Entry for Impatiens balsamina Linn. [family BALSAMINACEAE]
Entry From
Burkill, H.M. 1985. The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol 1
Uses
leaf seed Food: general leaf Medicines: generally healing flower Phytochemistry: antibiotic, bacteristatic, fungistatic seed Phytochemistry: fatty acids, etc. leaf flower Products: dyes, stains, inks, tattoos and mordants
Description
A herbaceous annual, native of India, but now widely dispersed as a garden ornamental in many sorts of cultivars. It is present and grown here and there in West Africa.It is widely known in Asia as a substitute for henna for dyeing the fingernails for which the flower petals are used though it is said the leaves also yield a dye. The leaves are eaten in Indonesia and may be used for poulticing broken and torn nails (1, 2). The seeds are edible and contain 27% of a green viscous oil which can be used for cooking and lighting. An alcoholic extract of the flowers has a marked anti-biotic activity, the active principle being 2-methoxy-l, 4-naphthoquinone (3).
