Cymbopogon citratus

Evidence of effective Cymbopogon citratus essential oil anti-protozoa activity against Leishmania amazonensis.

[11] Lemon grass oil contains 65–85% citral in addition to myrcene, citronellal, citronellol, linalool and geraniol.

Citronellol has been shown to lower blood pressure in rats by a direct effect on the vascular smooth muscle leading to vasodilation.

[15] In a small, randomized, controlled trial, an infusion made from C. citratus was used as an inexpensive remedy for the treatment of oral thrush in HIV/AIDS patients.

[20][21] In traditional medicine of India the leaves of the plant are used as stimulant, sudorific, antiperiodic, and anticatarrhal, while the essential oil is used as carminative, depressant, analgesic, antipyretic, antibacterial, and antifungal agent.

Lemon grass oil has also been tested for its ability to repel the pestilent stable fly,[22] which bite domestic animals.

Knots of C. citratus leaves sold at a supermarket in the Philippines
Ready-to-use bundles of lemon grass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and, for chicken tom yam, also turmeric, are sold at Thai markets.
Video tracking of a stable fly , demonstrating repellency of lemongrass oil [ 22 ]