散沫花 / 指甲花 / 散沫叶 — Lawsonia inermis L. (syn. Lawsonia alba Lam.)

Pinyin: Sǎnmòhuā / Zhǐjiāhuā · Malay: Inai / Pokok Inai / Daun Inai / Inai Merah · Family: Lythraceae (千屈菜科)

Energetics

Cool (微凉 / 凉)

Flavor

Bitter, astringent (苦、涩)

Meridians

Liver (肝), Heart (心), Skin/Lung (皮毛/肺)

Traditional Edict

Clears toxic heat, cools blood, astringes wounds to generate flesh, kills skin parasites and stops intractable itching. Sovereign Malay wedding and cooling antifungal (Inai) for tinea, burns, and nail rot.

Cautions & Contraindications

Inai Hitam (Black Henna) often contains toxic synthetic p-phenylenediamine (PPD) causing severe contact dermatitis; ONLY use 100% pure natural green Lawsonia inermis. CONTRAINDICATED internally in G6PD deficiency (lawsone induces oxidative hemolysis).

Clinical Applications

Cutaneous dermatophytosis (tinea pedis, onychomycosis), acute thermal burns, oral aphthous ulcers, pruritus, atopic eczema, and non-toxic botanical hair coloring.

Quality Markers

Lawsone (2-Hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone / 指甲花醌) >= 1.00% & Gallic Acid (HPLC MHM standard)

Mechanism & Phytochemistry

1. Lawsone (2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) reacts with keratin sulfhydryl groups to form a permanent protective bio-barrier, inhibiting fungal ergosterol synthesis in Trichophyton and Candida. 2. Gallic acid and gallotannins accelerate burn wound contracture and re-epithelialization. 3. Downregulates COX-2.

Preparation & Dosage

Fresh leaves crushed with tamarind/lime juice as topical paste for fungal nails and burns. Ultra-fine leaf powder (Inai Serbuk): 20-50 g made into paste. Dried leaf decoction wash: 10-20 g.

Appended Prescriptions

1. Sovereign Antifungal Nail & Tinea Salve with Piper betle (Sirih) and Virgin Coconut Oil. 2. Thermal Burn Soothing Paste with Basella rubra (Yanzi Teng) and Pure Honey.

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Yemama Apothecary · Petaling Jaya, Malaysia · For educational and clinical reference only