Nutritional and Nutraceutical Potentials of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus)

Abstract

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is a Poaceae family perennial grass that yields essential oil. The prefix ‘lemon’ refers to the odour, which is mostly owing to the presence of citral, a cyclic monoterpene. It is a rapidly growing and native to South India and Sri Lanka that is now widely cultivated throughout tropical America and Asia. The essential oil is used medicinally which is derived from freshly cut and slightly dried leave. Lemongrass has recently gained global prominence due to its extensive industrial applications. It also contains a significant amount of flavonoids, essential oils, phenolic compounds, and other phytochemical constituents that have pharmacological properties such as anti-obesity, antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-nociceptive, anti-oxidants, anti-diarrheal, and anti-inflammatory properties that may improve health. Numerous studies reported that it might possess the excellent health potentials to cure various communicable and non-communicable diseases.