Eden Apothecary · Herb Profile
Lawsonia inermis
Pronounced HEN-uh (KAM-fire); law-SOH-nee-uh in-ER-miss
Cool, dry, astringent-bitter: the cooling skin herb that tightens weepy, inflamed, and eruptive tissue, stains and protects, and quiets fungal and bacterial overgrowth on the surface.
No pre-1900 source found for this reading. Both old texts pass on another writer's account rather than giving their own.
Do not take internally during pregnancy: oral henna is rated Unsafe (hemolysis risk; the fruit carries a traditional emmenagogue reputation, Grieve 1931). Topical natural henna applied to small skin areas is generally considered low risk, but data are limited; avoid large-area or near-term application given the risk of hemolysis in a G6PD-deficient fetus/neonate, and avoid 'black henna' (PPD) entirely. (WebMD/Natural Medicines; AHPA Botanical Safety Handbook 2nd ed.)
Oral henna is rated Unsafe during lactation (WebMD/Natural Medicines). Topical natural henna has low systemic absorption and is generally considered low risk, but avoid application to the breast and nipple and keep an infant from contacting stained skin. (WebMD/Natural Medicines; AHPA Botanical Safety Handbook 2nd ed.)
Oral use is Unsafe in children. Topical application is Possibly Unsafe: in G6PD-deficient infants and children, skin application can cause life-threatening hemolysis, with documented deaths and kernicterus. Do not apply henna to neonates or infants, screen for G6PD deficiency before any pediatric use, and avoid 'black henna' at all ages. (WebMD/Natural Medicines; G6PD hemolysis case literature, PubMed 8985525, PMC9985141.)
The dominant safety concern is glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency: lawsone is an oxidant naphthoquinone that can trigger oxidative hemolysis. In G6PD-deficient neonates and infants even TOPICAL henna has caused severe hemolytic anemia, kernicterus, and death. Do not apply henna to the skin of neonates or infants, and avoid it entirely in anyone known or suspected to be G6PD-deficient. 'Black henna' is not true henna: it is natural henna adulterated with para-phenylenediamine (PPD) and causes severe allergic contact dermatitis, chemical burns, permanent scarring, and lifelong sensitization. Use only pure, body-art-quality natural henna, which stains reddish-brown, never black. Internal ingestion is toxic (hemolysis, rhabdomyolysis, renal failure).
G6PD deficiency (topical and oral), especially in neonates and infants. Internal/oral use is not recommended. 'Black henna' (PPD-containing) preparations. Known allergy to henna or naphthoquinone dyes. Broken or extensively compromised skin in susceptible individuals.
Widely cultivated as an agricultural crop across North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia (India, notably Rajasthan/Sojat, is a major producer); not at-risk or listed by United Plant Savers. The stewardship priority is quality and purity rather than conservation: choose pure, body-art-quality (BAQ) natural henna that is lab-tested and free of PPD, metallic salts, and other adulterants.
Named in Scripture as 'camphire' (Hebrew kopher), Song of Solomon 1:14 ('a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi', KJV) and Song of Solomon 4:13. These are the only two biblical mentions, both in the Song of Songs. Known to the Greeks and Romans as 'kupros/cyprus,' and a staple cosmetic, dye, and funerary plant of ancient Egypt and the Levant. A classical Ayurvedic and Unani herb (Mehndi/Madayantika).
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