Lemongrass

Botanical Name:                   Cymbopogon citratus
Synonym:                              Andropogon citratus (West Indian), Andropogon flexuosus (East Indian)
Botanical Family:                  Gramineae
Country of Origin:                Asia, West Indies, Africa & Tropical Asia
Plant Part:                              fresh or dried wild grass
Extraction Method:               Steam distillation
Characteristics:                    lemony, strong, sharp, sweet
Properties:                             
Analgesic, antidepressant, antimicrobial, antipyretic, antiseptic, astringent, bactericidal, carminative, deodorant, febrifuge, fungicidal, galactagogue, insecticidal, nervine, sedative (nervous system), tonic
Chemical Constituents:       
myrcene, limonene, linalool, citronellal, citral, geranyl acetate, nerol, geraniol, neral, geranial, borneol.
 
Indications:
 
Mind & Spirit:                       
           
Invigorating, reviving, energising and stimulating
Useful for jet lag and relieving fatigue.
 
Body:                         
 
Boosts nervous system assisting recovery from illness
Prevents spread of contagious diseases
Useful for open pores, boils, athletes foot, excess perspiration, headaches and poor circulation. 
Effective insect repellent. 
Has a toning effect on the muscles,
Encourages appetite
May assist with colitis, indigestion and gastro.
 
Contraindications:                Non toxic, can cause sensitisation or dermal irritation in some individuals. 
Note:                                     Top
Odour Intensity:                    5
Blends well with:                  
Basil, bergamot, cedarwood, geranium, jasmine, lavender, lemon, neroli, palmarosa, petitgrain, rosemary, tea tree, yarrow.
 
Traditions:                 
Lemongrass has been used for centuries to treat fever in India and is also known as fevergrass.  Traditionally is was also used to cure skin complaints and was burnt to kill germs.