Extraction of Lawsone Active from the Henna Leaves (Lawsonia Inermis) by Solvent Extraction Method

Abstract

Natural hair colour technology recent days very much pronounced by the consumer due to the awareness about the carcinogenic problem of synthetic dyes. Natural hair colour or dyes are safe to use, it does not harm to the hair, does not bleach. Among the various natural hair colour technique, the henna hair colour is very much pronounced in south Asia, since the material readily available for colouring. In this present attempt to aim to identify the potential solvent for the extraction and make the stable format of extracted lawsone for the hair colour application. Present study results immense useful to the personal care industry to derive the suitable extraction plan for the lawsone and helps to make the product to address the regular consumer pain point area especially the henna paste preparation and colour delivery. The pure henna powder was collected from high crop season from Rajasthan Henna growing garden in India and tested the initial lawsone content through HPLC assay. Sigma Aldrich standard 2-hydroxy-1,4 naphthoquinones act as a reference standard. Lawsone from the leaves are extracted by using the organic solvents like toluene, ethyl acetate, diethyl ether, Carbon tetrachloride, isopropyl acetate, n-Hexane and chloroform. Crude extract yield was higher in ethyl acetate solvent extraction followed by diethyl ether and toluene, and it was lower in n-hexane solvent extractions. Among the purity of lawsone was higher in chloroform i.e., 80% purity and followed by carbon tetra chloride (76%) and toluene (75%); among the studied solvent the ethyl acetate shows the less purity i.e. 32% of lawsone. Polarity index directly and positively correlated with yield and lawsone recovery percentage. Ninhydrin test also shows the negative for the solvent extracted lawsone, however it shows the positive for the water extraction. Overall study clearly indicates that the solvent extraction of lawsone molecules from henna leaves delivers the vibrant colour delivery when compared to the regular consumer practices. Overall experiments are confirming that the absence of amino groups helps to maintain the shelf life of the products. Overall study clearly indicates that the toluene extraction of lawsone is beneficial with respect to the cost, yield and performance of the hair swatches. Findings of solvent extractant of lawsone immense useful to make the traditional shade in convenient way.