Henna in Medicine
My passion for henna has led me to a path where I became curious about the medicinal properties in encompasses. As I wrote in the blog about henna’s rich history, in the times of the Mughal empire, henna was used to cool people from the heat. They would apply henna to their palms and feet because it brings a cooling feeling to the skin, which was found to be helpful in hotter and/or tropical climates like that of Mughal South Asia. This fact and old tradition raised questions in my mind: Can henna be used to treat other dermatological conditions? Does the henna plant have any other medicinal value? I created a little research project with the help of my AP Biology teacher Mrs. Keeler and explored these themes on PubMed and Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology. I wanted to use this blog to share things I discovered in this independent research endeavor.
All the medical benefits of henna come from a bioactive compound in the plant (it’s organic molecular formula being 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone). This is the compound that has been shown to be an antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiparastic, anti-fungal, and antioxidant. Research has shown that because of these properties, extract from the henna plant has potential to treat all sorts of skin disorders. If it were to be applied in some prescribed form of medication like an ointment or supplement, the extract would be able to help with skin inflammation, dermatitis, bacterial infections, fungus or parasitic diseases. In other research publications, scientists were inflicting burn wounds and cuts on rats (unfortunately animal cruelty☹️), then they applied henna through nanofibers which are biotechnology fabric used for these types of experiments, and they found real, substantial results in the healing process as opposed to without the treatment. This is all very interesting and surprising to me because I always knew henna had a cooling touch, but I never realized if it makes skin feel different for the time that the stain lasts.
The other half of my research was the opposite of the benefits and explored toxicology with chemical henna. I had known before this project that using commercial black henna or instant chemical henna may yield dangerous results of burns, boils, and allergic reactions. I know people who have experienced this and stayed away from the unsafe chemical henna, despite it being easier in the way that it doesn’t force one to keep the design on for hours to stain. Although this is convenient, it takes away from the traditional art of henna in my opinion; it’s more culturally valuable to have the patience after applying each design. Furthermore, research shows that the chemical responsible for the irritation is a common allergen called para-phenylenediamine (PPD), the synthetic added to deepen the color and speed up staining. This has been the cause of countless documentations of severe reactions. I would always recommend to use natural henna, but if you or anyone you know try black henna or chemical henna, look out for this ingredient and if it isn’t on the box/cone, still spot test the formula by applying a small dot to your wrist just to make sure no harm happens after a bit. Public awareness about the dangers of synthetic henna should definitely be more prevalent, as well as regulation of such ingredients in the commercial cosmetic industry.
The more I look into this, the more my questions branch—I see further how powerful research is and regret more not taking the esteemed research elective at my school. Henna has been such a big passion for me this past couple of years and I am so glad it has also been able to intersect with another goal of mine for my future: to study medicine and work in healthcare. Henna has been a way of healing for myself, by bringing it to others, and by using it to raise funds/awareness, but it is so beautiful to know that it actually carries so much more power in real healing.
Abu El-Hamd, M., & Aboeldahab, S. (n.d.). Henna Tattoo: From Cosmetic to Toxicologic Concern. PubMed.
Bayati, S., Harirchi, P., & Zahedi, P. (n.d.). Lawsonia inermis-Loaded Polymeric Nanofibers for Medical Applications. PubMed.
Batiha, G. E., Teibo, J. O., & Shaheen, H. (n.d.). Therapeutic Potential of Lawsonia inermis (Henna). PubMed.
Badoni Semwal, R., Semwal, D. K., & Sharma, R. (n.d.). Lawsonia inermis L. (Henna): Ethnobotany to Pharmacological Activity. PubMed.
Gopinath, H., Karthikeyan, K., & Meera, R. (n.d.). For the love of color: A critical look at para-phenylenediamine (PPD) in black henna tattoos. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology (IJDVL).
Kosarek, N. N., & Preston, E. V. (n.d.). Contributions of Synthetic Chemicals to Adverse Reactions in Henna Tattoos. PubMed.
Michael, H. T., Mohan, D., & Aljaghbeir, A. (n.d.). Topical Henna Application Causes Allergic Contact Dermatitis. PubMed.
Palaniappan, V., Karthikeyan, K., & Arul, P. (n.d.). Dermatological Adverse Effects of Synthetic Henna Applications. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology (IJDVL).
Pasandi Pour, A., & Farahbakhsh, H. (n.d.). Lawsonia inermis L. Leaves Aqueous Extract: Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties. PubMed.
Rakhshandeh, H., & Ghorbanzadeh, B. (n.d.). Pain-Relieving Effects of Lawsonia inermis Extract in Rats. PubMed.
Rekik, D. M., Ben Khedir, S., & Daoud, D. (n.d.). Wound Healing Effect of Lawsonia inermis. PubMed.
Sienkiewicz-Szłapka, E., & Janysz, A. (n.d.). Quantification of Lawsone and Its Toxicological Implications in Commercial Henna. PubMed.
