Lemon Grass Oil : Source, Chemical Constituents, Uses and Synonyms

Source of Lemon Grass Oil:

Lemon grass oil is a volatile oil obtained by steam distillation from the leaves and aerial parts of the plant Cymbopogon flexuous and Cymbopogon citratis of the family Graminae. It is also called as East Indian Lemon Grass Oil or Indian Melissa oil.

Distribution of Lemon Grass Oil:

Cymbopogon citratus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lemon Grass is a wild and also cultivated plant in India. It is indigenous to India and also cultivated in other places like West Africa, Guatemala and East Africa. In India it is cultivated in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. The West Indian Lemon Grass oil is derived from Cymbopogon citrates and is collected from plants grown in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Punjab.

Lemon Grass oil is yellowish brown coloured liquid and resembles lemon oil in odour and taste.

Chemical constituents of Lemon Grass Oil :

Lemon Grass Oil contains citral, methylheptenol, nerol, citronellal, dipentene and geraniol.

Uses of Lemon Grass Oil:

• Lemon Grass Oil is used as a flavouring agent
• Lemon Grass Oil is used in perfumery
• Lemon Grass Oil is a source of citral from which beta-ionine is prepared.
• Beta-ionene is the starting material for the synthesis of vitamin A.

Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceutical Co. has commissioned vitamin A plant at Alleppey.

Synonyms of Lemon Grass Oil :

• Bengali – Gandha benertel
• Hindi – Gandha-bina-ka-tel
• Marathi – Hiravacha-tel
• German – Camaleshov
• French – Citronellejonc ordorant