Cymbopogon citratus or flexuosus
Quality: Yin
Element: Earth, Fire
Chakra Base Hara, and third eye
Family Poaceae
Lemon grass grows to 6 foot. It is an aromatic tropical grass with a clumped bulbous stem.
It has a lemon-like smell due to the fact that some of the aromatic compounds are the same as those found in lemons. It has been used traditionally in Sri Lanka for its soothing, calming properties. Lemon grass is used in herbal medicine for colds, indigestion and other digestive problems. It is a diuretic and a stimulating tonic for digestion and the liver. It is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and astringent.
Reference:
- Costa G, Ferreira JP, Vitorino C, Pina ME, Sousa JJ, Figueiredo IV, Batista MT. (2016) Polyphenols from Cymbopogon citratus leaves as topical anti-inflammatory agents. J Ethnopharmacol. 2016 Feb 3;178:222-8.
- Boukhatem MN, Ferhat MA, Kameli A, Saidi F, Kebir HT. (2014) Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oil as a potent anti-inflammatory and antifungal drugs. Libyan J Med. 2014 Sep 19;9:25431. doi: 10.3402/ljm.v9.25431. eCollection 2014.