Validated method for quality assessment of henna (Lawsonia inermis L.) leaves after postharvest blanching and its cosmetic application

• Published in: Industrial crops and products 2017-01, Vol.95, p.33-42
• Main Authors: Jyotshna, Gaur, Pooja, Singh, Dhananjay Kumar, Luqman, Suaib, Shanker, Karuna
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Blanching; Body art; Cosmetic application; HPLC-PDA; Lawsone; Method validation
• ISSN: 0926-6690; 1872-633X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2016.10.010

[Display omitted] •Method for the quality analysis of henna powder blanched and finished product.•Phytochemical changes in blanched samples were studied.•Eight phytochemicals of six different class were quantified.•Luteolin-7-o-glucoside was susceptible to salt and liq.-N2 treatment.•Coloration capacity of henna correlated with mixing of vegetable/herb oils. Henna (Lawsonia inermis L., Family- Lythraceae) has been used for number of cosmetic purposes, including body painting, palm colouring and dyeing of hair. In spite of huge demand for cosmetic applications, no validated analytical method is available for the quality assessment of henna. Therefore, present validated method demonstrates the simultaneous quantification of eight marker compounds. Chemical markers, namely 1) gallic acid, 2) quercetin, 3) fraxetin, 4) luteolin-7-O- glucoside, 5) p-coumaric acid, 6) lawsone, 7) luteolin and 8) apigenin were chosen for the quality assessment of henna. The method was also applied to assess the effects of postharvest treatments (PHT) on the quality of henna leaves as well its derived product i.e. oil mixed paste. Both the chemical and thermal blanching treatments severely (p>menthol>olive oil. The apigenin content was about 2.4 times higher in olive oil mixed henna paste than control, while, fraxetin content reduced to half. Mixing of castor oil in henna paste has produced the most intense color; while the mentha oil facilitated the persistence action when applied for palm ornamentation.