INAI

The leaves of the inai or henna plant is commonly used as a dye. But do you know that it has medicinal value? Henna has been used in traditional medicine, wherever it is grown, to treat a vast number of ailments ranging from beriberi to burns and bruises. Henna features in the Siddha system of medicine. Siddha physicians consider parts of henna to be astringent, detergent, deodorant, cooling and a sedative. Fresh leaves mixed with vinegar or lime juice are bandaged onto the soles of the feet to treat 'burning feet', a symptom of beriberi. Ground leaves are applied to sore joints to ease rheumatism. The juice of the plant can be applied to the skin for headaches, and the oil is applied to hair to prevent it from goThe Ayurvedic system uses the henna leaves to treat vitiligo (pale patches on the skin where pigment is lost), and the seeds are used to cure fever.

In folk medicine, henna leaves are used as an ointment, decoction or tea. Henna leaves have been used in India to treat wounds, ulcers, mouth ulcers, bruises, sprains, swelling, burns, stomach pain caused by childbirth, sore throats, gonorrhoea, obesity, to promote menstruation and to induce abortion. Fruit oil is a folk remedy used in disorders causing hardening of the liver and diaphragm, and an ointment made from young fruit is used to prevent itching.ing grey. Its flower oil relieves muscular pains, while its seeds are used as a deodorant and to regulate menstruation. Henna flowers induce sleep, cure headaches and bruises. Leprosy has been treated by henna bark, as well as by an extract of leaves, flowers and shoots. The bark has also been used to treat symptoms of jaundice and enlargement of the liver and spleen. It can be applied to the skin to treat eczema, scabies, fungal infections and burns.

We have a henna plant in the STESMA herb garden and as usual I got my regular model, Puan Kamariah, to pose next to this plant. She was at first reluctant as she said that I have been featuring too much of her in the blog and that people might not want "to see this old woman here". Aiyoh! I am much older than her but I am thick-skinned "buat muka tebal" and keep posting my photos here. Anyway, I assured her that people would not mind looking at her pretty face in the blog and she finally gave in to my persuasive charms. Ha! Ha!
http://www.plantcultures.org/plants/henna_traditional_medicine.html