Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oil as a potent anti-inflammatory and antifungal drugs

Figures & data

Fig. 1 Determination of the diameter of zone inhibition by (A) the disc diffusion method and (B) the vapor diffusion method (19).

Table 1 Chemical composition of the essential oil extracted from Cymbopogon citratus by steam distillation

Compound^a	RI^b	Percent
β-Myrcene	988	7.45
Limonene	1,030	0.02
α-Ocimene	1,043	0.45
β-Ocimene	1,048	0.32
Terpinolene	1,120	1.3
Citronellal	1,167	0.29
Neral	1,268	31.52
Geranial	1,284	42.16
Caryophellene	1,421	0.23
trans-Bergamotene	1,439	0.25
α-Humulene	1,450	0.04
α-Farnesene	1,459	0.05
β-Farnesene	1,508	0.15
β-Bisabolene	1,511	0.03
δ-Cadinene	1,527	0.04
Carvacrol	1,298	0.23
Caryophellene oxide	1,578	0.1
Isopulegol	1,168	1.39
2-Undecanone	1,294	0.05
Geranyl formate	1,303	0.07
Neryl acetate	1,351	0.07
Geranyl acetate	1,366	4.3
Geranyl N-butyrate	1,559	0.04
Total identified		90.55
Monoterpene hydrocarbons		9.54
Oxygenated monoterpenes		73.97
Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons		0.79
Oxygenated sesquiterpenes		0.33
Other oxygenated compounds		5.92

^aCompounds are listed in order of elution from an HP-5MS column. −=not present.

^bRI (retention index) calculated on the HP-5MS column relative to C₈-C₂₄ n-alkanes.

Table 2 Susceptibility of filamentous fungi and yeast to Lemon grass volatile oil and to classic antifungal drugs

Diameter of growth inhibition zone (mm)^a
	LGEO disc diffusion test			LGEO vapor diffusion test			Controls
	LGEO 20 µl	LGEO 40 µl	LGEO 60 µl	LGEO 20 µl	LGEO 40 µl	LGEO 60 µl	AmB^b 100 µg	HEX^b 1%
Yeast strains
Candida albicans (Ca1)	33	38	80	60	90	90	25	29
C. albicans (Ca2)	65	90	90	90	90	90	15	33
C. albicans (Ca3)	60	90	90	55	90	90	20	20
C. albicans (Ca4)	35	41	45	47	80	90	21	22
C. parapsilosis (Cp1)	75	82	90	45	90	90	33	26
C. parapsilosis (Cp2)	−	15	18	−	15	25	26	15
C. tropicalis (Ct1)	36	45	90	27	50	90	18	22
C. tropicalis (Ct21)	51	72	90	45	90	90	22	26
Filamentous fungi
Aspergillus niger (As1)	90	90	90	60	90	90	45	26
A. niger (As2)	25	36	59	32	48	75	36	33
A. flavus	60	90	90	60	90	90	22	19
A. terreus	65	90	90	50	90	90	19	33
A. fumigatus	50	90	90	90	90	90	20	35
Penicillium sp.	90	90	90	90	90	90	25	29
Mucor sp.	35	42	48	35	90	90	−	12

^aDiameter of growth inhibition zone (mm) includes the disc diameter of 9 mm. ^bVolumes in µl refer to volumes of LGEO.

−=no activity; LGEO=lemon grass essential oil; HEX=hexomedine solution (1%); AmB=amphotericin B.

Fig. 2 Inhibitory effect of lemon grass oil against fungal strains by (A) disc diffusion, and (B) vapor diffusion methods.

DGIZ: Diameter of growth inhibition zone; LGEO: lemon grass essential oil.

Table 3 Effect of lemon grass volatile oil on carrageenan-induced paw edema in mice

		LHP thickness (mm) (mean±SD) (% inhibition)
Treatment	Dose (mg/kg)	30 min	90 min	240 min
Control		3.41±0.29^a	2.916±0.03^a	3.25±0.18^a
Diclofenac (mg/kg, orally)	50	3.1±0.19^b (86.20)	2.916±0.03^a (69.23)	2.96±0.04^b (88.88)
	10	2.88±0.09^b,c (66.66)	2.66±0.10^b (82.75)	2.75±0.13^b,c (96.82)
LGEO (mg/kg, by oral route)	40	2.76±0.13^b,c (95.56)	2.68±0.16^b (87.17)	2.7±0.14^b,c (95.20)
	100	2.88±0.07^b,c (69.23)	2.68±0.14^b (86.20)	2.75±0.10^b,c (92.56)
	200	2.88±0.098^c (89.65)	2.68±0.11^b {69.23)	2.73±0.12^c (90.12)

Data are presented as mean (mm)±standard deviation (SD) (n=6/group). Groups of mice were pre-treated with vehicle (control group, oral administration, n=6), diclofenac (50 mg/kg, oral administration) or lemon grass essential oil (LGEO) at doses of 10, 40, 100, and 200 mg/kg (oral administration, n=6/group) 30 min before carrageenan-induced paw edema. LHP: left hind paw; LGEO: lemon grass essential oil. Means within the same column followed by the different letter are significantly different (P<0.05) according to ANOVA one-way analysis followed by Tukey's post hoc multiple comparison test.

Table 4 Lemon grass aromatic oil prevents croton oil-induced ear edema in vivo

Treatment	Dose	Mean edema weight	% Edema inhibition
Control	–	0.40±0^a	–
Diclofenac sodium gel (mg/ear)	5	0.17±0^b	56.25
LGEO (µl/ear)	5	0.15±0.5^b	62.50
	10	0.10±0^b	75.00

Means within the same column followed by the different letter are significantly different (P<0.05) according to ANOVA one-way analysis followed by Tukey's post hoc multiple comparison test. Diclofenac sodium: Voltaren Emulgel. Edema weight data are presented as mean (mg)±standard deviation (n=4/group). LGEO: lemon grass essential oil.

Fig. 3 Histopathology sections of mice ear biopsies showing keratin, epidermal, dermal, muscle, and cartilage layers.

Hematoxylin-eosin stained sections were scored as mild (+), modest (++), and severe (+++) for edema and substantial inflammatory polymorphonuclear (PMN) cell infiltration in the dermis inflammation phase. (A) Lemon grass essential oil (LGEO) treatment (5 µl per ear); (B) Positive control (5 mg per ear of diclofenac sodium 1% gel, Voltaren Emulgel (Novartis, France)) treatment: edema (±); inflammatory cell infiltration (+), inflammation phase (±). (C) and (D) croton oil: edema (++); inflammatory cell infiltration (+++), inflammation phase (++). Magnification×100.

Ke: keratin; Ep: epidermal layer; De: dermal layer; Mu: muscle; Ca: cartilage layer; Od: edema; Pc: PMN cells infiltration.

Adams RP. Identification of essential oil components by Gas Chromatography-quadrupole Mass Spectroscopy. 2007; Illinois: Allured.

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