Scientific Name: Cymbopogon citratus Also knows as: Brazil:
Capim-cidrao, Capim-santo; Egypt: tanglad; English: tanglad, Citronella,
Squinant; Ethiopia: Tej-sar Hindi: Sera, Verveine; Indonesian: Sereh; Italian:
Cimbopogone; Malaysia: Sakumau; Mexico: Zacate limon; Swedish: Citrongräss;
Thailand: Ta-khrai; Turkish: Limon out; USA and UK: Citronella.
Tanglad (Cymbopogon citratus), is a native herb from warm
regions such as India, Philippines and Malaysia, is widely used in Asian
cooking and is an ingredient in many Thai and Vietnamese foods. Tanglad use in
cooking has become popular in the Caribbean and in the United States for its
aromatic citrus flavor with a trace of ginger.
Tanglad or lemon grass is a commercially-viable plant that
is cultivated mainly for the fragrance that it produces. It can be easily found
in most Asian countries, and is widely cultivated in tropical areas. By nature,
tanglad is a permanent or perennial plant, and the benefits of which are not
restricted to its fragrance. The utility of tanglad basically lies in its
leaves, where all the benefits are derived. What can be seen of this plant are
mainly its leaves, which allows easy access to the main part that is needed in
order to enjoy tanglad's health benefits. It constitutes most of what appears
of this plant above ground, as the leaves grow up to one meter in length, and
are flat in shape.
Tanglad is a member of specie of grass that grows to as high
as 1 meter with leaves of 1 to 1.5 centimeters in width that grows from a stalk
of about 30 to 80 cm long with bulbous lower end. Tanglad is a perennial and
tufted grass that is commercially cultivated in Southeast Asian countries such
as Thailand, Malaysia and China. tanglad is also cultivated in United States
specifically in California and Florida. Propagation is by dividing the root
clumps.
Tanglad oil has a lemony, sweet smell and is dark yellow to
amber and reddish in color that is extracted by distillation. Tanglad is also
known as 'choomana poolu' and is also referred to as 'Indian Verbena' or
'Indian M`elissa oil'. tanglad oil is a valuable ingredient in cosmetics,
perfumes and as fragrances for soaps and insect repellants. Tanglad is
reportedly has a wide variety of therapeutic application and health benefits.
With limited research and studies conducted on humans, tanglad's effectiveness
is based mainly on the results from animal and laboratory studies as well as its
reputation as a folk remedy.
Tanglad Traditional
Medicinal Uses. Tanglad is largely used in traditional herbal medicine for
various conditions. Tanglad as
herbal Tea: (Taken 1 cup every 8 hours) for
gastrointestinal problems stomachaches, diarrhea,
gas, bowel spasms, vomiting, fever,
the flu, and headaches. Tanglad oil
mixed with other essential oils such as coconut oil is used as a liniment for back pains, rheumatism, neuralgia,
sprains and other body pains. Tanglad oil mixed with other essential
oils such as lavender or jasmine oil used
in baths or vapor scents, can revitalize the body and relieve the symptoms of
jet lag, headaches, anxiety and stress related exhaustion.
Tanglad is used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine to treat fevers
and infectious illnesses. Tanglad is
also used in Chinese medicine to treat colds and rheumatism.To treat
circulatory disorders, some authorities recommend rubbing a few drops of
tanglad oil on the skin of affected areas; it is believed to work by improving
blood flow. Tanglad has natural
anti-microbial properties, is an antiseptic, suitable for use on various types
of skin infections, usually as a wash or compress, and is especially effective
on ringworm, infected sores. Acne and athlete's foot.
Tanglad is effective
in killing cancer cells. It is useful with respiratory infections such as
sore throats, laryngitis and fever and helps prevent spreading of infectious
diseases. Tanglad is also used as an
insect repellant. It helps to keep pets clean of fleas, ticks and lice. In Asia and Africa, tanglad is used as
antiseptic, antitussive, and anti-rheumatic and to treat backache, sprains, and
hemoptysis. Infusions of tanglad leaves are used in alternative medicine as
sedative, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory. In some African countries, Tanglad is used to treat diabetes.
The effect of tanglad
oil on clinical isolate mastitis pathogens. The aims of this study were to
investigate the antibacterial activity of tanglad oil and its major components
which were citral, geraniol and myrcene, against four strains of clinically
isolated bovine mastitis pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, The
results demonstrate that S. agalactiae and B. cereus are more susceptible to
tanglad, citral and geraniol than S. aureus and E. coli. Moreover, they also
inhibit S. aureus biofilm formation and exhibit effective killing activities on
preformed biofilms. The tanglad appears to have multiple targets in the
bacterial cell, depending on concentration used as well as the amount of its components.
Source: Research in Veterinary Science ( Dec 2011).
Activation of
intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway in cancer cells by Cymbopogon citratus
polysaccharide fractions. In the present study, polysaccharides from C.
citratus were extracted and fractionated by anion exchange and gel filtration
chromatography. Using these polysaccharide fractions F1 and F2,
anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities were evaluated against cancer cells
in vitro and the mechanism of action of the polysaccharides in inducing
apoptosis in cancer cells via intrinsic pathway was also proposed. These
polysaccharide fractions exhibited potential cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on
carcinoma cells, and they induced apoptosis in these cells through the events
of up-regulation of caspase 3, down-regulation of bcl-2 family genes followed
by cytochrome c release. Source: Carbohydrate Polymers – Journal (Jul 2014)
Link of tanglad to
Cholesterol. The link between tanglad and cholesterol was investigated by
researchers from the Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of
Wisconsin, who published their findings in the medical journal Lipids in 1989.
They conducted a clinical trial involving 22 people with high cholesterol who
took 140-mg capsules of tanglad oil daily. While cholesterol levels were only
slightly affected in some of the participants--cholesterol was lowered from 310
to 294 on average--other people in the study experienced a significant decrease
in blood fats.
The latter group, characterized as responders, experienced a
25-point drop in cholesterol after one month, and this positive trend continued
over the course of the short study. After three months, cholesterol levels
among the responders had decreased by a significant 38 points. Once the
responders stopped taking tanglad, their cholesterol returned to previous
levels. It should be noted that this study did not involve a placebo group,
which is usually used to help measure the effects of the agent being studied
(in this case, tanglad oil).
Neurobehavioral
Effects : (1) Study of myrcene in
rats suggests anxiolytic activity. (2) Study of essential oil produced marked
CNS depression in mice, similar to chlorpromazine effect. Also, it increased
sleepness time, similar to a thiopental effect. Antinociceptive / Analgesic :
Myrcene extract from the essential oil has been shown to have an
antinociceptive effect. Antitumoral : (1) Study showed a-myrcene possess
antimutagenic activity in mammary cells. (2) Plant compounds, a-limonene and
geraniol showed inhibition of liver and intestinal mucous membrane cancer in
mice. (3) Study in Thailand showed inhibition of colorectal neoplasia in mice.
(4) Study showed inhibitory effects on early phase hepatocarcinogenesis in rats
after initiation with diethylnitrosamine.
tanglad Usage, Dosage.
tanglad leavesTanglad thrives in the wild even without too much care. It
can be grown in pots and gardens. The stalks and leaves are harvested and used.
Fresh tanglad can also be bought in most Asian markets by bundles. tanglad oil extract can also be bought
in most grocery and health foods stores. tanglad comes in various forms, such
as powder, dried leaves and essential oil. Amazon lists Lemon grass Essential
Oil. 10 ml.
Tanglad Tea
Preparation. Pound or cut about 10 leaves of tanglad Then add in 2 cups of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes, Strain, add sugar and a slice of
ginger to taste. Let it cool and
drink a cup three to four times a day. Make
new tanglad herbal tea as needed. When
symptoms persist or irritation occurs stop the use and consult your doctor. tanglad oil (food grade) can also be
used to make tea by diluting 2 teaspoon of tanglad oil to a cup of boiling
water.
Tanglad Liniment
Preparation. Boil equal amounts of chopped leaves and roots with freshly
made coconut oil. You can also mix 2 drops of tanglad oil to an ounce of your
usual oil used such as coconut oil, olive oil, etc. Tanglad Baths and Compress.
Chop about a cup of tanglad leaves to a liter of water. Let it boil and strain.
You can add it to your bath or you can use it as herbal compress for skin
infections. tanglad oil can also be added to a bath or warm water for hot
compress. a tablespoon of oil for every 500ml for compress is suggested.
Tanglad use Warnings
and Side Effects. When cooked and properly prepared, eating tanglad has
been proven beneficial even for young children, pregnant women and breast
feeding mothers. Tanglad is not
known to be harmful when taken in recommended dosages. However, individuals
should always take caution before using any treatment. Pregnancy and Breast feeding. The essential oil should not be used
internally by children, women who are pregnant or breast-feeding. Liver or kidney disease. When used for
various medication, There are reports of the following: Burning sensation(s), Skin Irritation, discomfort, and rash.
Lowered blood glucose.
While tanglad is not known to have an adverse effect with known drugs and
supplements. Nonetheless It is advisable to limit the use of tanglad for the
following medical conditions: Individuals
taking oral diabetes drugs, Individuals
taking anti-hypertensive drugs, Individuals
with diabetes and / or individuals who are hypoglycemic, Allergies. In rare cases, tanglad essential oil has caused
allergic reactions when applied to the skin. To minimize skin irritation,
dilute the oil in a carrier oil such as safflower or sunflower seed oil before
application. As with all essential oils, small amounts should be used, and only
for a limited time. Can cause eye
irritation. Avoid getting tanglad (herb or oil) in the eyes.