Oil—rubefacient, antimicrobial. Used for nervous palpitations, giddi ness, spasm and colic. Relieves sprains, neuralgia and rheumatism; rubbed for stimulating paralysed limbs. Applied to sores, burns, scalds and varicose veins.
Plant—used for the treatment of epilepsy and chronic sinusitis in Unani medicine.
Aerial parts of the plant contain oleanolic, ursolic and vergatic acid, beta-sitosterol, alpha-amyrin and its acetate, lupeol, erythrodiol, luteolin, acacetin and vitexin.
English Wild Lavender.
366 Lawsonia inermis Linn.
The leaves contain polyphenols, apigenin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside, luteolin andits 7-O-beta-D-glucoside, and 7-0- beta-D-glucuronide, rosmarinic acid, and 6-O-caffeoyl glucose.
For depression, tincture of lavender flower (1: 5 in 50% alcohol), 60 drops per day, has been used for 4 weeks in Western herbal. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)
Lawsonia inermis Linn.
Family Lythraceae.
Habitat Native to Arabia and
Persia; now cultivated mainly in
Haryana and Gujarat; to a small
extent in Madhya Pradesh and
Rajasthan.
English Henna.
Ayurvedic Madayanti, Madayantikaa, Mendika, Ranjaka.
Unani Hinaa, Mehndi.
Siddha/Tamil Marithondi,
Marudum.
Action Leaves—astringent,
antihaemorrhagic, antispasmodic, oxytocic, antifertility, antifungal, antibacterial. Used externally to
treat skin infections (tinea); also as a hair conditioner.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India 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 naphthoquinones, in particular lawsone; couma rin
(laxanthone, I, II and III); flavonoids, luteolin and its 7-0-glucoside, acacetin-7-0-glucoside; beta-
