1.3. Use of Madayantikā (Henna)

Henna (Henna—Lawsonia inermis) is a perennial shrub, whose leaves are used in medicines as well as cosmetics. A red coloured dye, extracted from the leaves of henna is used especially by women to paint their body, particularly the fingers, nails and palms. Henna is generally known by the name Madayantikā. Mendī, Mendikā and Mahindī are some of its variants. We come across henna, mostly in the texts pertaining to medicines, alchemy and also in some lexicons. Suśruta^[1], in Cikitsāsthāna of his text, mentions Madayantikā as an ingredient for the preparation of an unguent used by kings, while in Aṣṭāṅgasaṅgraha^[2], henna is referred to as an ingredient of a medicine for leprosy. In another place, we read of henna used in the preparation of Pañcagavya^[3]. In another context, henna is recommended as as an antidote^[4]. According to Suśruta^[5], it is a remedy for wound also. Henna is one among the medicinal plants listed in the fifth chapter entitled Oṣadhinirṇaya of Rasārṇava^[6]. Rasaratnākara^[7] refers to henna in the description of Tāmravedha. Apte’s^[8] Sanskrit-English Dictionary and K.M.Vaidya’s Aṣṭhāṅgahṛdayakośa^[9] mention henna. According to Vaidya, Nakharañjaka is a synonym of Madayantikā. He describes Madayantikā thus–norÃkae nam v&]ivze;>, Timira, Kokadanta, dvivṛnta etc are some other names given by Vaidya. He mentions its properties also.