title: Pharmacognostic Specifications and Lawsone Content ofLawsonia inermisLeaves.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lawsonia inermisL. has been used as a traditional or folk medicine for the treatment of a wide range of skin infectious diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacognostic specifications and lawsone contents ofL. inermisleaves.
  
  
  METHODS
  The pharmacognostic specifications ofL. inermisleaves from 12 sources were evaluated according to the WHO guideline of quality control method for medicinal plant materials. The lawsone contents were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) coupled with densitometry and image analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Microscopic evaluation ofL. inermispowders showed the fragment of mesophyll, fragment of parenchyma, epidermis layer with stomata, and the rosette crystal of calcium oxalate. Physicochemical parameters revealed that total ash, acid-insoluble ash, loss on drying, and water content should be not <6.98, 1.12, 8.08, and 9.86% of dried weight, respectively, whereas ethanol and water extractive values should be not < 19.67 and 23.06% of dried weight, respectively. The content of lawsone inL. inermisleaves by TLC-densitometry was found to be 0.76 ± 0.05 g/100 g of dried crude drug, whereas the lawsone content evaluation by TLC image analysis was found to be 0.87 ± 0.11 g/100 g of dried crude drug. The validation of the methods revealed that both TLC-densitometry and TLC image analysis showed a good sensitivity and accuracy for lawsone quantitation inL. inermis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pharmacognostic specifications could be used as the standardization data ofL. inermisleaves, and the development of TLC method could be applied to determine lawsone content in this plant material.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pharmacognostic specification ofLawsonia inermisleaves could be used as the standardization data of L.inermisleaves in Thailand.Both TLC-densitometry and TLC image analysis showed a good sensitivity and accuracy for lawsone quantitation.Abbreviations Used: LOD: Limit of detection; LOQ: Limit of quantitation; RSD: Relative standard deviation; TLC: Thin layer chromatography; UV: Ultraviolet; Rf value: Relative to front value.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand.
authors.forename: Rawiwan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Charoensup
authors.affiliation: School of Health Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand.
authors.forename: Thidarat
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Duangyod
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Chanida
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Palanuvej
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Rangsit University, Pathumthani 12000, Thailand.
authors.forename: Nijsiri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ruangrungsi
keywords: Lawsone; Lawsonia inermis L; pharmacognostic specification; thin-layer chromatography