Abstract

ANTIMICROBIAL EFFECTS OF LAWSONIA INERMIS PLANT: A REVIEW

Alhadi M. Wajiej*, Safinaz J. Aburagaegah and Faiza E. Albakosh

ABSTRACT

The plant Lawsonia inermis (henna plant) has been used in herbal medicine for ages. However, the medical benefits of this plant have been discussed in only a few publications. In this study, the antibacterial effects of water, alcoholic and oily extracts of Lawsonia inermis leaves against bacterial cultures isolated from various skin diseases were investigated. It also used for antifungal, antimicrobial and antimycotic activities. The antimicrobial activities as well as phytochemical screening of aqueous, ethanolic and petroleum ether extracts of leaves of Lawsonia inermis against clinical isolates of; Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Epidermophyton floccosum, were investigated using the agar-well diffusion method. The phytochemical screening showed the presence of saponins, flavonoids and steroids in all the extracts. The highest activities were observed in the aqueous extract of the plant against Staphylococcus aureus and Epidermophyton floccosum (IZ=19mm). The findings of this study suggest that Lawsonia inermis could serve as a potential antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral agent and provide the basis for isolation and identification of biologically active constituents in these extracts.

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