Action: Leaves—astringent, antihaemorrhagic, antispasmodic, oxytocic, antifertility, antifungal, antibacterial. Used externally to treat skin infections (tinea); also as a hair conditioner.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia indicated the use of the leaves in dysuria, jaundice, bleeding disorders, ulcers, prurigo and other obstinate skin diseases. The leaf is also recommended in giddiness and vertigo.The leaves contain naphthoqui- nones, in particular lawsone; couma- rins (laxanthone, I, II and III); flavono- ids, luteolin and its 7-O-glucoside, acacetin-7-O-glucoside; beta-sitoste- rol-3-O-glucoside; all parts contain tannins.Chloroform and ethanol extracts of leaves exhibit promising antibacterial activity against Shigella and Vibrio cholerae. Leaf extract shows antifun- gal activity against several pathogenic bacteria and fungi.Henna paint is used as a medicament for treatment of hands and feet for mycosis. The antimycotic activity is due to lawsone, a naphthoquinone.The ethanol-water (1 : 1) extract of the stem bark shows hepatoprotective activity CCl4-induced liver toxicity. Stembarkand root, probably due to the presence of isoplumbagin and lawsar- itol, exhibit anti-inflammatory activity experimentally.Evidence shows Henna leaf might be able to decrease the formation of sickled cells in individuals with sickle cell anaemia. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)Dosage: Leaves—5-10 ml juice. (API, Vol. IV.)... lawsonia inermis
(Roth) Haines.Synonym: N. ruderalis Buch-Ham. ex Benth.Family: Labiatae; Lamiaceae.
Habitat: Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and South India up to 2,400 m. (Blue-flowered var.)
Unani: Baadranjboyaa, Billilotan. Also equated with Melissa officinalis.
Action: See Nepeta cataria.
The alcoholic extract of the plant yielded a triterpenoid aldehyde, nepe- hinal. Nepetidone, nepedinol, and a triterpenic acid have also been reported. The plant contains flavonoids including nepitrin, dinatin, nepetin. Flowers and stem gave napetol, hen- triacontane and beta-sitosterol. An aqueous extract of flowers contained Na, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cd, Cu, Ni, Mn and Fe. Alcoholic extract of the plant produced marked hypocholesterolaemic effect in experimental animals. It also produced beneficial effects in the histopathology of myocardial infarction. Aqueous extract of the plant, given intravenously, lowered the blood pressure in dogs by 26.87%. It also showed CNS depressant and sedative activities. (In Indian medicine, the plant is used in various cardiac conditions including cardiac asthma.)... nepeta hindostana
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