Updated 17 January 2024
Botanical characteristics
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Division: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Liliopsida
- Order: Cyperales
- Family: Poaceae
- Genus: Cymbopogon
- Part used: Aerial parts
- Country of origin: Nepal, India, Latin America
Precautions for use
Caution! Lemongrass essential oil is reserved for adults and adolescents.
It is recommended that it be used by diffusion, mixed with other essential oils.
This is the only approved route of administration for pregnant women and babies.
Oral ingestion should be done under medical advice and skin applications should be preceded by a dilution of the essential oil.
Medical advice is also required for people with asthma.
Other precautions
Warning:
- People with asthma should consult their doctor before diffusing this essential oil.
Cutaneous use:
- It is essential that this essential oil is diluted to 20% in vegetable oil (20% essential oil in 80% vegetable oil) before use on the skin.
- Pregnant women over the age of three months can use this diluted essential oil on the skin under medical advice.
Ingestion:
- The oral route is reserved for therapeutic prescriptions.
Diffusion:
- This type of use of lemongrass essential oil is possible for pregnant women and babies.
- In very sensitive people, this essential oil may cause tears or coughing.
Allergenic components:
Lemongrass essential oil is high in biochemical allergenic components:
- Citral (geranial + neral) (60-86%)
- Geraniol (≤ 8%)
- Limonene (≤ 3%)
- Linalool (≤ 2%)
- Citronellol (≤ 1%)
- Isoeugenol (≤ 0.5%)
Note: It is best to test the essential oil before use (two drops on the crease of the elbow for at least 24 hours to check for a reaction).
Authorised users
How to use
Risks of use
Properties
- Vasodilator
- Sedative
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antiseptic
- Insect repellent
- Deodorant
- Antitumor
- Anti-dandruff
- Anti-cellulite
- Anti-stretch marks
- Lymphotonic
- Antifungal
- Digestive tonic, carminative
- Disinfectant
Indications
- Cellulite
- Skin mycoses
- Insect repellent
- Arteritis
- Hepatic insufficiency
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Neurovegetative dystonia, muscle weakness
- Colic
- Flatulence
- Dyspepsia
- Infectious diseases: scabies, cholera, tropical fever (malaria)
Directions for use/usual dosage
- Cellulite: local unctions diluted in a vegetable oil in synergy with other essential oils.
- Difficult digestion: 3 drops as an unction on the organ concerned, diluted in a vegetable oil.
- Epidemics, air purification: in atmospheric diffusion
- Fatigue, sadness, pessimism, anxiety: unctions on the wrists, solar plexus and lower back.
Cosmetic
- Restores shine to dull, damaged hair
- Ideal for oily skin, spots and blackheads
- Tightens skin and tissue
- Reduces excessive sweating
- Fights cellulite and stretch marks
- Effective against ringworm and lice
Cooking
- Adds a fresh, zesty touch to savoury dishes, sauces or desserts with its lemony flavour.
Interior use
- As a vapour to purify the air, remove unpleasant odours and create a relaxing, pleasantly lemony atmosphere.
- Diffused to repel mosquitoes.
- Used to make sanitary disinfectants, mixed with other essential oils.
Find out more
There are several species of Cympobogon. A closely related species, Cympobogon citratus, is sometimes used as a synonym by some authors. Lemongrass is sometimes called 'Indian Verbena' and should not be confused with the rarer and more expensive Lemon Verbena or Lippia citriodora, which is often confused with Cympobogon flexuosus. Lemongrass is sometimes referred to generically as "Citronella", but this common name also refers to other species such as Lemon Balm.