Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf.

DeFilipps, Robert A. & Krupnick, Gary A., 2018, The medicinal plants of Myanmar, PhytoKeys 102, pp. 1-341 : 142-143

Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf.

Names.

Myanmar: sapalin, hkum-bang-pan (Kachin), wine-baing (Mon). English: citronella grass, fever grass, lemon grass.

Range.

Southern India and Sri Lanka. Cultivated in Myanmar; grows all over, up to 610 m altitude.

Uses.

Bitter and astringent in taste, plant is used for heart and throat problems, flatulence and phlegm conditions, sicknesses that cause blood vomiting, cholera, coughs and fevers with chest congestion. It promotes healthy gall bladder function, circulation and digestion. Whole plant: Crushed and wrapped in a cloth, the plant is pressed over inflamed areas to ease pain. The oil is rubbed vigorously into joints to relieve inflammation. Where malaria is endemic, the oil is heated together with wax to make an ointment used topically as a mosquito repellent. Stem: Crushed stems mixed with peppercorns are formed into pellets that are ingested daily to cure fever and malaria. Also, the liquid from boiling a handful of stems (without the tips or roots) in water to one-third the starting volume is taken at least three times a day for 3 days to cure jaundice. The juice from lemon grass is also used to treat indigestion and promote appetite.

Notes.

The medicinal uses of this species in India are discussed in Jain and DeFilipps (1991). Medicinal uses of this species in China are discussed in Duke and Ayensu (1985).

Reference.

Agricultural Corporation (1980).