LEMONGRASS OIL, WEST INDIAN TYPE

Description

Herbaceous grasses that grow wild in several tropical and subtrop ical regions. The East Indian variety is grown in eastern India, Cambodia, Singapore, and Ceylon. The West Indian type is grown in Madagascar, the Comoro Islands, Guatemala, Honduras, Brazil, Haiti, and Puerto Rico. The East Indian variety yields an alcohol soluble oil (1:2 in 70% alcohol); West Indian lemongrass is soluble 1:10 in 90% alcohol with haze. The part used is the herbaceous portion. Lemongrass has a strong, pungent, lemon-like odor.
The essential oil is obtained by steam distillation of freshly cut (East Indian variety) or partially dried (West Indian variety) grass in approximately 0.2 to 0.3% and 0.31 to 0.37% yields, respec tively.
East Indian Lemongrass Oil: East Indian lemongrass oil is a pale-yellow to brown-yellowish liquid; it has a characteristic, sharp, pungent, lemon-like odor because of the large amount of citral present (80 to 85%).
In addition to citral, the main constituents of the East Indian oil include citronellal, geraniol, nerol, famesol, dipentene, methylhep tenone, and probably limonene.
West Indian Lemongrass Oil: West Indian lemongrass oil is a pale-yellow to brownish liquid with a pronounced citral odor. Its physical-chemical constants are as follows.
Its main constituents include isovaleric aldehyde, furfural, myrcene, dipentene, methylheptenone, aldehyde C10, citronellal, various esters, linalool, geraniol, nerol, and terpenes.
Constituents include: andrographolide; andrographidin A; andro graphidin B; andrographidin C; andrographidin D; andrographidin E; andrographidin F; andrographin; andrographinin; andrographi side; andropanoside; apigenin-4,7-di-o-methyl ether; gamma-bis abolene; caffeic acid; carvacrol; chlorogenic acid; deoxyandro graphiside; dicaffeoyl quinic acid; 5-dihydroxy-7,8-dimethoxy flavone; eugenol; 2-cis-6-trans-famesol; 2-trans-6-trans-farnesol; 5-hydroxy-7,8-dimethoxyflavone; 5-hydroxy-2,3,7,8-tetrameth oxyflavone; myristic acid; oroxyline A; panicolin; paniculide B; and sitosterol-α-1.

Chemical properties

West Indian or Guatemala lemongrass oil is obtained from Cymbopogon citratus (DC. ex Nees) Stapf in Central and South America. Guatemala produces ～50 t/yr. It is a pale yellow to orange-yellow liquid with a lemon-like odor, characteristic of citral.
d²⁰₂₀ 0.872–0.900; n²⁰_D 1.483–1.489; α²⁰_D ?6 ° to 0 °; content of carbonyl compounds (calculated as citral): min. 75%; citral content by GC: 31–40% neral and 40–50% geranial; solubility: freshly distilled oil is soluble in 70% ethanol at 20 ℃, but solubility diminishes on storage, and the oil may become insoluble in 90% ethanol.

Chemical properties

Herbaceous grasses that grow wild in several tropical and subtropical regions. The East Indian variety is grown in eastern India, Cambodia, Singapore and Sri Lanka. The West Indian type is grown in Madagascar, the Comoro Islands, Guatemala, Honduras, Brazil, Haiti and Puerto Rico. The part used is the herbaceous portion. The freshly cut and partially dried leaves are used medicinally. Lemongrass has a strong, pungent, lemon-like odor

Chemical properties

The oil is obtained by steam distillation of freshly cut (East Indian variety) or partially dried (West Indian variety) grass in approximately 0.2 to 0.3% and 0.31 to 0.37% yields, respectively. East Indian lemongrass oil is a pale-yellow to brown-yellow liquid. It has a characteristic, sharp, pungent, lemon-like odor because of the large amount of citral present (80 to 85%). West Indian lemongrass oil is a pale-yellow to brownish liquid with a pronounced citral odor as well.

Occurrence

Found in the grasses of Cymbopogon citratus (Stapf) and Andropogon nardus var. ceriferus

The Uses of LEMONGRASS OIL, WEST INDIAN TYPE

lemongrass oil (Cymbopogon citratus) is considered astringent and tonic, it has also exhibited anti-fungal properties. It is widely used in the perfume and soap industries. Lemongrass oil is the volatile oil distilled from the leaves of the lemon grasses.

The Uses of LEMONGRASS OIL, WEST INDIAN TYPE

Lemongrass oil can be used as a flavoring agent in the food, perfume, and cosmetic industries.

Preparation

By steam distillation of the freshly cut and partially dried grasses

Definition

Extractives and their physically modified derivatives. Cymbopogon citratus or Cymbopogon flexuosus, Gramineae.

Essential oil composition

The main constituents include isovaleric aldehyde, furfural, myrcene, dipentene, methylheptenone, citronellal, various esters, linalool, geraniol, nerol and terpenes.

Essential oil composition

The oil from C. citrates mainly contains a mixture of two isomers of citral (65 to 82%), geraniol (56 to 61%) and neral (31%). Other compounds include myrcene (20%), geraniol, diterpenes, alcohols, aldehydes and other minor fragrant components. The citral content from many species varies. East Indian lemongrass is reported to contain no citral, but up to 30% borneol.

Taste threshold values

Taste characteristics at 0.25%: green, citrus, lemon, floral, linalool, spice and chamomile-like

General Description

Lemongrass oil is a volatile oil with a fresh grassy lemon-like aroma. It is generally obtained from the lemongrass leaves. Lemongrass oil is usually composed of geranial up to 60%, neral up to 30%, geraniol up to 4%, limonene, and linalool.