When we hear or see Lemon grass, it’s fruity smell or Health benefits such as weight loss, immunity booster and taste of tea often comes in our mind. But are these whole things right? What is the Ayurveda’s point on it!
In this post i will make you aware regarding all this. Hope you will love the post.
Introduction:-
Botanical name = Cymbopogon citratus and Family = Poaceae. Now let us see how to identify it. For identification one should know it’s External Morphology. So let’s proceed with the same.
External Morphology:-
- It is a 1.8 m pleasant smell producing grass,
- The leaves smell like lemon (Distinguishing feature between other grasses).
- They are 90 cm long, 1.6-1.8 cm wide,
- Strong, shinny green leaves, with white coloured mid vein, sharp at edges.
- Flowers being Red in colour, 30-60 cm, in pairs.
- Flowering and Fruiting season during September to February.
Habitat:-
Commonly found in hot areas of South India like Maharastra, Gujarat, Punjab.
Does Ayurveda has mentioned it??
Ayurveda has a branch based mostly on plants named as Dravya Guna. And the books are known as Nighantu. Nighantu contains information about the synonyms, properties and uses of various plants. All this is that too in much elaborated form.
While finding Lemon grass, i found few references regarding it that are as follows:-
- Dhanvantari Nighantu :- Karveeradi vargha
- Bhavparkash Nighantu :- Guduchiyadi vargha
- Raj Nighantu :- Shalmayadi vargha
- Shaligram Nighantu :- Guduchiyadi vargha
- Kaidev Nighantu :- Aushadi vargha
As per the above mentions, it is clear that Ayurveda had mentioned it thousands of years ago. But now you will be excited about what all is mentioned in it ? Aren’t you ?
Names in Ayurveda/ Sanskrit:-
Most of the text of Ayurveda is in Sanskrit language. So the name of Lemon grass too.
Bhutrina (भूतृण) is the Sanskrit name dedicated for Lemon grass.
What are it’s Synonyms mentioned in Ayurveda? Let’s see them :-
- Bhuti (protects from Evil spirits),
- Bhutik (protects from Evil spirits),
- Kutumbak (bitter in taste),
- Mala trina (grass in form of garland),
- Sumali (pleasent smelling),
- Chatra (forming an umbrella like structure),
- Atichatra (forming a big umbrella like structure),
- Gudabeeja (soft seeds),
- Sugandh (pleasent smell),
- Guchchaal (flower in bunches)
- Atigandha (very much smelling)
- Jambukdiya (found on jambu daveepa)
- Sharabana (leaf edge sharp)
- Badhir dhawani bodhan (deaf can hear through it)
- Gomaya priya (loving cow dung)
Now compare it with the External Morphology. And now think how wide our Ancestors’s thinking was. Lets have a look at the Chemical Constituents according to Modern:-
Chemical Constituents:-
Volatile oil contains:- cistrol, limonin, isolimonin, citronolic acid, jirenium acid, alpha-camphorin, mircin, methalehptonon, lenalol, lenalayinoic acid, gerenayal acetate.
Now finally we’ll move to the session you were waiting for i.e. Medicinal Uses :-
Medicinal Uses According to Ayurveda:-
- It produces burning sensation in body. [Raj.] [Bhav.] [Kai.]
- Helps in removing Evil spirits and bad graha. [Raj.]
- Helps in treatment of poison. [Raj.]
- Causes loose stools, removes constipation. [Raj.]
- Helps in increasing appetite. [bhav.]
- Not good for eyes. [bhav.]
- Removes foul smell from mouth. [bhav.]
- Fibrous [bhav.]
- Doesn’t have effect on semen. [bhav.]
- Removes worms and insects from body. [dhan.]
- Increases blood production. [kai.]
- Useful in cough and asthma. [kai.]
- Helpful in ring worm on skin. [kai.]
- Helps in stopping vomiting. [kai.]
- Vata roga/ pain in leg, thigh, sacral region, stermomastoid region. [sha.]
- Tea helps in stomach disorders like acidity, gas etc. [sha.]
After seeing uses let’s see what Ayurveda says about taste of Lemon grass :-
Properties according to Ayurveda :-
Bitter in taste, extremely hot, light in digestion, dry in nature, Pitta and rakta dushak, kafa nashak.
Medical Properties according to Modern:-
- Leaves show Anxiolytic activity (reduces tension)
- Volatile oil shows protection from Aspergillus fumigatis and Aspergillus niger.
- Shows Anti-dandruff properties.
- Helps in acidity and gas.
- Causes Menstrual flow
- Manages Cholesterol levels
- Helps in weight loss
- Shows some Anti-cancer properties.
- Has Anti-oxident property
- Helps in lowering the blood pressure
- Increases blood production in body
- Oil helps in relieving from stress.
- Helps in removing mucus secretion and cures cough and cold
- Lowering blood sugar levels
- Can be used by immuniocompromised situation ( HIV )
Dosage and Part used:-
- Whole body, volatile oil and leaves are used.
- Churna = 2-5 gram, Volatile oil = 5-10 drops.
So i shared modern researches and Ayurvedic point too. So now you are fully aware of the Uses of Lemon grass. In the comments, let me know if you loved the post and also your points and suggestions to improve it. 😊