Lemongrass belongs to a family of fragrant grasses, of Indian origin, which includes palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii) and citronella (Cymbopogon nardus); lemongrass is a tall grass which grows up to 5 feet high within a short period of time. It is now a cultivar of many tropical countries including central Africa, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Madagascar, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Lemongrass has been used in traditional Indian Medicine for a long time to treat fever and disease; in traditional Chinese Medicine, lemongrass is used to treat rheumatism, headaches, colds and stomach pain. Today, lemongrass is still used in India for fevers and disease and also as an insect repellent.
Lemongrass essential oil is analgesic, anti-microbial, antiseptic, astringent, bactericidal, carminative, deodorant, insecticidal, sedative, nervine and a tonic; in aromatherapy, lemongrass oil is used to treat acne, to repel insects such as fleas, lice, ticks and mosquitoes, to relieve muscle pain, indigestion, fever, disease, headaches, stress and nervous exhaustion.
