| Henna
Dr. Hussain al Rashidy
Henna plant (Lawsonia Inermis) is well
known in the Arab and Muslims world, extensively grown in India and Sudan,
and used mainly for cosmetic purposes.
Over the last many years I have used Henna
as medicine after I read the Hadith that the Prophet (PUH) ordered anyone
who has been pricked by a thorn or has an ulcer on his leg to put Henna on
it.
After many years of experience I have come
to call it the Magic Plant and in the following paragraphs I will explain
why:
1-It has a great healing effect, it contain
many healing substances like Tannin and other Glue like substances.
2-It has anti-microbial effect especially
anti-viral effect.
HENNA USES
1 BURNS
Henna when applied to a first or
second-degree burn gives very good results:
- Decreases pain.
- Decreases fluid loss from the burn site,
this is important if the burn area is large.
- It has anti-microbial effect hence it
decreases infection.
- Sticks to the burned site until healing
is complete.
- Easy to apply to the burned site as
paste or powdered.
- available.
2 HEALING PROPERTIES
Henna promotes wound healing especially
chronic wounds and ulcers, I have used it on nuropathic ulcers of the foot
and it proved to be very effective. The main factor that promotes healing
is not known but I think it has this effect by its nourishing effect on
the wound and its anti-microbial properties. If the wound is infected
antibiotic cover usually needed.
3 ANTI-HAEMORHAGIC
I used henna for treatment of Epistaxis,
and it proved to be very effective, and give a long lasting cure. And does
not need to be applied more than once most of the times, the powder sticks
to the bleeding area until healed, it works better than cauterization,
which most of the times needs to be repeated and still does not guarantee
against that recurrence of the bleeding.
ANTERIOR NOSE BLEED (from little area):
treated by applying the powdered henna to bleeding spot, using a ready
made ear cleaning stick with its cotton covered end, pack the powder to
the site of bleeding, that will stop the bleeding, rarely it needs to be
repeated again and that is really magic way of treatment for epistaxis.
POSTERIOR NOSE BLEED: Which is very
difficult to treat as every ENT doctor knows, with this Henna powder just
ask the patient to sniff the powder through the anterior nostril to make
it reach the back of the nose or posterior nostril and by this action the
powder will stick to the bleeding area and the bleeding will stop, no more
do we need to use posterior nose pack which is a nightmare for the patient
and the doctor at the same time. The
only side effect of Henna here is that it causes the patient to sneeze a
little.
The anti-bleeding effect of Henna could be
used on other sites like bleeding duodenal ulcer or esophageal varices .
This needs to be tried as far as there are no side effect known.
This anti-bleeding effect may be due to its
coagulation like effect or its locally burning effect.
4-ANTI-VIRAL
Henna definitely has an anti-viral effect
that became clear by its action on:
We have tried it many times especially on
warts which are resistant to cryo (Nitrogen liquid) treatment and prove
effective, one giant wart measuring 1.5x1.5cm on a child thumb which was
resistant to all forms of treatment, at last the child referred to the
plastic surgeon for operation, we tried Henna on it, applied every other
day over night and in few weeks it disappeared completely. The
Dermatologist nurse has a wart on her finger for more than two years that
was resistant to liquid nitrogen treatment, we asked her to use henna and
got cured. We found it very
useful especially on multiple warts. On
warts Henna is applied as paste.
This second is proven and successful effect
of Henna on viral infections. We applied it in powdered form to herpes
site, we noticed: It dried the vesicles
at the site early. It prevents
ulceration and crust formation. It prevent
secondary infection. Henna is
applied on herpes in powdered form.
This anti-viral effect of Henna is very
promising, and should be explored further, It could used as treatment for
AIDS. It is natural, cheap, and has no side effects even when taken
orally.
We have prepared Henna in capsules now at
home and used it as a prophylaxis against Flu during last Hajj and we
think it helped, as we did not get the infection while most people got
Hajj Flu that is usually a severe one. But this is too early to be sure
about and needs more trials.
5-OTHER USES OF HENNA:
Henna can be used as a prophylaxis
especially to protect diabetic patients feet, I routinely now advice my
diabetic patients to use henna at least once a month because:
- It helps to heal fissures and cracks in
the foot and reduces foot infection.
- It improves the skin texture, which look
healthier and softer.
- It may delay the nuropathic effect of
diabetes; in fact it may reverse the early ones. This needs more time
to prove.
Henna could be used in the following areas:
1- Back pain
2- for ulcerative colitis as enema.
3- for bleeding duodenal ulcers.
This is our experience with Henna over the
last six years or more; the most promising is its anti-viral effect that
could prove a breakthrough in modern medicine as a treatment for HIV
patients.
19/1/2000
reprinted with permission from: |