A fungitoxic principle from the leaves of lawsonia inermis lam.

During antifungal screening of higher plants, the leaves of Lawsonia inermis were found to exhibit strong fungitoxicity. On chemical investigation, the antifungal factor was found to be 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (Lawsone). The minimum effective dose against test organism was found to be 1000 ppm. Lawsone was found to exhibit fungicidal activity, wide fungitoxic spectrum and nonphytotoxicity.