Chemical constituents and biological activities of Cymbopogon flexuosus (Lemon Grass)

Cymbopogon is one of the most important essential oil yielding genera of the family Poaceae. The most common economic species viz., Lemon grass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), wild lemon grass (Cymbopogon citrates), Citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus), palmarosa (Cymbopogon pendulus). It produces different types of essential oil, such as lemongrass oil, palmarosa oil, citronella oil, ginger grass or rusa oil. Lemon grass essential oil is mainly comprises cyclic and acyclic monoterpenoids. Citral is the major constituent which gives a characteristic lemon like aroma to lemongrass, having significant commercial value. Citral is used in vitamin A and ionone synthesis. Cymbopogon species possessed anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, pesticide, antimicrobial and mosquito repellant activities. In this paper we have thoroughly discussed the chemical constitutents and biological activities of lemongrass essential oil.