May help with

• It has antioxidant properties.
• It has antimicrobial properties.
• It has anti-inflammatory properties.
• It may reduce your cancer risk.
• It may help promote healthy digestion.
• It may act as a diuretic.

Source : http://www.wikiphyto.org/wiki/Citronnelle_des_Indes

Reference on http://www.wikiphyto.org

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plant name

Indian Lemongrass, Indian Verbena , Central American Lemongrass (different from Lemongrass Cymbopogon flexuosus (Steud) Wats.)

International Latin denomination

Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf. (= Andropogon citratus DC)

botanical family

Poaceae (= Gramineae )

Description and habitat

• Plant growing in dense clumps 1.5 m high, with strong roots, with ribbon-like, narrow and lanceolate leaves, with branch-shaped peduncles, slightly fragrant (lemony smell when crushed)
• South India, Sri Lanka, tropical regions

History and tradition

Parts used

• Grass (aerial part), rhizomes
• leaf essential oil

Dosage forms available

• Essential oil

Usual dosages

Composition

Main components of the plant

• Phenolic acids
• Tannins
• Flavonoids (derived from luteolin
• Geranial (= alpha-citral = citral a ), and neral (= beta-citral = citral b )
• Myrcene

Main components of buds or young shoots

Main components of essential oil

• Monoterpene aldehydes = citrals (50-70%) geranial (= citral a ): 30-40% and neral (= citral b ): 20-30%; lemongrass 1 to 13%
• Monoterpenes  : limonene (1 to 11%), myrcene , beta-pinene
• Monoterpenols  : geraniol

Properties

Plant properties

• Anti-inflammatory [1] , by inhibition of nitric oxide NO synthase (iNOS) [2]
• Analgesic, hypotensive, expectorant, antispasmodic, febrifuge (in infusion, in the West Indies)

Bud properties

Properties of essential oil

• Anti-inflammatory by action on the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1beta and IL-6 [3]
• Sedative, vasodilator
• Antiallergic ( citrals ) [4]
• Mosquito repellent
• Antiviral against Herpes virus [5] , composition close to that of much more expensive Melissa essential oil
• Bactericidal against Helicobacter pylori at a concentration of 0.01 to 0.1%, without acquired resistance (with Lippia citriodora ( lemon verbena ) [6]
• HE anti-amoebic with that of Ocimum gratissimum
• Anxiolytic by GABA-ergic effect on GABA-A benzodiazepine receptors [7]
• Antibacterial and antifungal by aldehydes [8] , myrcene , without direct anti-infective effect, manifests a synergistic effect with the other components, geranial and neral [9]
• Activity on Malassezia sp. , especially as a mixture of essential oils from Cymbopogon citratus and Cymbopogon flexuosus formulated in shampoo, cream or lotion [10]
• Anticonvulsant by activity on GABAergic neurotransmission (“ Cymbopogon citratus ” has a greater effect with citral , “ Cymbopogon winterianus ” less with citronellal [11]
• Analgesic [12] , the essential oil decreases sensitivity to pain ( myrcene ), by increasing endogenous morphinopeptides

Directions

Indications of the whole plant (phytotherapy)

• Digestive disorders
• Fever

Indications of the bud (gemmotherapy)

Specific indications of essential oil (aromatherapy)

• Autonomic dystonia
• Cellulite
• Hepatic insufficiency
• Arteriopathies
• Arthritis (locally)
• Flu +++
• Helicobacter pylori gastritis [13]

Known or suspected mode of action

• Limonene is expectorant
• Geranial or citral a (trans form) and neral or citral b (cis form) are isomers, they are anticancer and sedative

Usual formulations

Regulations

• French Pharmacopoeia list A (leaf of Cymbopogon sp.)

Possible side effects and precautions for use

Bibliographic references

1. Aller↑ Francisco V, Figueirinha A, Neves BM, García-Rodríguez C, Lopes MC, Cruz MT, Batista MT. Cymbopogon citratus as source of new and safe anti-inflammatory drugs: bio-guided assay using lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011 Jan 27;133(2):818-27. PMID 21075192
2. Aller↑ Figueirinha A, Cruz MT, Francisco V, Lopes MC, Batista MT. Anti-inflammatory activity of Cymbopogon citratus leaf infusion in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated dendritic cells: contribution of the polyphenols. J Med Food. 2010 Jun;13(3):681-90. PMID 20438326
3. Aller↑ Sforcin JM, Amaral JT, Fernandes A Jr, Sousa JP, Bastos JK. Lemongrass effects on IL-1beta and IL-6 production by macrophages. Nat Prod Res. 2009;23(12):1151-9. doi: 10.1080/14786410902800681. PMID 19662581
4. Aller↑ Mitoshi M, Kuriyama I, Nakayama H, Miyazato H, Sugimoto K, Kobayashi Y, Jippo T, Kuramochi K, Yoshida H, Mizushina Y. Suppression of allergic and inflammatory responses by essential oils derived from herbal plants and citrus fruits. Int J Mol Med. 2014 Jun;33(6):1643-51. doi: 10.3892/ijmm.2014.1720. PMID 24682420
5. Aller↑ Minami M, Kita M, Nakaya T, Yamamoto T, Kuriyama H, Imanishi J. The inhibitory effect of essential oils on herpes simplex virus type-1 replication in vitro. Microbiol Immunol. 2003;47(9):681-4. PMID 14584615
6. Aller↑ Ohno T, Kita M, Yamaoka Y, Imamura S, Yamamoto T, Mitsufuji S, Kodama T, Kashima K, Imanishi J. Antimicrobial activity of essential oils against Helicobacter pylori. Helicobacter. 2003 Jun;8(3):207-15. PMID 12752733
7. Aller↑ Costa CA, Kohn DO, de Lima VM, Gargano AC, Flório JC, Costa M. The GABAergic system contributes to the anxiolytic-like effect of essential oil from Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass). J Ethnopharmacol. 2011 Sep 1;137(1):828-36. PMID 21767622
8. Aller↑ Pascal Fandohan, Joachim D. Gbenou, Benoit Gnonlonfin, Kerstin Hell, Walter F.O. Marasas, Michael J. Wingfield. Effect of Essential Oils on the Growth of Fusarium verticillioides and Fumonisin Contamination in Corn. J. Agric. Food Chem., 2004, 52 (22), pp 6824–6829
9. Aller↑ Onawunmi GO, Yisak WA, Ogunlana EO. Antibacterial constituents in the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. J Ethnopharmacol. 1984 Dec;12(3):279-86. PMID 6442749
10. Aller↑ Donato R, Sacco C, Pini G, Bilia AR. Antifungal activity of different essential oils against Malassezia pathogenic species. J Ethnopharmacol. 2020 Mar 1;249:112376. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.112376. PMID 31704415
11. Aller↑ Silva MR, Ximenes RM, da Costa JG, Leal LK, de Lopes AA, Viana GS. Comparative anticonvulsant activities of the essential oils (EOs) from Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt and Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf. in mice. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 2010 May;381(5):415-26. doi: 10.1007/s00210-010-0494-9. PMID 20237771
12. Aller↑ Viana GS1, Vale TG, Pinho RS, Matos FJ. Antinociceptive effect of the essential oil from Cymbopogon citratus in mice. J Ethnopharmacol. 2000 Jun;70(3):323-7. PMID 10837994
13. Aller↑ Tomoyuki Ohno, Masakazu Kita, Yoshio Yamaoka, Shigeyoshi Imamura, Toshiro Yamamoto, Shoji Mitsufuji, Tadashi Kodama, Kei Kashima, JirO Imanishi. Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils against Helicobacter pylori. Helicobacter. Volume 8, Issue 3, Pages207 - 215

• Pousset Jean-Louis. African medicinal plants, how to recognize and use them? Ed. Edisud. 2004
• Tchoumbougnang F, Zollo PH, Dagne E, Mekonnen Y. In vivo antimalarial activity of essential oils from Cymbopogon citratus and Ocimum gratissimum on mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. PlantaMed. 2005 Jan;71(1):20-3. PMID 15678368
• Dudai N, Weinstein Y, Krup M, Rabinski T, Ofir R. Citral is a new inducer of caspase-3 in tumor cell lines. PlantaMed. 2005May;71(5):484-8. PMID 15931590
• Connor MJ. Modulation of tumor promotion in mouse skin by the food additive citral (3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienal). Cancer Lett. 1991 Jan;56(1):25-8. PMID 2004350

Store in a cool, dry place, away from light. Keep tightly closed, away from the reach of Children and pets.

Do not exceed the daily dose.

This product is not intended to prevent or cure any form of illness or disease.
 

If you are pregnant or nursing ; If you have a medical condition or are in the course of medical treatment ; If you are programmed for theater/operation in the near future, please consult your healthcare practitioner before using this product.

This product cannot replace a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

This product has not been evaluated by the SAHPRA for its quality, safety or intended use.

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