Cymbopogon citratus

Scientific name: Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf

Synonym: Andropogon citratus DC.

Botanical family: POACEAE

Vernacular names

(In territories with significant traditional TRAMIL use)

Antigua and Barbuda:

fever grass
lemon grass

Trinidad and Tobago:

fever grass
lemon grass

Barbados:

fever grass
lemon grass

St Vincent and Grenadines:

fever grass
lemon grass

Puerto Rico:

limoncillo

Dominican Republic:

limoncillo

Venezuela:

molojillo criollo

Guadeloupe:

sitwonnèl
zacate té

Dominica:

sitwonnèl
zacate té

Saint Martin:

sitwonnèl
zacate té

Martinique:

sitwonnèl
zacate té

Saint Lucia:

sitwonnèl
zacate té

Guatemala:

té de limón

Mexico:

té limón
zacate limón
zacate té

Honduras:

té limón
zacate limón
zacate té

Costa Rica:

té limón
zacate limón
zacate té

Other vernacular names

Cuba:

Caña santa

Guadeloupe:

Citronelle
citronnelle
Citronnelle (sitwonnèl)

Saint Martin:

Citronnelle

Antigua and Barbuda:

Fever grass
Fever grass, lemon grass

Trinidad and Tobago:

Fever grass = lemon grass

St Vincent and Grenadines:

Fevergrass

Dominica:

Lemon grass

Colombia:

Lemon grass
Limonaria
Yerba santa

Barbados:

Lemon grass

Puerto Rico:

Limoncillo

Dominican Republic:

Limoncillo

Venezuela:

Malojillo

Haiti:

Sitwonel

Martinique:

sitwonnèl, citronnelle

Guatemala:

Té de Limón

Nicaragua:

Zacate de limón

Honduras:

Zacate té

Geographical distribution

Native to India, cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas.

Botanical description

Perennial erect herb, 1 to 2 m, forming dense clusters. Leaves up to 1 m long, tapered towards both ends. Inflorescence up to 60 cm; segments of villous racemes; sessile spikelets, without bristles, linear to linear-lanceolate, flat on the back.

Voucher(s)

Faujour,9,BAR
Jean Pierre,273,SLNH
Ochoa,258,HPMVH
Girón,199&478,CFEH
García,2654,JBSD
Mejía,18,MAPR
Delens,264209-30,VEN
Balland,10,HVB
Delaigue,11,NHTT
Ríos,411,CECALLI
Boulogne,TH,10,UAG
Boulogne,TB,8,UAG
Picking,35474,UWI

cough

leaves, decoction or infusion, orally^3,6,22

diarrhoea

leaf, decoction, taken orally¹

stomach pain

leaves, decoction or infusion, orally^2-3

flu

leaves, decoction or infusion, orally^3-4,13-17

fever

leaves, decoction or infusion, orally^1,4-12

cold

leaves, decoction or infusion, orally^{3,5-6,13,17-21}

flatulence

leaves, decoction or infusion, orally⁴

TRAMIL Work⁵⁰

For diarrhoea, stomach pain, fever, flatulence, flu, colds or coughs:
prepare a decoction or infusion with 15-25 grams of leaves in 4 cups (1 litre) of water. For decoctions, boil for 5 minutes in a covered vessel; for the infusion add the boiling water to the 15- 25 grams of leaves. Cover, allow to stand for 5 minutes and cool. Strain (filter) and drink 1 cup (250 millilitres) 2-3 times a day.

In all of these oral uses, the filtration of the preparation using a cloth must be observed before consumption in order to prevent mechanical injuries to the mucous membranes, which are attributed to microfilaments (hairs or rigid trichomes) present on the leaf³³.

Preparations must never be stored for more than 24 hours, even if refrigerated.

According to the information available:

The use for diarrhoea, stomach pain, flu, colds and coughs is classified as REC based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys, the validation and toxicity studies, and the scientific information published.

The use of this resource in cases of diarrhoea should be considered complementary to oral rehydration therapy.
If deterioration is observed in the patient (dehydration with dry tongue, decreased skin turgor, oliguria, decrease in the amount of urine, crying without tears...), seek immediate medical attention.

If the diarrhoea persists for more than 2 days, the stomach pain for more than 3 days, the flu or cold for more than 7 days, or the cough for more than 5 days, seek medical attention.

The use for fever is classified as REC based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys, the toxicity studies and the scientific information published.

If deterioration is observed in the patient or the fever persists for more than 2 days, seek medical attention.

The use for flatulence is classified as REC based on the significant traditional use documented in the TRAMIL surveys and the scientific information published.

Not for use by pregnant women, during the breastfeeding period and by children under 3 years of age.

TRAMIL Work²⁹
The LD₅₀ of the hydroalcoholic extract (70%) from the aerial parts subcutaneously in mice was 1.6 g/kg.

TRAMIL Work⁴⁴
The hydroalcoholic extract (30%) from dried leaves (143, 286, 572, 1716 and 2288 mg/kg), single dose, orally in mice, did not cause death or obvious adverse signs; with the dose of 2288 mg kg, atonic gait, decreased reflex activity and ataxia were observed in the first hours after receiving the extract.

The LD₅₀ of the hydroalcoholic extract (80%) was 440.5 mg/kg. The histological study showed evidence of dose-dependent liver and kidney damage.

TRAMIL Work⁴⁵
The aqueous extract (10 g/100 ml water decoction) from dried leaves (5 and 10 g/100 ml) and the hydroalcoholic extract (80%, 122.5 mg/ml; total solids) in vitro (0.01, 0.08, 0.8, 1, 2 and 10 mg/ml), induction model of short-term somatic segregation in Aspergillus nidulans, showed no genotoxic effect.

TRAMIL Work³²
The aqueous leaf extract (decoction, 15-25 g/l, 500-1000 ml/person), orally, caused a sensation of drowsiness or calmness; no objective or subjective manifestations of toxicity were reported with phytotherapy treatment.

The aqueous leaf extract (decoction), in vitro, mebendazole- induced genotoxicity model with Aspergillus nidulans, showed antimutagenic activity⁴⁶.

The fluid extract 70% from the leaves in vivo in the micronucleus induction test in mouse bone marrow showed no genotoxic effect. In vitro (5 mg/plate), Salmonella/microsome (Ames) bacterial reverse model, it did not show mutagenicity⁴⁷.

The aqueous extract (infusion 2 mg/150 ml of water) from dried leaves (20-40 ml/kg/60 days), orally in pregnant rats, did not show toxicity in adults, nor embryotoxicity³⁵.

The aqueous extract (infusion) from dried leaves (2 and 4 g/day/person) orally in 18 healthy humans for 2 weeks, did not produce any obvious toxicity or alterations in the levels of bilirubin, glucose, urea, creatinine, cholesterol, triglycerides, alkaline phosphatase, TGO, TGP, albumin, total proteins, LDH, CPK, urinary glucose content, proteins, ketones, urobilinogen, bilirubin or occult blood⁴⁸.

The LD₅₀ of the ethanolic extract (60.90%) from dried leaves (18 to 22 g), orally in Swiss albino mice (weight 18 to 22 g) according to the OECD-1987 method, was 460 mg/kg⁴⁹.

There is no information available documenting the safety of use in children, during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

The leaf has been extensively studied and contains, among other components, 0.5%-0.7% of essential oil: α-oxo- bisabolene, borneol, geranial, geraniol, nerol, mainly²³; phenylpropanoids: caffeic, ρ-coumaric and chlorogenic acids²⁴; flavonoids: luteolin, isoorientin²⁴; terpenes: cymbopogenol²⁵, cymbopogone, cymbopogol²⁶, β-sitosterol²⁷; alkanes: n-hexacosanol, n-triacontanol²⁷.

Proximate analysis of 100 g of leaves²⁸: calories: 92; water: 74.3%; protein: 1%; fat: 1.4%; carbohydrates: 21.9%; fibre: 4.2%; ash: 1.4%; calcium: 32 mg; phosphorus: 30 mg; iron: 1.8 mg; carotene: 425 μg; thiamine: 0.05 mg; riboflavin: 0.02 mg; niacin: 2.20 mg; ascorbic acid: 1 mg.

TRAMIL Work²⁹
The hydroalcoholic extract (70%) from the aerial parts (1g extract/kg body weight) subcutaneously in Swiss mice showed no activity in vivo against Plasmodium berghei NK65.

TRAMIL Work³⁰
The aqueous extract (decoction, 9.7% total solids) from fresh leaves (0.049, 0.124 and 0.249 mg/ml) and the hydroalcoholic extracts (30%) (0.704, 0.760 and 3.520 mg/ml) and (80%) (0.241, 0.602 and 1.205 mg/ml) from dry leaves, in isolated rat ileum, significantly inhibited the amplitude of spontaneous contractions. With the hydroalcoholic extracts, the response was dose-dependent and an ED₅₀ = 1.010 mg/ml was calculated for 30% and 0.042 mg/ml for 80%.

TRAMIL Work³¹
The fluid extract (water-ethanol 30%) from dried leaves (160, 320 and 480 mg/kg/day) orally in rats, cotton wool-induced granuloma model for anti-inflammatory activity and the mouse hot plate for analgesic activity. The extract showed no effect on the models studied.

TRAMIL Work³²
The aqueous extract (15-25 g/l decoction) from fresh leaves (240 ml every 6 hours) in humans, caused discrete sedative activity compared to the control group, gastrointestinal antispasmodic activity in the relief of transitory discomfort in healthy patients with minor symptoms, and expectorant and decongestant activity in patients with acute and chronic bronchitis.

The dried leaf tincture (30 ml/disc), in vitro against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans was inactive³³.

The aqueous leaf extract (decoction, 200 mg of citral/kg) orally in rats showed no activity on body temperature, central nervous system, intestinal transit and absorption^34-35; other authors have reported that this preparation has shown diuretic effects in humans³⁶.

The plant is attributed with antispasmodic activity²⁷.

The essential oil administered orally in mice induced glutathione S-transferases in the small intestine, not in the liver or in the stomach³⁷ and was antispasmodic³⁸. It is attributed with an analgesic, antipyretic and depressant effect on the central nervous system^36,39.

The essential oil in vitro (20 mg/ml) against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aspergillus flavus⁴⁰ and Cryptococcus neoformans⁴¹ was active.

Compounds 1,8-cineole, citral, citronellal (ED = 1 mg/kg), geraniol, linalool are attributed with sedative activity, and caryophyllene, linalool, luteolin, myrcene and quercetin with antispasmodic activity⁴².

An antioxidant activity has been patented for the extracts of this plant⁴³.

Pharmacopoeia

Ed.3

References

1 LAGOS-WITTE S, 1988-89, 1996
Encuesta TRAMIL. Laboratorio de Histología Vegetal y Etnobotánica, Dep. de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras UNAH, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

2 WENIGER B, ROUZIER M, 1986
Enquête TRAMIL. Service Oecuménique d’Entraide SOE, Port au Prince, Haïti.

3 ZAMBRANO LE, 2007
Encuesta TRAMIL en Guareguare, Miranda. UCV, Caracas, Venezuela.

4 GIRON L, 1988
Encuesta TRAMIL (Costa atlántica). Centro Mesoamericano de Tecnología CEMAT, Guatemala, Guatemala.

5 CHARLES C, 1988
TRAMIL survey. Movement for Cultural Awareness MCA, Roseau, Dominica.

6 GERMOSEN-ROBINEAU L, GERONIMO M, AMPARO C, 1984
Encuesta TRAMIL. enda-caribe, Santo Domingo, Rep. Dominicana.

7 JEAN-PIERRE L, 1988
TRAMIL survey. St. Lucia National Herbarium, Castries, St. Lucia.

8 FAUJOUR A, MURREY D, CHELTENHAM-CORBIN B, CARRINGTON S, 2003
TRAMIL survey. enda-caribbean, IICA & UAG, Saint Thomas, Barbados.

9 BALLAND V, GLASGOW A, SPRINGER F, GAYMES G, 2004
TRAMIL survey. IICA, UAG & U.PARIS XI, Saint Vincent.

10 DELAIGUE J, 2005
TRAMIL survey. UAG & PRDI, Tobago House of Assembly, Scarborough, Tobago.

11 PICKING D, MITCHELL S, DELGODA R, YOUNGER N, 2011
TRAMIL survey. Natural Products Institute, The Biotechnology Centre & Tropical Metabolic Research Institute, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica.

12 CLEMENT Y, BAKSH-COMEAU Y, RAGOO R, SEAFORTH C, 2008
TRAMIL survey. UWI & UTT, Trinidad.

13 OCAMPO R, 1988
Encuesta TRAMIL (Costa atlántica), Instituto de Desarrollo Agrario, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.

14 LONGUEFOSSE JL, NOSSIN E, 1990-95
Enquête TRAMIL. Association pour la valorisation des plantes médicinales de la Caraïbe AVPMC, Fort de France, Martinique.

15 DELENS M, 1992
Encuesta TRAMIL en los Estados Lara y Sucre de Venezuela. Centro al Servicio de la Acción Popular CESAP, Caracas, Venezuela.

16 OCRISSE G, 2008
Enquête TRAMIL auprès de 250 familles de la moitié Est de la partie francophone de St Martin. Biologie végétale, UAG, Guadeloupe.

17 BOULOGNE I, 2009
Enquête TRAMIL, (Terre-de-Bas et Terre-de-Haut) Les Saintes, UAG, Guadeloupe.

18 O’REILLY A, 1992
TRAMIL survey. Chemistry & Food Technology Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Dunbars, Antigua & Barbuda.

19 BENEDETTI MD, 1994
Encuesta TRAMIL. Universidad de Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.

20 BALZ E, BOYER A, BURAUD M, 2007
Enquête TRAMIL à Marie-Galante. U. Bordeaux 3, U. Paris XI Chatenay-Malabry, UAG, Guadeloupe.

21 BOYER A, BURAUD M, 2007
Enquête TRAMIL à La Désirade. U. Paris XI Chatenay-Malabry, UAG, Guadeloupe.

22 MENDEZ M, MEDINA ML, DURAN R, 1996
Encuesta TRAMIL. Unidad de recursos naturales, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán CICY, Mérida, México.

23 ABEGAZ B, YOHANNES P, DIETER R, 1983
Constituents of the essential oil of Ethiopian Cymbopogon citratus. J Nat Prod 46(3):424-426.

24 DE MATOUSCHEK B, STAHL-BISKUP E, 1991
Phytochemical investigation of nonvolatile constituents of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. (Poaceae). Pharm Acta Helv 66(9/10):242-245.

25 HANSON S, CRAWFORD M, KOKER M, MENEZES F, 1976
Cymbopogonol, a new triterpenoid from Cymbopogon citratus. Phytochemistry 15:1074-1075.

26 YOKOYAMA Y, TSUYUKI T, NAKAMURA N, TAKAHASHI T, HANSON S, MATSUSHITA K, 1980
Revised structures of cymbopogone and cymbopogonol. Tetrahedron Lett 21:3701-3702.

27 OLANIYI A, SOFOWORA E, OGUNTIMEHIN B, 1975
Phytochemical investigation of some Nigerian plants used against fevers. II. Cymbopogon citratus. Planta Med 28:186-189.

28 DUKE JA, ATCHLEY AA, 1986
Handbook of proximate analysis tables of higher plants. Boca Raton, USA: CRC Press. p57.

29 SAUVAIN M, MORETTI C, MUÑOZ V, 1990
Pruebas in vivo para paludismo realizadas en Bolivia sobre varias plantas TRAMIL. ORSTOM/IRD/IBBA, La Paz, Bolivia.

30 MORON F, SANCHEZ C, MARTINEZ MC, MOREJON Z, PINEDO Z, 2000
Actividad antiespasmódica in vitro de hojas frescas de Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “Dr. Salvador Allende”, La Habana, Cuba.

31 MORON F, FURONES J, PINEDO Z, 1996
Ausencia de efectos antiinflamatorio y analgésico del extracto fluído de Cymbopogon citratus al 30% por vía oral. Rev Cubana Plant Med 1(2):3-6.

32 CARBALLO A, 1995
Plantas medicinales del Escambray cubano. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio provincial de producción de medicamentos, Sancti Spiritus, Cuba.

33 WENIGER B, ROUZIER M, DAGUILH R, HENRYS D, HENRYS J, ANTON R, 1986
Popular medicine of the central plateau of Haiti. 2. Ethnopharmacological inventory. J Ethnopharmacol 17(1):13-30.

34 CARLINI EA, CONTAR JD, SILVA-FILHO AR, SOLVEIRA FILHO NG, FROCHTENGARTEN ML, BUENO OF, 1986
Pharmacology of lemon-grass Cymbopogon citratus I. Effect of teas prepared from the leaves on laboratory animals. J Ethnopharmacol 17(1):37-64.

35 SOUZA FORMIGONI ML, LODDER HM, FILHO OG,FERREIRA TM, CARLINI EA, 1986
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 17(1):65 74.

36 CARBAJAL D, CASACO A, ARRUZAZABALA L, GONZALEZ R, TOLON Z, 1989
Pharmacological study of Cymbopogon citratus leaves. J Ethnopharmacol 25(1):103-107.

37 LAM L, ZHENG B, 1991
Effects of essential oils on glutathione S-transferase activity in mice. J Agric Food Chem 39(4):660-662.

38 LORENZETTI B, SOUZA G, SARTI S, FILHO DS, FERREIRA SH, 1991
Myrcene mimics the peripheral analgesic activity of lemongrass tea. J Ethnopharmacol 34(1):43-48.

39 SETH, G, KOKATE CK, VARMA KC, 1976
Effect of essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus on central nervous system. Indian J Exp Biol 14(3):370-371.

40 LEMOS TLG, MATOS FJA, ALENCAR JW, CRAVEIRO AA, CLARK AM, MC CHESNEY JD, 1990
Antimicrobial activity of essential oils of Brazilian plants. Phytother Res 4(2):82-84.

41 AWUAH R, 1989
Fungitoxic effects of extracts from some West African plants. Ann Appl Biol 115(3):451-453.

42 DUKE JA, 1992
Handbook of biologically active phytochemicals and their bioactivities. Boca Raton, USA: CRC Press.

43 KOBAYASHI N, 1989
Pharmaceutical compositions containing lemongrass extracts and antioxidants. Patens Japan Kokai Tokio Koho., 01, 221, 320.

44 MARTINEZ MJ, BETANCOURT J, LOPEZ M, MOREJON Z, BARCELO H, LAINEZ A, MONTES ME, REGO R, BOUCOURT E, MORON F, 2000
Toxicidad aguda clásica de hoja seca de Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “Dr. Salvador Allende”, La Habana, Cuba.

45 MARTINEZ MJ, BETANCOURT J, LOPEZ M, MOREJON Z, BOUCOURT E, MORON F, 2000
Actividad genotóxica in vitro de hoja seca de Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. Informe TRAMIL. Laboratorio Central de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “Dr. Salvador Allende”, La Habana, Cuba.

46 DE LA TORRE RA, ESPINOSA-AGUIRRE JJ, CORTINAS DE NAVA C, IZQUIERDO T, MORON F, 1994
Genotoxic activity of mebendazole in Aspergillus nidulans. Mutat Res 305(2):139-144.

47 PILOTO FERRER J, VIZOSO A, RAMOS A, GARCIA A, REMIGIO A, VEGA Y, GONZALEZ ML, RODRIGUEZ C, CARBALLO C, 2009
Plantas medicinales. Diez años de evaluaciones toxicogenéticas en el CIDEM. Boletín Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromáticas, 8(5):428-434.

48 LEITE JR, SEABRA ML, MALUF E, ASSOLANT K, SUCHECKI D, TUFIK S, KLEPACZ S, CALIL HM, CARLINI EA, 1986
Pharmacology of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citrates Stapf). III. Assessment of eventual toxic, hypnotic and anxiolytic effects on humans. J Ethnopharmacol 17(1):75-83.

49 PARRA AL, YHEBRA RS, SARDINAS IG, BUELA LI, 2001
Comparative study of assay of Artemia salina L. and the estimate of the medium lethal dose (LD₅₀ value) in mice, to determine oral acute toxicity of plant extracts. Phytomedicine 8(5):395-400.

50 CARBALLO A, 1995
Cálculo de concentración y dosis de las drogas vegetales TRAMIL: Mensuraciones farmacognósticas y aproximaciones técnico-clínicas. Laboratorio provincial de producción de medicamentos, Sancti Spiritus, Cuba.

Disclaimer

The information provided is for educational purposes only for the benefit of the general public and health professionals. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations. Since some parts of plants could be toxic, might induce side effects, or might have interactions with certain drugs, anyone intending to use them or their products must first consult with a physician or another qualified health care professional. TRAMIL has no responsibility whatsoever towards the user for any decision, action or omission made in relation to the information contained in this Pharmacopoeia.

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Cymbopogon citratus

Vernacular names

Antigua and Barbuda:

Trinidad and Tobago:

Barbados:

St Vincent and Grenadines:

Puerto Rico:

Dominican Republic:

Venezuela:

Guadeloupe:

Dominica:

Saint Martin:

Martinique:

Saint Lucia:

Guatemala:

Mexico:

Honduras:

Costa Rica:

Cuba:

Guadeloupe:

Saint Martin:

Antigua and Barbuda:

Trinidad and Tobago:

St Vincent and Grenadines:

Dominica:

Colombia:

Barbados:

Puerto Rico:

Dominican Republic:

Venezuela:

Haiti:

Martinique:

Guatemala:

Nicaragua:

Honduras:

Geographical distribution

Botanical description

Voucher(s)

Pharmacopoeia

References

Disclaimer