Lawsonia inermis Linn., commonly known as 'Henna' , is a tropical glabrous, multi branched shrub or small tree widely grown in India and along the African coast of the Mediterranean sea. Powdered leaves of the plant are used in the form of paste for cosmetic purpose to stain hands and feet and as a hair dye. In folk medicine the plant leaves are used as prophylactic against skin diseases, topical analgesic and as an astringent and is claimed to be useful in jaundice, spleenomegaly, calculus affliction and skin diseases (Jain, 1973). In the present study an attempt was made to verify the folk medicinal claim of usefulness of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of L. inermis leaves in acute and subacute inflammatory reactions in rats. Comparison of anti-inflammatory activity of aq. and alcoholic extracts of L. inermis with modern standard NSAIDs; piroxicam and dictofenac sodium has also been undertaken.
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