Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle, 1899

DeFilipps, Robert A. & Krupnick, Gary A., 2018, The medicinal plants of Myanmar, PhytoKeys 102, pp. 1-341 : 143

Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle

Names.

Myanmar: sabalin-hmwe, myet-hmwe. English: Ceylon citronella, citronella, citronella grass.

Range.

Native to southern India and Sri Lanka. Introduced elsewhere as a crop plant; commonly cultivated. Cultivated throughout Myanmar, up to 610 m altitude.

Uses.

Bitter and sweet in taste, the plant can cause loose bowels, and feelings of hunger. It can be used to control flatulence and to treat leprosy, epilepsy, and diseases associated with the intestines. Whole plant: Used as an antispasmodic, carminative, and diaphoretic. Oil: Used topically to relieve joint inflammation; on the scalp to stop hair loss; and on the skin to treat scabies, rashes and other conditions. Leaf: Liquid from soaking the leaves in hot water can be taken for shooting stomach pains. Juice from crushed leaves is applied to treat arm or leg paralysis. Liquid from leaves boiled in water to one-fourth the starting volume is ingested for fevers, coughs, and colds.

Note.

Medicinal uses of this species in India are discussed in Jain and DeFilipps (1991).

References.

Nordal (1963), Agricultural Corporation (1980).