Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol. XXI pp. 125 to 132

HENNA AND PSORIASIS

SAMIR YAHIA El·GAMMAL*

ABSTRACT

Henna plant was known to man since time immemorial. The partsmostly used were the leaves and flowers for medicinal and cosmetic preparations.while the branches and roots were used in domestic purposes. Henna was usedby the ancient Fgyptians thousands of years ago to dye their palms and feetprior to the wedding night. They also round that many skin infections weretreated and cured successfully with it.

Henna Plant, named botanicallyLawsonia inermis (sometimes calledLawsonia alba), Fam. Lythraceae,was known to man since time imme-morial. It was called by the ancientEgyptians "Bok ar" or "Kabra", andused to import it from the MiddleEast regions, Persia, India and othersub-tropical regions. The parts mostlyused were the leaves and flowers formedicinal and cosmetic preparations,while the branches and roots wereused in domestic purposes. (6)

Henna was used by the ancientEgyptians thousands of years ago,mention of it dates back prior to3000 B.C. as stated in Ebers medicalpapyrus, written 1550 B.C. andwas found as a hair dye on themummy of the great Egyptian KingRamsis II (1290-1223 B.C.). Also the

ancient Egyptians used to dye theirpalms and feet with henna prior tothe wedding night, by mixing hennaleaves in powdered form with water,then the paste was put inside thepalms and below the feet, both tiedwith strings and left over-night afterwhich, they were untied, thus impar-ting them a red colouration. Theyalso found, by this method, that manyskin infections such as taenia andother mycotic diseases were treatedand cured successfully, with theresult, that these diseases were habi-tually easily cured. (6,11 & 12).

The ancient Egyptians used steambaths with henna leaves as a benefi-cial cure for epilepsy and hystericalfits, while a mixture of henna leavesand flowers, soaked in warm water,strained, and the remaining fluid was

'" Historian. P.O. Box No. 136. Maddi, Cairo, Egypt.

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used during all the Pharaonic periodsas a paint applied to the feet cracksand fissures as a cure, and also asanti-perspirant, specially during thehot days of summer, and also appliedto the mouth and body ulcers as aneffective healing agent. Also, thestrained solution from boiled hennaleaves was taken orally as a popularblood restorative cure, and wheninfusing the leaves in vinegar over-night, served as a good pain-killerinternally: (7)

For cosmetic purposes, hennaflowers were used extensively toproduce excellent perfumes, byextra-ctinq its volatile oil using animal orvegetable fat. Also was used as an ail-pclish, either red or black,(mixed with indigo pigments as a bla-ckeninq sub-dye), also as a cure fornail cracks. Henna flowers were alsoan important ingredient in hair-dyecosmetics, so as to produce a rod orblack dyes or other different interme-diate colours. Again, henna powderwas mixed with face and cheekpowders together with bees-wax toproduce red-orange colour (6).

Henna plant was customerly placedin the tombs and cemeteries beforeany burial, thus acting as a dehydrantagent, to prevent rapid deteriorationof the dead bodies, while in mummi-fication procedures, henna was usedmassively as a paint over the bodiesas an astringent and anti-mycoticexternal agent. (6&7).

Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist. Med, Vol. XXI

Also, henna paste was an impor-tant ingredient in the world-wide andvery famous ancient Egyptian incense"Kifi ", wh ich was bu rnt in festiva Isand sacred ceremonies in thetemples. (7).

In industry, a mixture of powderedhenna leaves and flowers were mixedwith water, and the resulting watersoluble red-orange co louring dye wasused during all the Pharaonic periodsas a dye for their flax and woolencloths. (7&8).

The use of henna dye for thehands and feet of the ancient Egyp-tians became a popular habit amongthe ancient Jews inhabiting theeastern regions of the Egyptian desert.The Old Testament recalls the wordsof king Soloman in his Epithalamium(i.14); "My beloved is unto me as acluster of Samphire, in the vineyardsof Engedi".

Astonishingly enough, henna dyebecame a common practice in manycountries of Africa and Asia, thuswhen was applied to the hair, impartsit much brilliance, softness and forti-fication surmountinq chemical dyes.In their common habit of adoptingthe ancient Egyptian life and customs,the ancient Greeks used henna exten-sively, which they called "Phvqoros",while Dioscorides mentioned Hennain his famous book 'The Greek Herbal'and called it Kupros, and Pliny theGreat referred it by the name Kvprus,

Henna and Psoriasis-Samir Yahia Et-Gemmel

The ancient Greeks used henna prep a-rations as a paint for gums inflamma-tion and wounds, as well as a goodagent for chronic ulcers externally.The Ptolemies of ancient Egypt andthe Roman invadors used henna on awide scale, in burial ceremonies in theform of circular bunches, made fromthe flowering branches. (4&7).

The Arabs, before and after theIslamic rise, esteemed henna verymuch, to the extent that the ProphetMohammad described it as" the bestof herbs" (!). He also used it as apoultice whenever he had a dermalulcer or stu ng by a tho rn.

Also the Prophet used to advise hisfollowers to use henna dye wheneverthey complained of pain in theextremities;

The Prophet also said that henna treeis highly praised and beloved byA113h;

The Prophet also advised to use hennafor dyeing grey hair together withIndigo;

The Prophet advised the Moslems touse henna dye which he described astho Master of Dves. because it impartsthe skin a fragrant odour and forti-fies intercourse;

Also, the Prophet advised the use ofhenna dye because it makes oneyounger, prettier and sexually stronger;

The Arabs used henna flowersas a valuable external application in

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the form of a paint, so as to relieveheadaches, while a paste mixed withoil (sometime a resin was incorporated)and applied to the skin, will help tocure small-pox dermal affection.

During the Islamic Empire, hennaleaves acquired a very big reputationin promoting the growth of scalp hair,and also the nails in the form of anointment, while a gargle was usedas an astringent in throat infections.Also, henna bark infusion was auseful remedy for the treatment ofjaundice, enlargement of the spleen,bile stones and as an alternative inLeprosy and obstinate skin diseases.A decoction of henna leaves wascommonly applied to burns andscalds for quick healing promotion. (9)

The Arabs used also henna seeds,mixed with honey and tragacanthpowder, taken orally daily, as a goodcephalic agent. Also, an infusion ofhenna flowers was customerly appliedto bruises, causing quick disappea-rance of pain and black marks, whilea pillow stuffed with henna flowershad the reputation of inducingsleep (2). The Arabs also prepared avolatile oil from henna flowers, havinga fragrant odour, which they called"Duhn el-fuqhiva", and was used asa perfume (3). They also boiledhenna flowers with water and appliedthe strained solution as a local treat-ment for aerie vulgaris, whereas apaint obtained from a decoction ofhenna leaves was applied to the skin

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and the scalp so as to nourish theepidermal cells and hair roots (thered colouring matter present in thehenna solution gets absorbed throughthe skin and is excreted through theurine, thus imparting it a red colour).Also, henna flowers were mixed withfat and rose oil, applied to the jointand back pains as a sedative. Also,an ointment was prepared from hennaflowers with fat, applied to chronicscabies. (10). A household use ofhenna flowers, practiced by the Arabs,was to place them between the foldsof their woolen cloths so as to g!vethem a fragrant odour and to expellmoths.

Oral administration of a solutionof boiled henna leaves in powderform was used by Arabs to curedysentry and diarrohea, due to itsastringent properties. They alsosucceeded in preventing excessiveskin perspiration by mixing hennaleaves with acacia gum powder toform a paste and applied it to theskin, acting as an astringent and toharden and thickens the epidermis,drying also the wet surface and pre-vents any microbial or mycotic inva-sion. They also used henna paint ontheir hands, whose skin got wrinkleddue to excessive exposure to water(during washing cloths for instance),thus water loss from the skin was dec-reased and the skin was protected (9).

In ancient India, an extract pre-pared from henna flowers and leaves

Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol. XXI

was a common remedy for leprosy,through the oral intake of a 1/2 tea-spoonful twice daily. They also usedhenne leaves externally in case ofcutaneous affections, while the leafjuice when mixed with water andsugar, was given as a remedy forspermatorrhoea. Also, the leaf juicemixed with cow milk and takenorally, was a useful treatment for acondition called "hot and cold fits".The aged Indians used to beat hennaleaves to form a paste after beingmixed with vinegar and applied as apoultice to the sales of the feet incase of burns to relieve their pain,(sometimes the bruised leaves wereused with strong friction for the samepurpose). The use of the henna pre-parations are still in use throughoutthe folk-traditional medicine in manyparts of south east Asia up ti II now (5).

Morphologically, henna leavesare opposite, smooth, short petioledoblong or broad lanceolate, pointedat both ends, an inch or more longand less than half an inch broad. Theflowers ale in terminal, globular,cross-armed panicles, small, greenishwhite and very fragrant. The fruitsare round, of the size of a pepper-corn, four grooved, with the apexdepressed, four-celled. The seeds areangular and the roots are red incoiour.

The decoction of henna leaves isof a deep orange-red colour, which isdestroyed by acids and deepend by

Henna and Psoriasis-Samir Yahia E/-Gamma/

alkalies and vegetable astringents.It stains the skin orange-red whichdoes not disappear until the epider-mis has been renewed.

Henna leaf extract contains avolatile oil, a crystalline principle"Lowson" (CIO H" 03). mannite, redcolouring tannin "Hennotannic acid"(which is a brown substance, of aresinoid appearance, soluble in boi-ling water, and possessing the pro-perties of tannin, while heat decom-poses it giving rise to crystallineneedles which reduces silver nitratesolution). Henna leaves yield withboiling water, a colouring matterwhich is soluble in glycerine, strongpotash and ammonia solutions toge-ther with dilute acids. The leavesalso yield 2% olive green resin, solu-ble in ether and alcohol (5).

Encouraging results have beenobtained with the direction of hennaleaves, prepared tested in variousconcentrations for a period of sixmonths on a group of seventy pati-ents of different sexes and ages suf-fering from nail root mycosis.

Clinical investigations and trialshave also been made with strainedsolution of henna leaves decoction,painted on the affected areas invarious concentrations with encou-raging results on a group of onehundred and twelve patients of diffe-rent sexes and ages, suffering frompsoriasis, that is skin disease whose

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treatment form a major problem indermatology. Several factors influ-ence its onset, the most importantof which is heredity. Others may beinfection, streptococcal tonsillitis inchildhood being the precipitatingcause of 50~~of acute cases, appea-ring as an allergic response to thatinfection. Other causes may bedeprivation of sunlight, mental stress,harmonal factors, drug allergy suchas chloroquine, chloropropamide,practalol and others. Psoriasis lesionsare red or pink areas with silveryscaling which may become heapedup on the affected areas. It is foundthat, in most of the cured cases, theaffected red swollen areas of theskin returned gradually to normalwith disappearance of the scalesstarting from the third month of dailyapplication of the paint thricely andleft to dry.

Application of henna decoctionwill be of great benefit to thoseworkers in corrosive materials suchas cement, gypsum •.•etc., which willcure their skin erosion or even prev-ents it through the application of aninsulating layer of henna ointment.Also nail root inflammations causedby taenia or other myco-organismscould be cured with henna paint,acting as a mycostatic agent (repla-cing the crimson coloured dye ofof castellani's paint and more effec-tive) .

130 Bull. Ind. lnst, Hist. Med. Vol. XXI

REFERENCES

1. AI-Antaki, Daoud Tazkerat Ulul AlbabVol. 1, Boulak Press Edition, Egypt, 1282 H.

2. AI-Biruni Book on Pharmacy & Materia Medicap. 167, Hamdard Edition, Pakistan, 1973 AD.

3. Al-Dhahabi, A A AI- Tibb AI-NabawiCairo Edition, 1950 AD.

4. Dioscorides, Pedanios The Greek HerbalHafner Publishing Co., New York, 1968 AD.

5. Dymock, William Pharmacographia IndicaVol. 2, Hamdard Edition, Pakistan, 1972.

6. Ebbell B. The Ebers PapyrusLevin & Munksgaard-Ejnar Munksgaard, Copenhagen, 1937.

7. Hassan, Kamal Ancient Egyptian MedicineVol. 4, Cairo Edition, 1964.

8. Herodotus The HistoriesPenguin Books, England, 1954.

9. Ibn AI-Bay tar AI-Gami Li Mufradat AI-Adwiya wal Aghdhiya(Materia Medica)

Vol. 1, Boulak Press Edition, Cairo, 1291 H.10. Ibn Sina Al-Oanun fil Tibb

Vol. 1, Boulak Press Edition, Cairo, 1294 H.11. Lemordant & Forestier, J. P. J. d'agriculture Trad. et de Bot· appliquee

Vol. 30, p. 1, 69-89 (128 ret.). France, 1983.12. Tripathi, R.D. & Srivasta, H. S. & Dixit, S. N. Experientia

p. 1. 51-52, vol. 34, France, 1978.

Henna and Psoriesis=Semir Yahia EI-Gammal 131

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