Skip to main content

Lemongrass

Scientific Name(s): Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf, Cymbopogon flexuosus (Nees ex Stend.) J.F. Watson
Common Name(s): Achara, British Indian Lemongrass, Cochin Lemongrass, East Indian Lemongrass, French Indian Verbena, Guatemala Lemongrass, Lemongrass, Madagascar Lemongrass, West Indian Lemongrass

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jul 18, 2022.

Clinical Overview

Use

Lemongrass has traditionally been used as a fragrance and flavoring, and for a wide variety of medical conditions. However, clinical trials are lacking to support any uses. Limited clinical or experimental studies have shown antifungal and insecticidal activity, as well as potential anticarcinogenic activity, while suggested hypotensive and hypoglycemic actions have not been confirmed.

Dosing

Information from clinical trials is lacking to provide dosing recommendations. Dose and time-dependent adverse effects of C. citratus leaves on renal function have been reported.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Rare cases of hypersensitivity have been reported. Toxic alveolitis has been associated with inhalation of lemongrass oil. Dose and time-dependent adverse effects of C. citratus leaves on renal function have been reported.

Toxicology

No data. Lemongrass is considered to be of low toxicity at low doses.

Scientific Family

Botany

Cymbopogon is a tall, aromatic, perennial grass native to tropical Asia. C. citratus is known as Guatemala, West Indian, or Madagascar lemongrass. C. flexuosus is known as cochin lemongrass, British Indian lemongrass, East Indian lemongrass, or French Indian verbena. C. citratus is cultivated in the West Indies, Central and South America, and tropical regions. The linear leaves can grow up to 90 cm in height and 5 mm in width. Freshly cut and partially dried leaves are used medicinally and are the source of the essential oil.Blumenthal 1998, Leung 1980, USDA 2008

History

Lemongrass is usually ingested as an infusion made by pouring boiling water over fresh or dried leaves. It is one of the most widely used plants in South American traditional medicine. It has been used as an antispasmodic, antiemetic, antipyretic, and analgesic, as well as for the management of nervous system and GI disorders. In India, it is commonly used as an antitussive, antirheumatic, and antiseptic. In Chinese medicine, lemongrass is used in the treatment of headache, stomach ache, abdominal pain, and rheumatic pain. Lemongrass is an important part of Southeast Asian cuisine, especially as flavoring in Thai food. Other uses include as an astringent and a fragrance in beauty products.Blumenthal 1998, Girón 1991, Leite 1986, Leung 1980

Chemistry

Fresh C. citratus grass contains approximately 0.4% volatile oil. The oil contains 65% to 85% citral, which is a mixture of 2 geometric isomers, geraniol and neral. The related compounds geraniol, geranic acid, and nerolic acid have also been identified.Lewinsohn 1998, Masuda 2008, Ming 1996, Sargenti 1997, Torres 1993 Other compounds found in the oil include myrcene (12% to 25%), diterpenes, methylheptenone, citronellol, linalol, farnesol, other alcohols, aldehydes, linalool, terpineol, and more than a dozen other minor fragrant components.Ansan 1986, Kasumov 1983, Viturro 1998 Geographical variations in the chemical constituents have been noted.Faruq 1994, Idrissi 1993, Torres 1996

Nonvolatile components of C. citratus include luteolins, homo-orientin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, fructose, sucrose, octacosanol, and others.De Matouschek 1991 The flavonoids luteolin and 6-C-glucoside have also been isolated.Cheel 2005, Guanasingh 1981

C. flexuosus volatile oil typically contains up to 85% citral. However, many strains have a higher concentration of geraniol (50%), with citral (10% to 20%) and methyl eugenol as minor components. Another type of East Indian lemongrass reportedly does not contain citral but does contain up to 30% borneol.Leung 1980

Uses and Pharmacology

Anticarcinogenic effects

Animal and in vitro data

Antimutagenic properties of ethanol lemongrass extracts against certain Salmonella typhimurium strains have been demonstrated in some studies.(Avoseh 2015, Vinitketkumnuen 1994) In other studies, the extract inhibited DNA adduct formation in rat colon but not liver cells.(Suaeyun 1997, Vinitketkumnuen 1999) In another experiment, ethanol extracts reduced the number but not the size of lesions in rat livers with induced hepatocellular carcinoma.(Puatanachokchai 2002) Studies have demonstrated toxicity and apoptosis-inducing action of the essential oil and extracts against mouse and human leukemia cells.(Dubey 1997, Dubey 1997, Kumar 2008)

Topical C. citratus extract exhibited antioxidant activity in mouse skin, leading to suggestions of a potential role in skin cancer prevention.(Nakamura 2003)

Anti-inflammatory/Analgesic effects

Animal data

Conflicting analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects have been demonstrated in animal experiments, but most purported effects were too weak to be of clinical importance.(Carbajal 1989, Carlini 1986, Lorenzetti 1991, Rao 1990)

Antimicrobial effects

Animal and in vitro data

Several reports describe antimicrobial effects of lemongrass, including activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial pathogens and fungi.(Baratta 1998, Chalcat 1997, Hammer 1999, Helal 2006, Kishore 1993, Lima 1993, Mishra 1994, Ogunlana 1987, Onawunmi 1984, Qureshi 1997, Wannissorn 1996, Yadav 1994) The effects are attributed in part to the geraniol (alpha-citral) and neral (beta-citral) constituents.(Onawunmi 1984, Syed 1995) In a study examining 13 oils, lemongrass oil was found to be one of the most active against human dermatophyte strains, inhibiting 80% of strains and with inhibition zones more than 10 mm in diameter.(Lima 1993)

Clinical data

In a study in South Africa, lemongrass showed efficacy in treatment of HIV-related oral thrush.(Avoseh 2015) As a mouth rinse, either alone or in combination with other essential oils, lemongrass has demonstrated antimicrobial effects on subgingival biofilm and reduced oral malodor.(Azad 2016, Satthanakul 2015) Antifungal activity was evaluated in a clinical study of C. citratus essential oil (1.25 mcL/mL concentration) in patients with pityriasis versicolor. Rate of mycological cure was 60% in the C. citratus group compared to 80% in the control group (ketoconazole 2%). No adverse effects were reported, with efficacy lower than that of ketoconazole.(Carmo 2013)

Antioxidant activity

In vitro data

Lemongrass oil has demonstrated antioxidant and radical-scavenging activity in several in vitro experiments.(Cheel 2005, Masuda 2008, Menut 2000)

Clinical data

A clinical trial (N=105) evaluating the effect of lemongrass tea on hematological indices reported positive effects on erythropoiesis, likely due to its antioxidant effects.(Ekpenyong 2015)

Cardiovascular effects

Animal data

Dose-related hypotensive effects and weak diuretic actions have been demonstrated in rats.(Carbajal 1989) In one study in isolated rat hearts, lemongrass extract reduced the cardiac rate but did not alter the contractile force.(Gazola 2004)

Clinical data

An independent predictor of cardiovascular disease is C-reactive protein levels, which are elevated in severe chronic periodontitis. To determine the effect of lemongrass on cardiovascular disease risk, 45 adults with chronic severe periodontitis were enrolled in a double-blind randomized controlled pilot study. Patients were divided into 3 groups, brushing alone or brushing plus periodontal therapy with either lemongrass 0.25% oil mouthwash or chlorhexidine 0.12% mouthwash used twice daily after brushing for 3 months. Periodontal therapy with either mouthwash significantly reduced serum C-reactive protein levels compared to baseline (P<0.05). Additionally, probing pocket depth and clinical attachment loss was significantly improved with each of the mouthwashes compared to brushing alone (P<0.05 for each). Regression analysis revealed that changes in each of the local periodontal infection parameters were significantly and positively associated with changes in serum C-reactive protein levels, indicating a reduction in the systemic inflammatory response that resulted from improved local periodontal health. The improvements observed with the lemongrass oil mouthwash were numerically greater than those seen with the positive control, chlorhexidine mouthwash.(Subha 2017)

Diabetes

Animal data

An experiment in rats demonstrated dose-dependent decreases in fasting blood glucose levels(Adeneye 2007).

Clinical data

In one study, lemongrass leaf tea ingested for 2 weeks induced no hypoglycemic changes.(Leite 1986)

Hepatoprotective Effects

Animal data

In a study in mice with acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity, lemongrass oil demonstrated reduced hepatocellular injury.(Saenthaweesuk 2017, Uchida 2017)

Insecticidal activity

Experimental data

In a study evaluating the mosquito repellent effect of lemongrass using Aedes aegypti adult mosquitoes and differing concentrations of lemongrass oil in liquid paraffin, the oil exhibited repellent activity, which was attributed to the citral content.(Oyedele 2002) Other experiments have evaluated the oil as an insecticide.(Ahmad 1995, Avoseh 2015, Gilbert 1999)

Neurological effects

Animal data

Antidepressant activity of C. citratus has been reported in animal models. A murine study suggests the effect may be regulated through noradrenergic and serotonergic pathways.(Umukoro 2017)

Dosing

No information is available to provide dosing recommendations for lemongrass oil. Lemongrass is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) in the United States.

A suggested safe limit for humans (based on an experiment in rats) is 0.7 mg/kg/day of the essential oil.Fandohan 2008

A clinical study evaluated the effect of an infusion prepared from 2, 4, or 8 g of C. citratus leaves once daily for 30 days on hematological indices.Ekpenyong 2015 At the higher dose (8 g daily), adverse effects on creatinine clearance rate and estimated glomerular filtration rate were noted.Ekpenyong 2015

Pregnancy / Lactation

Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking. Citral and myrcene at high dosages have been shown to induce maternal toxicity in pregnant rats.Fandohan 2008 Lemongrass extracts have demonstrated antimitotic and apoptotic actions and should be avoided in pregnancy.Kumar 2008, Williams 1996

Interactions

Citral, found in high concentrations in the essential oil of lemongrass, is a potent inducer of glutathione-S-transferase(Nakamura 2003) and its constituent beta-myrcene. Beta-myrcene has been shown to interfere with cytochrome P450 liver enzymes; however, no drug interactions have been reported for lemongrass.(De-Oliveira 1997, De-Oliveira 1997)

Adverse Reactions

Topical application of lemongrass has rarely led to an allergic reaction.(Fandohan 2008) A case of occupational allergic contact dermatitis in a massage professional was positive for several essential oils that included lemongrass. Despite this positive skin test to lemongrass oil, she showed no systemic allergic response to lemongrass tea that she had been consuming regularly for 10 years.(Herrero-Moyano 2020) Two cases of toxic alveolitis have been reported from inhalation of the oil.(Blumenthal 1998)

A clinical study reported dose- and time-dependent adverse effects on creatinine clearance and estimated glomerular filtration rates following an infusion of C. citratus leaves.(Ekpenyong 2015)

Toxicology

An infusion of lemongrass given orally to male and pregnant female rats for 2 months at doses up to 20 times the corresponding human dose did not induce toxic effects. No external malformations were noted in pups.Souza Formigoni 1986 However, in another experimental study in rats, doses higher than 1,500 mg/kg body weight showed histological changes in the stomach and liver, leading to marked abnormalities in the liver and stomach mucosa and ultimately death.Fandohan 2008

Achara, an herbal tea made from dried lemongrass leaves, was nontoxic in a small study of healthy volunteers.Orisakwe 1998 Beta-myrcene was found to be nontoxic in one study in Wistar rats,Zamith 1993 but was toxic in another in vitro study.Kauderer 1991 Aqueous extracts of the plant used as an insecticide led to some mitotic abnormalities in Allium cepa root tips grown in these extracts.Williams 1996

Index Terms

References

Disclaimer

This information relates to an herbal, vitamin, mineral or other dietary supplement. This product has not been reviewed by the FDA to determine whether it is safe or effective and is not subject to the quality standards and safety information collection standards that are applicable to most prescription drugs. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take this product. This information does not endorse this product as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about this product. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to this product. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. You should talk with your health care provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using this product.

This product may adversely interact with certain health and medical conditions, other prescription and over-the-counter drugs, foods, or other dietary supplements. This product may be unsafe when used before surgery or other medical procedures. It is important to fully inform your doctor about the herbal, vitamins, mineral or any other supplements you are taking before any kind of surgery or medical procedure. With the exception of certain products that are generally recognized as safe in normal quantities, including use of folic acid and prenatal vitamins during pregnancy, this product has not been sufficiently studied to determine whether it is safe to use during pregnancy or nursing or by persons younger than 2 years of age.

Adeneye AA, Agbaje EO. Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of fresh leaf aqueous extract of Cymbopogon citratus Stapf. in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2007;112(3):440-444.17513076
Ahmad F, et al. Repellancy of essential oils against the domiciliary cockroach, Periplanta americana. Insect Sci Its Appl. 1995;16:391-393.
Ansan S, et al. Thin layer gas liquid chromatographic analysis of lemongrass oil. Indian J Nat Prod. 1986;2:3-7.
Avoseh O, Oyedeji O, Rungqu P, Nkeh-Chungag B, Oyedeji A. Cymbopogon species; ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and the pharmacological importance. Molecules. 2015;20(5):7438-7453.25915460
Azad MF, Schwiertz A, Jentsch HF. Adjunctive use of essential oils following scaling and root planing -a randomized clinical trial. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2016;16:171. PMID:27266517
Baratta M, et al. Antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of some commercial essential oils. Flavour Fragrance J. 1998;13:235-244.
Blumenthal Busse WR, eds. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin TX: American Botanical Council; 1998:341-342.
Carbajal D, Casaco A, Arruzazabala L, Gonzalez R, Tolon Z. Pharmacological study of Cymbopogon citratus leaves. J Ethnopharmacol. 1989;25(1):103-107.2716341
Carlini EA, Contar J de DP, Silva-Filho AR, da Silveira-Filho NG, Frochtengarten ML, Bueno OF. Pharmacology of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf.). I. Effects of teas prepared from the leaves on laboratory animals. J Ethnopharmacol. 1986;17(1):37-64.3762195
Chalcat J, et al. Correlation between chemical composition and antimicrobial activity. VI. Activity of some African essential oils. J Essent Oil Res. 1997;9:67-75.
Carmo ES, Pereira Fde O, Cavalcante NM, Gayoso CW, Lima Ede O. Treatment of pityriasis versicolor with topical application of essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf - therapeutic pilot study. An Bras Dermatol. 2013;88(3):381-385.23793205
Cheel J, Theoduloz C, Rodríguez J, Schmeda-Hirschmann G. Free radical scavengers and antioxidants from lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf.). J Agric Food Chem. 2005;53(7):2511-2517.15796587
Cymbopogon citratus (DC. ex Nees) Stapf. USDA, NRCS. 2008. The PLANTS Database. (http://plants.usda.gov, 10 December 2008). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
De Matouschek. Phytochemical studies on non-volatile constituents of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf grown in Morocco. Pharm Acta Helv. 1991;66:242-245.
De-Oliveira AC, Ribeiro-Pinto LF, Paumgartten JR. In vitro inhibition of CYP2B1 monooxygenase by beta-myrcene and other monoterpenoid compounds. Toxicol Lett. 1997;92(1):39-46.9242356
De-Oliveira AC, Ribeiro-Pinto LF, Otto SS, Gonçalves A, Paumgartten FJ. Induction of liver monooxygenase by beta-myrcene. Toxicology. 1997;124(2):135-140.9458003
Dubey N, et al. Cytotoxicity of the essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus and Ocium gratissimum. Indian J Pharm Sci. 1997;59:263-264.
Dubey N, et al. Citral: a cytotoxic principle isolated from the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus against P388 leukemia cells. Curr Sci. 1997;73:22-24.
Ekpenyong CE, Daniel NE, Antai AB. Bioactive natural constituents from lemongrass tea and erythropoiesis boosting effects: potential use in prevention and treatment of anemia. J Med Food. 2015;18(1):118-127.25162916
Ekpenyong CE, Daniel NE, Antai AB. Effect of lemongrass tea consumption on estimated glomerular filtration rate and creatinine clearance rate. J Ren Nutr. 2015;25(1):57-66.25440110
Fandohan P, Gnonlonfin B, Laleye A, Gbenou JD, Darboux R, Moudachirou M. Toxicity and gastric tolerance of essential oils from Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum gratissimum and Ocimum basilicum in Wistar rats. Food Chem Toxicol. 2008;46(7):2493-2497.18511170
Faruq M, et al. TLC technique in the component characterization and quality determination of Bangladeshi lemongrass oil (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf.) Bangladesh J Sci Ind Res. 1994;29:27-38.
Gazola R, Machado D, Ruggiero C, Singi G, Macedo Alexandre M. Lippia alba, Melissa officinalis and Cymbopogon citratus: effects of the aqueous extracts on the isolated hearts of rats. Pharmacol Res. 2004;50(5):477-480.15458767
Gilbert B, Teixeira DF, Carvalho ES, et al. Activities of the Pharmaceutical Technology Institute of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation with medicinal, insecticidal and insect repellent plants. An Acad Bras Cienc. 1999;71(2):265-271.10412493
Girón LM, Freire V, Alonzo A, Cáceres A. Ethnobotanical survey of the medicinal flora used by the Caribs of Guatemala. J Ethnopharmacol. 1991;34(2-3):173-187.1795521
Guanasingh C, et al. Flavonoids of Cymbopogon citratus. Indian J Pharm Sci. 1981;43:115.
Hammer KA, Carson CF, Riley TV. Antimicrobial activity of essential oils and other plant extracts. J Appl Microbiol. 1999;86(6):985-990.10438227
Helal GA, Sarhan MM, Abu Shahla AN, Abou El-Khair EK. Effects of Cymbopogon citratus L. essential oil on the growth, lipid content and morphogenesis of Aspergillus niger ML2-strain. J Basic Microbiol. 2006;46(6):456-469.17139611
Herrero-Moyano M, Capusan TM, Martínez-Mera C, Sánchez-Pérez J. Occupational allergic contact dermatitis from multiple essential oils. Contact Dermatitis. 2020;83(6):512-513. doi:10.1111/cod.1364332564383
Idrissi A, et al. Composition of the essential oil of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus DC. Stapf) grown in Morocco. Plant Med Phytother. 1993;26:274-277.
Kasumov F, et al. Components of the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus Stapf. Khim Pnr Soedin. 1983;1:108-109.
Kauderer B, Zamith H, Paumgartten FJ, Speit G. Evaluation of the mutagenicity of beta-myrcene in mammalian cells in vitro. Environ Mol Mutagen. 1991;18(1):28-34.1864266
Kishore N, Mishra AK, Chansouria JP. Fungitoxicity of essential oils against dermatophytes. Mycoses. 1993;36(5-6): 211-215.8264720
Kumar A, Malik F, Bhushan S, et al. An essential oil and its major constituent isointermedeol induce apoptosis by increased expression of mitochondrial cytochrome c and apical death receptors in human leukaemia HL-60 cells. Chem Biol Interact. 2008;171(3):332-347.18070620
Leite JR, Seabra Mde L, Maluf E, et al. Pharmacology of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus Strapf.) ΙΙΙ. Assessment of eventual toxic, hypnotic and anxiolytic effects on humans. J Ethnopharmacol. 1986;17(1):75-83.2429120
Leung AY. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics. New York, NY: Wiley; 1980.
Lewinsohn E, et al. Histochemical localization of citral accumulation in lemongrass leaves (Cymbopogon citratus [DC.] Stapf., Poaceae). Ann Bot (London). 1998;81:35-39.
Lima EO, Gompertz OF, Giesbrecht AM, Paulo MQ. In vitro antifungal activity of essential oils obtained from officinal plants against dermatophytes. Mycoses. 1993;36(9-10):333-336.8015567
Lorenzetti BB, Souza GE, Sarti SJ, Santos Filho D, Ferreira SH. Myrcene mimics the peripheral analgesic activity of lemongrass tea. J Ethnopharmacol. 1991;34(1):43-48.1753786
Masuda T, Odaka Y, Ogawa N, Nakamoto K, Kuninaga H. Identification of geranic acid, a tyrosinase inhibitor in lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus). J Agric Food Chem. 2008;56(2):597-601.18081247Menut C, et al. Aromatic plants of Tropical West Africa. XI. Chemical composition, antioxidant and antiradical properties of the essential oils of three Cymbopogon species from Burkina Faso. J Essent Oil Res. 2000;12:207-212.
Ming L, et al. Yield of essential oil of citral content in different parts of lemongrass leaves (Cymbopogon citratus [DC.] Stapf.) Poaceae. Acta Hortic. 1996;426:555-559.
Mishra AK, Dubey NK. Evaluation of some essential oils for their toxicity against fungi causing deterioration of stored food commodities. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1994;60(4):1101-1105.8017906
Nakamura Y, Miyamoto M, Murakami A, Ohigashi H, Osawa T, Uchida K. A phase ΙΙ detoxification enzyme inducer from lemongrass: identification of citral and involvement of electrophilic reaction in the enzyme induction. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2003;302(3):593-600.12615076
Ogunlana EO, Höglund S, Onawunmi G, Sköld O. Effects of lemongrass oil on the morphological characteristics and peptidoglycan synthesis of Escherichia coli cells. Microbios. 1987;50(202):43-59.3299005
Onawunmi GO, Yisak WA, Ogunlana EO. Antibacterial constituents in the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. J Ethnopharmacol. 1984;12(3):279-286.6442749
Orisakwe OE, Chilaka KC, Okpogba AN. Plasma levels of aluminum after lemon-grass (Cymbopogon citratus) ingestion in healthy volunteers. Asia Pac J Pharmacol. 1998;13:79-82.
Oyedele AO, Gbolade AA, Sosan MB, Adewoyin FB, Soyelu OL, Orafidiya OO. Formulation of an effective mosquito-repellent topical product from lemongrass oil. Phytomedicine. 2002;9(3):259-262.12046869
Puatanachokchai R, Kishida H, Denda A, et al. Inhibitory effects of lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf) extract on the early phase of hepatocarcinogenesis after initiation with diehtylnitrosamine in male Fischer 344 rats. Cancer Lett. 2002;183(1):9-15.
Qureshi S, Rai MK, Agrawal SC. In vitro evaluation of inhibitory nature of extracts of 18-plant species of Chhindwara against 3-keratinophilic fungi. Hindustan Antibiot Bull. 1997;39(1-4):56-60.10386016
Rao VS, Menezes AM, Viana GS. Effect of myrcene on nociception in mice. J Pharm Pharmacol. 1990;42(12):877-878.1983154
Sargenti S, et al. Supercritical fluid extraction of Cymbopogon citratus. Chromatographia. 1997;46:285-290.
Satthanakul P, Taweechaisupapong S, Paphangkorakit J, Pesee M, Timabut P, Khunkitti W. Antimicrobial effect of lemongrass oil against oral malodour micro-organisms and the pilot study of safety and efficacy of lemongrass mouthrinse on oral malodour. J Appl Microbiol. 2015;118(1):11-17.25327222
Saenthaweesuk S, Munkong N, Parklak W, Thaeomor A, Chaisakul J, Somparn N. Hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of Cymbopogon citratus Stapf (lemon grass) extract in paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Trop J Pharmaceutical Res. 2017;16(1):101-107.
Souza Formigoni ML, Lodder HM, Gianotti Filho O, Ferreira TM, Carlini EA. Pharmacology of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf). II. Effects of daily two month administration in male and female rats and in offspring exposed "in utero." J Ethnopharmacol. 1986;17(1):65-74.3762196
Suaeyun R, Kinouchi T, Arimochi H, Vinitketkumnuen U, Ohnishi Y. Inhibitory effects of lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf) on formation of azoxymethane-induced DNA adducts and abberant crypt foci in the rat colon. Carcinogenesis. 1997;18(5):949-955.9163680
Subha DS, Pradeep T. Periodontal therapy with 0.25% lemongrass oil mouthwash in reducing risk of cardiovascular diseases: A 3-arm prospective parallel experimental study. Ethiop J Health Sci. 2017;27(5):531-540. doi:10.4314/ejhs.v27i5.1229217959
Syed M, et al. Essential oils of the family Gramineae with antibacterial activity. Part 2. The antibacterial activity of a local variety of Cymbopogon citratus oil and its dependence on the duration of storage. Pak J Sci Ind Res. 1995;38:146-148.
Torres R. Citral from Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf (lemongrass) oil. Philipp J Sci. 1993;122:269-287.
Torres R, et al. Chemical composition of the essential oil of Philippine Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf. Philipp J Sci. 1996;125:147-156.
Uchida NS, Silva-Filho SE, Aguiar RP, et al. Protective effect of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil in experimental model of acetaminophen-induced liver injury. Am J Chinese Med. 2017;45(3):515-532.28359199
Umukoro S, Ogboh SI, Omorogbe O, Adekeye AA, Olatunde MO. Evidence for the involvement of monoaminergic pathways in the antidepressant-like activity of Cymbopogon citratus in mice. Drug Res (Stuttq). 2017;67(7):419-424.28499312
Vinitketkumnuen U, Puatanachokchai R, Kongtawelert P, Lertprasertsuke N, Matsushima T. Antimutagenicity of lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf) to various known mutagens in salmonella mutation assay. Mutat Res. 1994;341(1):71-75.7523944
Vinitketkumnuen U, Chewonarin T, Dhumtanom P, Lertprasertsuk N, Wild CP. Aflatoxin-albumin adduct formation after single and multiple doses of aflatoxin B(1) in rats treated with Thai medicinal plants. Mutat Res. 1999;428(1-2):345-351.10518006
Viturro C, et al. Composition of the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus. An Asoc Quim Argent. 1998;86:45-48.
Wannissorn B, et al. Antifungal activity of lemon grass and lemon grass oil cream. Phytother Res. 1996;10:551-554.
Williams GO, Omoh LE. Mitotic effects of the aqueous leaf extract of Cymbopogon citratus in Allium cepa root tips. Cytobios. 1996;87(350):161-168.9172394
Yadav P, et al. Screening some essential oils against ringworm fungi. Indian J Pharm Sci. 1994;56:227-230.
Zamith HP, Vidal MN, Speit G, Paumgartten FJ. Absence of genotoxic activity of beta-myrcene in the in vivo cytogenetic bone marow assay. Braz J Med Biol Res. 1993;26(1):93-98.8220273

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.