
Lemongrass Essential Oil
Cymbopogon citratus
Properties:
Lemongrass essential oil has a lemony, sweet smell. Its colour ranges from dark yellow to amber and reddish. It has a watery consistency.
Origin:
It originated in India.
Extraction Method:
Lemongrass essential oil is extracted from the fresh or partly dried leaves by steam distillation.
Chemical composition:
myrcene, citronellal, geranyl acetate, nerol, geraniol, neral and traces of limonene and citral.
Therapeutic properties:
Analgesic, anti-depressant, antimicrobial. antipyretic, antiseptic, astringent, bactericidal, carminative, deodorant, diuretic, febrifuge, fungicidal, galactagogue, insecticidal, nervine, nervous system sedative and tonic.
Uses:
- Lemongrass essential oil revitalizes the body.
- It relieves the symptoms of jetlag, clears headaches.
- It helps to combat nervous exhaustion and stress-related conditions.
- It is a great overall tonic for the body and it boosts the parasympathetic nervous system, which is a boon when recovering from illness, as it also stimulates glandular secretions.
- It is useful with respiratory infections such as sore throats, laryngitis and fever and helps prevent spreading of infectious diseases.
- It is helpful with colitis, indigestion and gastro-enteritis.
- Lemongrass oil helps tone the muscles and tissue, relieves muscle pains by making the muscle more supple.
- It helps with correcting poor circulation and as an insect repellant.
- It helps to keep pets clean of fleas, ticks and lice.
- It also is used for clearing up oily skin and acne, as well as athlete's foot.
- It alleviates excessive perspiration.
Precautions:
- Avoid in glaucoma and with children.
- Use caution in prostatic hyperplasia and with skin hypersensitivity or damaged skin.
- Avoid during pregnancy.
Blends well with:
basil, cedarwood, coriander, geranium, jasmine, lavender, tea tree.