Medicinal Plants : Andropogon citratus

Name

Lemon grass

Biological Name

Andropogon citratus
Gramineae family

Other Names

Lemon grass, Gandhatrana, Hari-chaha, Bhutrin Aginghas, Bhustrina, Chae-Kashmiri, Chayapul, Chippagaddi, Gandha bela, Gandha-Bena, Gavatichaha, ginger-grass, Karpoorpul, Lilicha, Majjige-hullu, Mikkotiu, Nimmagaddi, Olancha, Patichachaha, Penguin, Purhali- hullu, Rosha grass, Sugandhichaha, sweet-rush, Takratrani, Vasanapulla, Vashanup-pulla

Description

This herb grows wild in gardens in India, Sri Lanka and other tropics. Its oil is used in aromatherapy.

Parts Used

herb, essential oil

Constituents

Volatile oil: The main constituent of lemon-grass oil is the substance citrol or citral, which occurs in it in quantities varying from about 70 % up to 85 % or more. The oil is obtained by distillation from fresh plant.

Remedies For

Action

Stimulant, diaphoretic, anti-spasmodic
Oil is carminative and tonic.

Uses:

For Fevers: Use with with ginger, sugar, cinnamon. You can also use a tea or decoction made from the leaves as a diaphoretic in fever.

For disordered menstruation, for congestive and neuralgic forms of dysmnorrhoea, for dropsical conditions caused by chronic malaria: Use herb with black pepper.

For vomiting and diarrhea: It is carminative and tonic to the intestinal mucous membrane.

For colic, flatulence, fever, catarrh: Use an infusion of leaves with pudina, black-pepper, dried ginger and sugarcandy.

The lemon-grass oil is useful as a carminative in flatulent and spasmodic affections of the bowels, colic, and gastric irritability. It is also used in treating cholera with obstinate vomiting, by controlling vomiting and aiding the process of reaction. Use 3 to 6 drops of lemongrass oil on a piece of sugar cube or in emulsion.

For painful affections - lumbago, chronic rheumatism, neuralgia, sprains, etc.: Mix lemongrass oil with an equal quantity of pure coconut oil. Use it externally as an embrocation or liniment.

Dosage

infusion of the leaves (1 in 5) and oil

decoction of leaves (4 ozs of the grass to 1 pint of boiling water) powder.

Safety

No information available.