Bioactive Compound Studies of Lawsonia inermis L. (Henna) –Its Ethnomedicinal and Pharmacological Applications: A Review

Abstract

Plants play a wide role in our ecosystem due to their enormous medicinal properties and presence of diversified chemical constituents that are known to be highly beneficial to mankind to a large extent. The current review focusses on the detailed description, phytochemistry, bioactive components, ethnobotanical survey and the important pharmacological applications of the medicinal plant Lawsonia inermis L.It is commonly referred to as “Henna or Mehndi” and is a widely used plantknown for its coloring property and medicinal applications. It has wide distribution in both tropical as well as subtropical regions and has been extensively utilized by mankind for over 9,000 years. Its leaves, flowers, roots, seeds and stem bark are been utilized in the form of herbal medicine to treat a number of ailments such as diabetes, ulcer, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiac disease, leucorrhoea, leprosy, fever etc.. The plant has also been reported to possess antimicrobial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, anti-dermatophytic and tuberculostatic properties due to the presence of bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, terpenoids, phenols, tannins, quinones, flavanoids, coumarins, carbohydrates, proteins and fatty acids etc.. The need for medicinal plants are now been rapidly increasing due to their low toxic nature and high pharmacological properties hence the present review is compiled to give a detailed insight in to the therapeutic potential of the important medicinal plant Lawsonia inermis L.