Bhubaneswar, Sep 22 - The Orissa government Tuesday ordered testing of mehendi samples available in the market following reports of hundreds of women left with itchy and swollen palms after applying the henna on their hands.

The state health minister has directed the Drugs Control Department to collect mehendi samples from different districts and test it in the laboratories.

Prasanna Acharya, health and family welfare minister, said the collected mehendi samples would be sent for testing to ascertain whether there was any toxic content present.

Since a large number of women fell ill in Bhadrak district, a team of drug inspectors has been sent to the district to collect mehendi samples.