Pokok inai (Lawsonia inermis)
Traditional uses
Preparation/ part of plants used
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is widely used for decorating hands, nails and feet with patterns and hair dyes
Leaves: make paste/ powder
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used for alleviating jaundice, skin diseases, venereal diseases, smallpox and spermatorrhoea
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used to extract a perfume, which is used as base for local scents
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valuable application to bruises
Flower: infusion (process of extracting chemical compounds or flavors from plant material in a solvent such as water, oil or alcohol)
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stimulates or increases menstrual flow
Flowers: decoction
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effective against dysentery
Seeds: powered seeds with real ghee
(clarified butter)
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for liver disorders and associated problems
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to treat anemia
Leaves: serve with Sesbania grandiflora leaves and spices
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to relieve sore throat
Leaves: boiled and used as mouthwash
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to treat burn or scalds
Bark: decoction
-inai (Malaysia)
-henna, samphire (English)
-mehndi (Hindi)
-maruthani (Tamil)
Common names
Descriptions
-belongs to Lythraceae family
-branched, deciduous, glabrous, small tree with grayish brown bark
-leaves are elliptic or broadly
lanceolate, petioles very​ short
- flowers are numerous, fragrant, white or rose-colored
Chemical constituents
Whole plant: glucose, D-mannitol, lacoumarin (5-Allyloxy-7-acetoxy coumarin), laxanthone I, laxanthone II, laxanthone III, 30-Norlupan-3β-ol-20-one, n-Triacontyl-n-tridecanoate, n-Triacontanol, gallic acid, lawsone (2-Hydroxy-1,4-Napthoquinone), β-Sitosterol, apigenin-7-o-glycosidev, apigenin-4’-o-glycoside, luteolin
Leaves: luteolin-7-o-glycoside, luteolin-3’-o-glycoside, stigmasterol, cosmosiin (acacetin-7-o-glucoside), acacetin, p-coumaric acid, fraxetin, scopoletin, esculetin, 1,2-dihydroxy- 4-o-glucosyloxy naphthalene, lawsoniaside, lalioside, 2-methoxy-3-methyl-1,4-napthoquinone, apiin, apigenin, lupeol, betulin, betulinic acid
Bark: β-Sitosterol, 3β,30-dihydroxylupine -20(29)ene (hennadiol), isoplumbagin, 3-methylnonacosane-1-ol
Roots: 24β-ethylcholest-4-en-3β-ol
Flowers: β-Ionone, α-Ionone, behenic acid, arachidic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid
Seeds: linoleic acid, lawsowaseem (3β -hydroxy-24-p-E-coumaroyloxy-olean-12-en28-oic acid), lawsoshamim (2-acetoxy-3β -hydroxy-olean-12-en-28-oic acid), 3β,28β-dihydroxy-urs-12,20-dien-28-oic acid (Lawnermis acid) Methyl esters of lawnermis acid