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Pak. J. Bot., 45(SI): 165-176, 2013.

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AUTHENTICATION OF HERBAL MEDICINE HENNA (LAWSONIA INNERMIS L.) BY USING TAXONOMIC AND PHARMACOGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES

SHAZIA SULTANA^1* AND MUHAMMAD ZAFAR²

Abstract: This study confined to authentication of herbal medicine namely Henna (Lawsonia inermis) the leaves and powdered leaves of which are used for jaundice, hair and skin problems. The study aimed to investigate indigenous medicinal uses, marketing status, macro and microscopical characters (LM & SEM) of pollen, foliar epidermal anatomy, behavior of powdered drug on treatment with different chemical reagents, fluorescence analysis (under visible & UV light) and preliminary phytochmeical tests to differentiate the genuine source from its adulterant. Such investigation may provide basis for authentication, standardization and characterization of genuine drug. The study concludes with authentication of Lawsonia inermis from its adulterant Mirabilis jalapa based on taxonomic and pharmacognostic characterization. These studies are useful especially for traded herbal drugs for their originality which leads to safe and quality assured herbal formulations for global acceptance.

¹School of Chemical Engineering, Unversiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300, Nibong, Tebal, Penang - Malaysia

²Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan

^*Corresponding author’s e-mail: shaziaflora@hotmail.com