Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
to 8 years, while that of sprouters is estimated to be at least 10 years, based on the productive age of
the oldest
C. genistoides
plantation.
493
CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS
Botanical Name —
Cymbopogon citratus
(DC) Stapf.
Synonyms —
Andropogon citratus, A. ceriferus
Heckel,
A. nardus
L. var.
Ceriferus
( L.) Rend le.
Family —
Poaceae
Common Names —
Lemongrass, citronnelle (Fr.), fever grass
African Names —
Bambara: ce kala; Igbo: nche awuta, ahihia tii; Turag (Arab): hhashellay-
mum; Yoruba: koriko oyibo, koko oba
Description —
Cymbopogon citratus
is a densely tufted tall grass, usually growing up to 120
cm. Leaves are grass-like, with blades tapered at both ends up to 90 cm long and 1.25 cm wide. It
seldom flowers; when the plants do, the flowers occur in panicles, with inflorescences 30 to 60 cm
long. It has a slightly bulbous base. The whole plant gives a characteristic lemon odor when broken.
It is a perennial, and the propagation is from the clones.
28,33
Habitat and Distribution —
The plant requires a warm climate with plenty of sunshine. It is
cultivated in Tanzania, Kenya, and the Malagasy Republic.
Ethnomedicinal Uses —
Lemongrass is used primarily as a weak infusion in the form of teas
used for fevers and jaundice. Extracts of the plant are also dispensed as a diuretic, emmenagogue,
diaphoretic, stomachic, carminative, tonic, antirheumatic, and antidiarrheal.
440
The essential oil is
used extensively in perfumery.
Constituents —
Lemongrass yields up to 0.7% of volatile oil, which consists mainly of citral, a
terpene aldehyde. Other constituents of the oil include geraniol, nerol, furfural, citronellal, methy-
leptenone, and myrcene,
425,494
as well as the triterpenes cymbopogone and cymbopogonol.
495,496
Pharmacological Studies —
A decoction of the leaves has been shown to possess hypotensive
and diuretic effects in the rat.
497
The essential oil showed antibacterial activity
in vitro,
and the
activity is attributed to its geraniol and neral content.
498
The oil is believed to have a mild depres-
sant effect on the CNS and analgesic and antipyretic activities. But, recent laboratory evaluation of
the plant failed to observe any effects on body temperature, gastrointestinal motility, or the CNS.
499
Extracts of the plant appear to be devoid of any toxicity
500
and were not found to cause either hema-
tological or cellular alterations or mutagenic or embryonic toxicity.
501,502
