone, root gall index and the rate of nematode production reduced to 75% and 99%, respectively, compared with those of tomato grown alone. [89]

 

 

19.    Molluscicidal activity

L. inermis showed significant molluscicidal activity. [90]

 

20.    Antidermatophytic activity

The antidermatophytic activity of ethanol, ethyl acetate and hexane extracts of L. inermis were tested on 5 strains each of Tinea rubrum and Tinea mentagrophytes. All these extracts showed significant antidermatophytic properties in-vitro. [91]

 

21.    Analgesic activity

The ethanol extract of 25 plants commonly used in traditional Arab system of medicine for treatment of pain, fever and rheumatism were investigated for their analgesic and antipyretic activities. The extract of leaves of henna showed significant analgesic as well as antipyretic activity.[92].The fixed oil obtained from seeds were screened for pharmacological activity both in-vitro and in-vivo. It was concluded that seed oil is devoid of behavioural and CNS effects and failed to produce any effect on isolated tissue though it possess significant analgesic activity.[93]

 

22.    Anti-inflammatory activity

Isoplumbagin and lawsaritol, isolated from stem bark and root of L. inermis L. showed anti- inflammatory activity against Carrageenan induced paw oedema in rats. The compounds phenylbutazone, isoplumbagin and lawsaritol at the oral dose of 100 mg/kg exhibited 61, 60 and 40 percent inhibition in comparison with controls. Isoplumbagin showed significant anti- inflammatory activity similar to that of phenylbutazone[94]. Butanol and chloroform fractions showed more potent anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects than aqueous fraction of crude ethanol extract of L. inermis in a dose dependent manner.[95] Leaves showed significant anti-inflammatory effect with some active principles.[96, 97]

 

23.    Protein glycation inhibitory activity

Ethanol extract of the plant tissues was evaluated in-vitro for protein glycation inhibitory activity using the model system of bovine serum albumin and glucose. The extract and its components showed significant effect on protein damage induced by a free radical generator during in-vitro assay system. It was found that the alcoholic extract, lawsone and gallic acid showed significant inhibition of Advanced Glycated End Products (AGEs) formation and exhibit 77.95 %, 79.10 % and 66.98 % inhibition at a concentration of 1500 μg/mL, 1000 μg/mL and 1000 μgM/ml respectively. L. inermis constituents were found to be glycation inhibitors with IC50 82.06±0.13 μg/mL, 67.42±1.46 μM and 401.7±6.23 μM respectively.[98]

 

24.    Memory and behavior effectiveness

L. inermis showed significant effect on memory and behaviour mediated via monoamine neurotransmitters.[72]

 

 

DISCUSSION:

World is endowed with a rich wealth of medicinal and herbals plants. Man cannot survive on this earth for long life without the plant kingdom because the plant products and their active constituents played an important role. Lawsonia inermis L. not only a coloring agent, but it also possesses various biological activities. The extensive survey of literature revealed that L. inermis L. is highly regarded as a universal panacea in the herbal medicine with diverse pharmacological activity spectrum. This versatile medicinal plant is the unique source of various types of chemical compounds, which are responsible of the various activities of the plant. Although crude extracts from various parts of henna have therapeutic applications; modern drugs can be developed after extensive investigation of its biological activity, mechanism of action, pharmacotherapeutics, and toxicity and after proper standardization and clinical trials. As the global scenario is now changing towards the use of non-toxic plant products having traditional medicinal use, development of modern drugs from L. inermis should be emphasized for the control of various diseases. Henna, the potential medicinal plant is the unique source of various pharmacologically important compounds. An extensive research in order to explore the concealed areas and their practical clinical applications, and development work should be undertaken on henna and its products for their better economic and therapeutic utilization, which can be used for the welfare of the mankind.

 

 

Table - Active constituent present in different parts of L. inermis L:-[40-56]

 

 

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Received on 09.06.2012

Modified on 15.06.2012

Accepted on 24.06.2012        

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Research J. Science and Tech.  4(3): May-June  2012: 93-107