Lawsonia inermis.   Henna, Henne   Family: Lythraceae           
Henna has been used for thousands of years, especially in India, as a cosmetic and hair dye. It is one of the oldest cosmetics in the world and its leaves are used to colour the fingernails, to paint or decorate the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, and to dye the hair. Written records of its use date back more than 2,500 years. It is of great importance in Islam, where it is used in many ceremonies, especially marriage. This latter use has been adopted also in Hinduism and Buddhism. The plant is often cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas both for its use as a dye plant and also as an ornamental, being appreciated especially for the strong, pleasant fragrance of its flowers,which is reminiscent of tea rose (Rosa chinensis)
PART USED: Leaves
TASTE: Astringent  ODOR: Tea like.
ACTIONS
1. Astringent.[1]
2. Antihemorrhagic.[1]
INDICATIONS 
1. Skin infections such as tinea.[1]
Local- Henna is used more often as a dye for the hair and in some Eastern countries to stain the hands and feet orange-red.
          

ORIGIN: Egypt. Middle East. India.
DESCRIPTION: Henna is a heavily-scented, much-branched, slender, evergreen shrub or small tree; it usually grows up to 6 metres tall. The stems and older branches can be spiny.
Leaves; shortly stalked, smooth, lanceolate, up to 5 cm long, entire margin and a mucronate apex.
References
[1] Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations  R.C. Wren Revised by Elizabeth M. Williamson and Fred J Evans. First published in Great Britain in 1988 and reprinted in 1989 and 1994 by the C. W. Daniel Company Limited. 1 Church Path, Saffron Walden Essex. Published 1988 Printed and bound by Biddles, Guildford ISBN 085207 1973.
Images
1. morroccomethod.com
2. indiamart.com
3. morroccomethod.com
4. morroccomethod.com
4. nabilak.com/blog/
Constituents
Research
Lawsone is known to be antibacterial.[1] It is also oxytocic.[2]
References
[1] Karawya, M. S. et al. (1986) Phytochem. 25 (2), 377 
[2] Medicinal Plant of Tropical West Africa, B. Oliver-Bever. Pub. Cambridge University Press (1986) UK

Lawsonia inermis L. (henna): ethnobotanical, phytochemical and pharmacological aspects.
Badoni Semwal R, Semwal DK, Combrinck S, Cartwright-Jones C, Viljoen A.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:
The use of Lawsonia inermis L. (henna) for medicinal and cosmetic purposes is inextricably linked to ancient and modern cultures of North Africa and Asia. Literature and artwork indicates that Lawsonia inermis played an important holistic role in the daily lives of some ancient cultures, providing psychological and medicinal benefits, as well as being used for personal adornment. Although henna was historically applied to the hands and feet to protect against fungal pathogens and to hair to combat lice and dandruff, other traditional uses include the treatment of liver and digestive disorders, reduction of tissue loss in leprosy, diabetic foot disorders and ulcers.
PHYTOCHEMISTRY:
Almost 70 phenolic compounds have been isolated from various parts of the plant. Naphthaquinones, which include the dyeing principle lawsone, have been linked to many of the pharmacological activities. The terpene, ß-ionone is largely responsible for the pungent odour of the essential oil isolated from the flowers. In addition to other volatile terpenes, some non-volatile terpenoids, a single sterol, two alkaloids and two dioxin derivatives have also been isolated from the plant.
BIOACTIVITY:
Henna is a pharmacologically important plant with significant in vitro and in vivo biological activities. Although a myriad of pharmacological activities have been documented, the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities are the most thoroughly investigated. Some incidents of adverse reactions following application to the skin have been reported, but these are mainly confined to cases involving individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and reactions to adulterants added to henna products.
CONCLUSIONS:
Adulteration of henna is very common and may have resulted in unwarranted scientific findings. Phytochemical profiling studies of the plant, which are crucial for the establishment of proper quality control protocols, are lacking and hamper the development of medicinal products. Although many in vitro studies have been conducted to evaluate the pharmacological activities and many in vivo studies have focussed on the toxicity of extracts, more in vivo studies to validate pharmacological activities are needed. The roles of specific compounds and their synergies have not been comprehensively investigated.
PMID: 24886774 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.05.042 J Ethnopharmacol. 2014 Aug 8;155(1):80-103. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.05.042. Epub 2014 Jun 2. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov