Review on Ethanopharmcological Reports of Lemon Grass (Linn.)

Abstract

Lemon grass is an aromatic medicinal grass belonging to the genus Cymbopogon. Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) is a member of family (Poaceae). It is widely used in the herbal teas and other non-alcoholic beverages in baked food. Lemongrass essential oil has been used since ancient times in folk medicine as a remedy to improve circulation, stabilize menstrual cycles, promote digestion or increase immunity. The essential oil is also used as a fragrance in the perfumes and cosmetics like creams, soaps and in pharmaceuticals etc. It grows mainly in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. The method found to be the most suitable for the extraction of lemongrass essential oil is steam distillation, since it allows obtaining the oil without altering product quality. The chemical composition of the essential oil of C. citratusvaries according to the geographical origin, farming practices, plant age, photoperiod, harvest period, genetic differences, and extraction methods. The chemical constituents of the essential oil which have constantly been detected and determine its biological activity are aldehyde, hydrocarbon terpenes, alcohols, ketones, and esters. Lemon grass essential oil is contains a high content of citral that is used as a source for the production of beta carotene and vitamin A etc.  It shows a wide spectrum of biological activities. High antibacterial and remarkable anti-fungal activities make the lemongrass oil a potential food preservative.
These studies established the therapeutic potential of C. citratus in modern medicines and a possible candidate for the drug discovery. The present review aims to document the morphology, distribution, phytochemistry and medicinal properties of C. citratus and its future prospects for the further scientific investigation for the development of effective therapeutic compounds. The health restorative capacity of lemon grass may be ascribed to the diverse secondary metabolites it produces. This review attempts to give an overall description of lemon grass, highlighting its medicinal properties which make it a potent herb for pharmacognostic applications.
Keywords: Cymbopogon citratus, Essential oil, lemongrass Bioactive compounds, Phytochemistry, Ethanopharmacological Reports.