Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) belongs to the family Poaceae, along with bamboo, black rice, brown rice, wheat, corn, oats, barley, millet, and rye, plus many other grasses.

Most of the species of lemon grass are native to South Asia, South-east Asia and Australia. Lemongrass was reportedly being distilled for export as early as the 17th century in the Philippines. It has been a favorite oil in India for hundreds of years and is known locally as choomana poolu, which refers to the plant’s red grass stems. Lemongrass was introduced to Jamaica in 1799. Indigenous Australians used lemongrass leaves for a drink and applied it to sore eyes, cuts, and skin conditions as a wash.

In 1905 a Sri Lankan researcher called Mr. J.F Jovit had acquired several plants of “Kochin Sera” from the south India and had planted them at Bandarawela Farm for research purposes. Lemongrass was introduced to Haiti and and the United States in 1917. First commercial cultivation of lemon grass was reported in Florida and Haiti in 1947.  The first samples of the closely related citronella oil were displayed at the World’s Fair at London’s Crystal Palace in 1951.

1. Fight free radicals. Manganese in lemongrass is a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase, which disarms free radicals produced within the mitochondria (the energy production factories within your cells).
2. Build strong bodies. Manganese in lemongrass activates enzymes for using several key nutrients, and facilitates protein and carbohydrate metabolism and formation of bone. Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism. Potassium in lemongrass regulates muscle contraction, including heart rythym, regulates nerve transmission; stores carbohydrates for muscles to use as fuel, promotes regular muscle growth, maintains proper electrolyte and acid-base (pH) balance; lowers blood pressure by counteracting the detrimental effects of sodium and regulating fluid balance, and maintains the density and strength of bones by decreasing urinary calcium loss. Folate in lemongrass acts as a co-factor for enzymes involved in the synthesis of DNA, supports red blood cell production and helps prevent anemia, supports cell production, especially in your skin, allows nerves to function properly, helps prevent neural tube defects in fetuses, helps prevent osteoporosis-related bone fractures, and helps prevent dementias including Alzheimer’s disease.
3. Lower your heart attack risk. Potassium in lemongrass regulates muscle contraction, including heart rythym, and lowers blood pressure by counteracting the detrimental effects of sodium and regulating fluid balance. Folate in lemongrass helps lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is an independent risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.  Magnesium in lemongrass is a calcium channel blocker that relaxes your veins and arteries, which reduces resistance and improves the flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients throughout your body. A deficiency of magnesium is not only associated with heart attack but that immediately following a heart attack, lack of sufficient magnesium promotes free radical injury to the heart. Campesterol in lemongrass prevents the absorption of “bad” LDL cholesterol, balances blood cholesterol levels, and displays anti-inflammatory properties, which may make it beneficial for cardiovascular diseases, among other health conditions.
4. Fight infections. Citral is an antimicrobial and can destroy or inhibit microorganisms. It also has antifungal properties.
5. Repel insects. The citronella in lemongrass has pheromonal qualities, and acts as an insecticide.
6. Help you use vitamin A. Lemongrass has a positive effective on your body’s ability to use vitamin A.
7. Improve circulation. Lemongrass has rubefacient properties, meaning that it may be able to improve blood circulation.
8. Relieve colds and fever. Used to alleviate certain respiratory conditions including laryngitis and sore throats, lemongrass has an anti-pyretic property, which reduces high fevers. Called fevergrass in some cultures, the vapor is inhaled, leading to increased perspiration and eventually the lowering of fever.
9. Relieve pain and aid in healing. Campesterol in lemongrass displays anti-inflammatory properties, which may make it beneficial for arthritis, among other health conditions. Lemongrass has powerful pain relieving properties. It helps to alleviate muscle spasms by relaxing the muscles, leading to the reduction of pain-related symptoms. It is thus useful for all types of pain including abdominal pain, headaches, joint pains, muscle pains, digestive tract spasms, muscle cramps, stomachache and others. This remedy has also been linked to increasing the body’s ability to repair damaged connective tissue such as cartilage, ligaments and tendons and is thus recommended for these types of injuries.