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Lawsonia inermis L. (Lythraceae), popularly known as henna, is a small tree or shrub. Its root has been used in Philippian alternative medicine for hysteria and nervous disorders, but to our best knowledge no scientific study has been conducted on these activities. Therefore here an attempt is done to screen anxiolytic and antidepressant activity of hydroalcoholic extract of Lawsonia inermis L. root in albino mice. The extract, administered orally, was able to increase open arm exploration in elevated plus maze and increase nose poking rate in hole board test for anxiolytic activity.The same extract increase immobility time of mice subjected to forced swim test and tail suspension test for antidepressant activity. The screening test for antidepressant effect of the drug is not encouraging or negative. Therefore the data obtained from the study allows us to suggest Lawsonia inermis root as an anxiolytic agent but not as an antidepressant. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of carbohydrates, sterols, terpenoids, flavanoids, saponins and coumarins which are responsible for these pharmacological effects.