Description
Uses
In aromatherapy, lemongrass essential oil is typically used for the following problems:
- Acne
- Anxiety
- Athlete’s foot
- Excessive sweating
- Headaches
- Indigestion
- Muscle aches
In addition, lemongrass essential oil is said to act as a natural insect repellent and is used as an air freshener.
Lemongrass essential oil is also used to alleviate stress and relieve pain.
The Benefits
So far, the health effects of aromatherapeutic use of lemongrass essential oil have been tested in very few scientific studies. Still, some preliminary research indicates that lemongrass essential oil may offer certain benefits.
1) Hair
Lemongrass oil may help fight dandruff, according to a 2015 study. Participants in the study, who all had dandruff, used a hair tonic containing lemongrass essential oil (Cymbopogon flexuosus) or a placebo twice a day for 14 days. By the study’s end, particpants showed a significant decrease in dandruff after using the hair tonic with lemongrass essential oil.
2) Skin
Several studies (including a 2015 report published in the International Journal of Nanomedicine) suggest that lemongrass essential oil may help inhibit the growth of certain fungi (such as Candida albicans, a fungus known to contribute to yeast infections). However, there is currently a lack of clinical trials testing the use of lemongrass essential oil to treat of any type of fungal infection.
Lemongrass essential oil may help with a fungal infection called pityriasis versicolor, according to a 2013 study. For the study, participants used a shampoo and cream containing lemongrass essential oil or 2 percent ketpconazole (a medication used to treat fungal infections). The shampoo was used three times a week and the cream, twice a day. After 40 days of treatment, the mycological cure rate was 60 percent in those treated with lemongrass essential oil and over 80 percent in those using ketoconazole.
3) Anxiety
Although there’s limited evidence on the effectiveness of lemongrass essential oil as an anxiety remedy, one preliminary study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine suggests that brief exposure may possess anti-anxiety properties.
Participants in the study inhaled lemongrass oil (three or six drops), tea tree oil (three drops), or distilled water (three drops). Immediately after the inhalation, each study participant took a color and word test. Those who inhaled the lemongrass essential oil had a reduction in anxiety and tension and were quicker to recover from the anxiety than those who took the tea tree oil.
