Lemon grass

Lemon grass (a lemon ambercane, цимбопогон) – the fast-growing perennial plant to height reaching one and a half meters, belonging to family bluegrass or cereal. The plant in China, India, America, Southern Europe, Africa grows.

In tropical climate the plant can reach in height of 1,8 meters, in colder regions it grows no more than 1 meter. The plant is heliophilous, but can grow not bad in places with an easy shadow, is afraid of cold weather. Grows on the sandy soil better, влаголюбиво therefore often he can be met on a moorland. The lemon grass has powerful root system which quickly exhausts the soil. Leaves are narrow, long, light green color. On the site does not extend, grows at a bunch. Grow up a plant in gardens, greenhouses, pots as an adornment plant.

The plant has citrus taste and light lemon aroma. This smell frightens off from it insects, especially mosquitoes. Thus, if to apply juice of a lemon grass on skin of the person, then at several o'clock protection against mosquitoes is guaranteed.

There are two species of a lemon grass – East Indian and West Indian.

The East Indian species of a plant comes from east India, and West Indian, (or malabarsky) the grass is from Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia.

Similar properties have both appearance of a grass, and use of a lemon grass is widespread in traditional medicine and Ayurveda. But the East Indian grass is more used in cookery.

Structure of a lemon grass

Basic element of a lemon grass is citral which share of 70-85% in essential oil. Other 15-30% is a farnesol, geraniol, citronellol, myrcene with aldehydes and other elements. The plant contains a large amount of ascorbic acid and vitamin A, iron, calcium and phosphorus.

By method of steam distillation from a lemon grass receive essential oil which is widely used as pesticide in candles and lamps for scaring away of insects. Besides, oil also protects palm sheets from destruction that with success is used at storage of the ancient manuscripts written on palm sheets.

Properties and use of a lemon grass

The lemon grass is a powerful antiseptic agent, has pronounced disinfecting and antiinflammatory properties, treats respiratory diseases, tones up and refreshes, helps at muscular pains, dizziness, a depression, weakness, nausea, stimulates a metabolism, blood circulation, treats skin diseases, cellulitis, an acne, deletes excesses of sweat and fat.

Use of a lemon grass renders the antiinflammatory, antifungal, tonic, antiseptic, calming, knitting, deodorizing, antioxidant, carminative, knitting, anesthetizing, healing action on an organism.

In traditional medicine of property of a lemon grass are successfully used in the following cases:

• At muscular pains;
• As nutritional supplement for activation of a metabolism and digestion;
• For a lymphatic drainage;
• For the purpose of blood circulation improvement;
• At hypotonia;
• At weakness and dizziness;
• As antidepressant at sleeplessness and stresses;
• For prevention of a varicosity;
• At the strengthened sweating;
• At cold, antritis, sinusitis and other respiratory diseases;
• At a gastroenteritis and colitis;
• For removal of toxins from an organism, cleaning of kidneys, liver, intestines and pancreas;
• For decrease in heat at infectious diseases;
• For treatment of a pediculosis, an acne and skin diseases;
• As aphrodisiac;
• For improvement of a lactation;
• As anticarcinogen means;
• For decrease in cholesterol in blood.

Besides, use of a lemon grass promotes strengthening of muscles, sheaves and connecting fabric, increases intensity of a krovoobmen in fabrics, increases endurance of an organism, strengthens muscles and the copular device. The lemon grass is fine means for exercise stresses and helps to lose weight.

In cosmetology the lemon grass found application as means for care of normal and fat skin. It perfectly removes excesses of fat, levels tone of skin, clarifies and reduces a time, strengthens elasticity of skin, brings up her.

Use it at fungus diseases of legs and at their excessive perspiration, for the fastest healing of cuts, wounds and ulcers.

Lemon herbs add essential oil to composition of basic oils, and use for medical, sports and general massages. It is used for care of hair as it reduces their fat content.

Essential oil in an aromatherapy is widely applied. It makes psychoemotional, medical impact on an organism: takes off fatigue, tones up and refreshes, improves memory, stimulates a potentiality, eliminates a headache.

Contraindications

Lemon oil is not recommended to be applied to people with a severe form of a hypertension, a hyperexcitability. Besides, the lemon grass can cause slight irritation in a throat, short-term hoarseness, reduction of phonatory bands.

Though the plant is not toxic, but at its too high concentration can cause irritation on sensitive skin, reddening and burning sensation.