Lemongrass is part of the largest plant families on the planet - the Grasses ( Gramineae) . Other members of this family that are closely related to Lemongrass and yield helpful essential oils including Citronella ( Cymbopogon nardus) , and Palmarosa ( Cymbopogon martinii) .

The essential oil Lemongrass is extracted from the leaf by steam distillation. It is yellow in colour with a tangy citrus and grassy aroma.

Lemongrass essential oil is extracted by steam distillation of the fresh or dried leaves of lemongrass; the oil of lemongrass is yellow in color with a citrus/ grass/ lemon fragrance. The essential oils extracted from the West Indian and East Indian species of lemongrass are similar in fragrance and color, although the West Indian lemongrass species is lighter and fresher.

Traditional Use of Lemongrass in Medicine

Lemongrass has been used in traditional Indian Medicine for a long time to treat fever and disease; in traditional Chinese Medicine, lemongrass is used to treat rheumatism, headaches, colds and stomach pain. Today, lemongrass is still used in India for fevers and disease and also as an insect repellent.

Use of Lemongrass Essential Oil in Aromatherapy

Lemongrass essential oil is analgesic, anti-microbial, antiseptic, astringent, bactericidal, carminative, deodorant, insecticidal, sedative, nervine and a tonic; in aromatherapy, lemongrass oil is used to treat acne, to repel insects such as fleas, lice, ticks and mosquitoes, to relieve muscle pain, indigestion, fever, disease, headaches, stress and nervous exhaustion.

Botanical Name: Cymbopogon citratus
Aroma: Lemony, fresh, earthy
Properties: Antimicrobial, antifungal, analgesic, antidepressant and antiseptic
Uses: Stress, Flatulence, Acne, Muscle Aches, Athlete' s Foot, Scabies, Excessive Perspiration

1. Appearance = Tipe East Indian - Tipe West Indian
2. Specific Gravity ( 20° C) = 0.8902 - 0.8731
3. Refractive Index ( 20° C) = 1.487 - 1.4587
4. Optical Rotation ( a) D = ( + 0.25) - ( + 0.2)
5. Citral ( % / w/ w) = 80.2% - 76.1%
6. Solubility in 80% ethanol ( v/ v) = 1 : 2 - 1 : 4

Oil properties
Lemongrass oil has a lemony, sweet smell and is dark yellow to amber and reddish in color, with a watery viscosity.

Origin of lemongrass oil
It is a perennial fast-growing aromatic grass, growing to about 1 meter ( 3 feet) high with long, thin leaves and originally was growing wild in India. It produces a network of roots and rootlets that rapidly exhaust the soil.

In India it is known as ' choomana poolu' and is also referred to as ' Indian Verbena' or ' Indian Melissa oil' and used in Ayurvedic medicine to help bring down fevers and treat infectious illnesses. It is a valuable ingredient in perfumes and citrus-type soaps and is also an insect deterrent.

Extraction
Lemongrass oil is extracted from the fresh or partly dried leaves by steam distillation.

Chemical composition
The main chemical components of lemongrass oil are myrcene, citronellal, geranyl acetate, nerol, geraniol, neral and traces of limonene and citral.

Therapeutic properties
The therapeutic properties of lemongrass oil are analgesic, anti-depressant, antimicrobial. antipyretic, antiseptic, astringent, bactericidal, carminative, deodorant, diuretic, febrifuge, fungicidal, galactagogue, insecticidal, nervine, nervous system sedative and tonic.