Lemongrass,also known as Capim-cidrao,Fever Tea,Melissa Grass,and Sereh,is native to tropical Southeast Asia.

Contents

• Basic Botanical Info of Lemongrass.
• Introduction and Plant Description:Cymbopogon Schoenanthus.
• How to grow lemongrass.
• Lemongrass Main constituents and Phytochemicals.
• Lemon grass and its Origin:Cymbopogon Schoenanthus.
• How to Use Lemongrass.
• Pharmacology and Activities:Lemongrass Actions and Indications.
• Herbal remedies using Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus).
• Medicinal Uses of Lemongrass.
• Lemon Grass Preparations and Use Guide.
• Administration and Suggestions:Lemongrass.
• Using Lemongrass Essential oil.
• Research Update:lemongrass.

Introduction and Plant Description:Cymbopogon Schoenanthus.:

A reed-like grass with a scallion-type base that is used as a flavoring in food dishes, providing a sharp lemony taste. It is the heart or bulb within the base that is used as an ingredient for Southeast Asian recipes. Lemon grass is used to add a citrus-like aroma and flavor to marinades for poultry and fish or as a flavoring for soups, stews, and food dressings. Unless the lemon grass is minced and mixed into the food dish, it is best to add larger strips to the dish and then remove before serving, since it does not break up and disappear when cooking.

 When preparing lemon grass, cut off the root and over half of the upper stalk. Then remove the outer layers of the base remaining to expose the tender inner heart. Lemon grass can be sliced into thin, small disks or minced or crushed to be added to salads and stir fries. When preparing soups, stews and some sauces, cut the stalk into short pieces, several inches in length and cook with other ingredients until done, then remove the lemon grass. When adding as a seasoning to sauces and marinades, lemon grass can be cut into small bits and then minced or ground into a paste to be added into the other ingredients. Lemon grass can also be crushed and placed in the bottom of foil food wrappings on the grill or roasting pans with the food placed directly on the lemon grass. When fresh lemon grass cannot be found, substitute dried lemon grass or thin strips of lemon peel. For each 8 inch fresh stalk that is required, substitute 1 tablespoon of dried lemon grass or several long strips of lemon peel. If a recipe requires the heart of the lemon grass, take only the bottom 4 to 6 inches of the stalk and peel off the outer leaves until the inner purple ring is exposed.


 Lemon grass is found in Asian markets and some grocery stores that stock specialty items. Select stalks that are greenish-white in color and firm feeling. The top of the stalk should be fresh to slightly dry in appearance while the base should be somewhat heavy and moist. Lemon grass can be stored in the freezer for 6 months or a few weeks if refrigerated, but should be wrapped in plastic if stored.

 Lemon grass is a fragrant tropical grass, closely related to Citronella. It is said to be indigenous to India where it has been cultivated for its oil since 1888. However, it grows widely in many tropical countries of Asia, America, and Africa. In Malaysia it is normally cultivated in home gardens. In the Malay Peninsula, lemon grass is recommended in folk medicine for common colds, pneumonia, fevers, and gastric problems.Lemon grass is a tall perennial grass with dense fascicles of leaves from a stout rhizome. It can grow up to a height of one meter. The leaves are sessile, simple green, linear, equally arranged, and can grow to an average size of forty centimetres. This plant is one of the chief sources of Citral, which is an important raw material of perfumery, confectionery, and beverages.
 


 Sensory quality:Fresh and lemon-like, with a hint of rose fragrance. See also lemon myrtle on lemon fragrance.

 Resembling a gigantic weed, lemongrass is an aromatic tropical plant with long, slender blades that can grow to a height of 5 ft (1.5 m). Believed to have a wide range of therapeutic effects, the herb has been used for

 Large lemongrass plant. (? PlantaPhile, Germany. Reproduced by permission.) centuries in South America and India and has also become popular in the United States. Aside from folk medicine, lemongrass is a favorite ingredient in Thai cuisine and dishes that boast a tangy, Asian flavor. While there are several species of lemongrass, Cymbopogon citratus is the variety most often recommended for medicinal purposes. Native to Southeast Asia, lemongrass can also be found growing in India, South America, Africa, Australia, and the United States. Only the fresh or dried leaves of lemongrass, and the essential oil derived from them, are used as a drug. Cymbopogon citratus, which belongs to the Poaceae family of plants, is also referred to as West Indian lemongrass.

 Not to be confused with lemon balm, which is an entirely different herb, lemongrass is considered by herbalists to have several useful properties, including antibacterial, antifungal, and fever-reducing effects. Some of these claims have been supported by animal and laboratory studies. In one test-tube investigation, published in the medical journal Microbios in 1996, researchers demonstrated that lemongrass was effective against 22 strains of bacteria and 12 types of fungi. Scientific research has also bolstered the herb's reputation as an analgesic and sedative. A study conducted in rodents suggests that myrcene, a chemical found in the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus, may act as a site-specific pain reliever. Unlike aspirin and similar analgesics, which tend to alleviate pain throughout the body, myrcene seems to work only on particular areas. A study involving people indicates that lemongrass may also affect the way the body processes cholesterol.

 More recently, lemongrass has been shown to have antimutagenic properties; that is, researchers have found that it is able to reverse chemically induced mutations in certain strains of bacteria.

 While they may not be aware of it, most Americans have already tried lemongrass in one form or another. Citral, a key chemical found in Cymbopogon citratus, is an ingredient in a variety of foods and beverages (including alcohol). It can be found in candies, puddings, baked goods, meat products, and even in certain fats and oils. Citral is a pale yellow liquid that evaporates rapidly at room temperature. Like other essential oils, lemongrass is also used as a fragrance enhancer in many perfumes, soaps, and detergents.

Reference:

• 1.Lemongrass,also known as Capim-cidrao,Fever Tea,Melissa Grass,and Sereh,is native to tropical Southeast Asia.

This article written and edited via herbalist of MDidea Extracts Professional. They run a range of online descriptions about this herb,including general information related and summarized updating discoveries from findings of professional scientisits this field related.Describe style aimed to form a useful detecting literature space where the intertwined threshold and related questions raise out and visualize themselves.

♣ last edit date:26th,Oct.2010.