Cymbopogon Citratus Essential Oil Research Articles

Anesthetic Efficacy of Lavender and Lemongrass Essential Oils in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, i-Excel strain) Fry

Anesthetics play a crucial role in aquaculture by ensuring the welfare and health of fish, facilitating various procedures, and preventing physical injuries during handling. Recently, plant- based anesthetics for fish are becoming a sustainable alternative to synthetic anesthetics in aquaculture and fisheries research. The present study examined the use of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oils as anesthetics for Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus(i-Excel strain) fry. Fish (average body weight = 0.004 g) were immersed in varying concentrations of 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 μL L-1 and 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 μL L-1 for lavender and lemongrass essential oils, respectively. The induction and recovery times were recorded and the best dose was determined based on rapid induction (<3-4 minutes) and quick recovery (<10 minutes). The results indicated that both essential oils exhibit dose-dependent effects on sedation and recovery. Lavender essential oil achieved optimal anesthesia at 60 μL L-1 , with an induction time of 229.3±10.7 seconds and a recovery time of 310.9±16.9 seconds, while lemongrass essential oil induced optimal anesthesia at 30 μL L-1 , with an induction time of 232.5±11.7 seconds and a recovery time of 130.5±8.6 seconds. Both concentrations for both essential oils resulted in 100.0% survival, while higher doses induced faster anesthesia and recovery but decreased survival rates. These essential oils offer cost-effective alternatives to synthetic anesthetics for short-term handling procedures; however, further research on histopathological effects and optimal transport dosages is needed.

Insecticidal and fungicidal activity of Cymbopogon citratus (Poaceae) essential oil on Atta sexdens colonies

Leafcutter ants are one of the most destructive and economically important herbivores in both forest and agricultural crops, due to their abundance and wide distribution. The most used method for controlling this pest is still through synthetic formicides, due to their high efficiency. However, essential oils represent an alternative, as they are biodegradable and selective and have a toxic effect on a wide range of organisms, including leafcutter ants. The combination of insecticidal activity of a product and possible fungicidal activity constitutes an effective strategy against these insect pests, since both agents of this mutualistic interaction (both organisms are benefited) are affected, ensuring quicker collapse of the colony. The aim of this study was to evaluate the insecticidal and fungicidal activity of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil applied on Atta sexdens colonies under laboratory conditions. A nebulized spray system with three concentrations (15, 30 and 60%) and a control treatment were used to evaluate the effect of C. citratus on A. sexdens colonies. The C. citratus essential oils showed both insecticidal activity against the leafcutter ants (A. sexdens) and fungicidal activity against their symbiotic fungi. Colonies exposed to this essential oil showed considerable reduction in the weight of fungal mass, and mortality of both the queen and worker ants, which proves to be promising for the development of new insecticides for management of this insect pest.

Antibacterial and antibiotics resistance modifying activity of oil extract of Myristica fragrans’s mace (aril) against Multi-Antibiotic Resistant phenotypes with a comparative study against Cymbopogon citratus

This study systematically inspects the potent antimicrobial properties inherent in Myristica fragrance (Javitri) and Cymbopogon citratus (Lemongrass) essential oils. The core point is the targeted action against multiantibiotic-resistant (MAR) bacteria, a critical concern amidst the rising tide of antibiotic resistance. Notably, herbal alternatives are gaining traction as promising solutions. The research involves methodical extraction and assessment of these oils against formidable MAR strains, involving Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas sp. and through GC-MS analysis, we were able to find out the phytochemicals responsible for outstanding antimicrobial property of essential oil extracted from the mace of Myristica fragrans(Javitri). A significant part of this investigation delves into the synergistic interplay of Myristica fragrans oil with antibiotics. Through our research, we intend to re-establish the application of traditional herbal components for the purpose of medication and also in synergism with ineffective antibiotics and therapeutic strategies to face the antibiotic resistance crisis.

Cardioprotective Potential of Cymbopogon citratus Essential Oil against Isoproterenol-induced Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy: Possible Involvement of NLRP3 Inflammasome and Oxidative Phosphorylation Complex Subunits.

Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf is a medicinal and edible herb that is widely used for the treatment of gastric, nervous and hypertensive disorders. In this study, we investigated the cardioprotective effects and mechanisms of the essential oil, the main active ingredient of Cymbopogon citratus, on isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. The compositions of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil (CCEO) were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Cardiomyocytes were pretreated with 16.9 µg/L CCEO for 1 h followed by 10 µmol/L ISO for 24 h. Cardiac hypertrophy-related indicators and NLRP3 inflammasome expression were evaluated. Subsequently, transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) and target verification were used to further explore the underlying mechanism. Our results showed that the CCEO mainly included citronellal (45.66%), geraniol (23.32%), and citronellol (10.37%). CCEO inhibited ISO-induced increases in cell surface area and protein content, as well as the upregulation of fetal gene expression. Moreover, CCEO inhibited ISO-induced NLRP3 inflammasome expression, as evidenced by decreased lactate dehydrogenase content and downregulated mRNA levels of NLRP3, ASC, CASP1, GSDMD, and IL-1β, as well as reduced protein levels of NLRP3, ASC, pro-caspase-1, caspase-1 (p20), GSDMD-FL, GSDMD-N, and pro-IL-1β. The RNA-seq results showed that CCEO inhibited the increase in the mRNA levels of 26 oxidative phosphorylation complex subunits in ISO-treated cardiomyocytes. Our further experiments confirmed that CCEO suppressed ISO-induced upregulation of mt-Nd1, Sdhd, mt-Cytb, Uqcrq, and mt-Atp6 but had no obvious effects on mt-Col expression. CCEO inhibits ISO-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy through the suppression of NLRP3 inflammasome expression and the regulation of several oxidative phosphorylation complex subunits.

Optimization of Essential Oil Production from <i>Cymbopogon citratus</i> in Vietnam by Hydro-Distillation

Citral-rich lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oils have been reported to exhibit anticancer, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties, leading to wide applications in the food industry, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, perfumery markets, and pest inhibition. Vietnam has abundant lemongrass, which can be centralized to develop a lemongrass-based essential oil industry. In this work, essential oils were extracted from lemongrass harvested from the Bac Giang and Phu Yen provinces of Vietnam. The study aimed to investigate the influential factors, including distillation time, raw material size, water quality, and water-to-material ratio, to optimize oil production from C. citratus in a 10 L hydro-distillation boiler. The maximum oil yield was obtained under the optimal conditions: distillation time of 180 min, the plant material size of 2–3 mm, reverse osmosis (RO) and/or distilled water, and water-to-material ratio of 5/1 (mL/g). The maximum yields of lemongrass oil from Bac Giang and Phu Yen provinces were determined as 2.55 and 3.96 mL/kg, with corresponding citral contents analyzed of 45.5 and 68.1%, respectively. From the experimental data, a protocol for essential oil production from Vietnam’s C. citratus by the hydro-distillation technique was proposed.

Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) containing Cymbopogon citratus essential oil: Enhancing the stability and acaricide efficacy against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus

The objectives of this study were to develop a self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) to enhance the stability and efficacy of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil or lemongrass oil (LEO) against cattle tick larvae and engorged females. The system with the highest oil loading in SEDDS was composed of LEO (23.33%w/w), Tween 80: SGKH 4000 in a 2:1 ratio as surfactant (66.67%w/w), and propylene glycol as co-surfactant (10%w/w). The selected SEDDS-LEO has a particle size of 18.78 nm with a narrow size distribution (polydispersity index of 0.27). Notably, the stability of SEDDS was superior to that of the original oil, both during long-term storage and under accelerated conditions. SEDDS-LEO at oil concentrations ranging from 1.458% to 5.833% w/v showed a significantly higher percentage of egg-laying reduction against adult ticks compared with the original oil at the same concentrations (p < 0.05). Furthermore, SEDDS-LEO demonstrated greater larvicidal efficacy than the original oil, with lower LC50 and LC90 values of 0.91 mg/mL and 1.20 mg/mL, respectively, whereas the original oil's LC50 and LC90 values were 1.17 mg/mL and 1.74 mg/mL, respectively. Our findings indicate that SEDDS-LEO is a promising candidate for use as an acaricide in the control of tick populations in dairy cattle.

Evaluation of the Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Potential of Cymbopogon citratus Essential Oil in Zebrafish.

This study explored the protective capacity of the essential oil (EO) of Cymbopogon citratus against oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the inflammatory potential in zebrafish. Using five concentrations of EO (0.39, 0.78, 1.56, 3.12, and 6.25 μg/mL) in the presence of 7.5 mM H2O2, we analyzed the effects on neutrophil migration, caudal fin regeneration, cellular apoptosis, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) after 96 h of exposure. A significant decrease in neutrophil migration was observed in all EO treatments compared to the control. Higher concentrations of EO (3.12 and 6.25 μg/mL) resulted in a significant decrease in caudal fin regeneration compared to the control. SOD activity was reduced at all EO concentrations, CAT activity significantly decreased at 3.12 μg/mL, and GST activity increased at 0.78 μg/mL and 1.56 μg/mL, compared to the control group. No significant changes in ROS production were detected. A reduction in cellular apoptosis was evident at all EO concentrations, suggesting that C. citratus EO exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, influences regenerative processes, and protects against oxidative stress and apoptosis.

Cymbopogon citratus Essential Oil in Controlling of Bacteria Associated with Oral Cavity of Dogs In Vitro and Dry Pet Feed.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil against bacteria isolated from the oral cavity of dogs and applied directly to artificially contaminated feed. The commercial dry dog feed received the inoculum of the bacteria prevalent in the oral cavity of the dogs where C. citratus was deposited in the feed by spray. In total, 42 isolates were obtained, 38 Gram-positive and 4 Gram-negative. Staphylococcus spp. was the most prevalent bacteria in the oral cavity of dogs (76.2%). The isolates showed high levels of resistance to different antimicrobials. The minimum inhibitory concentration capable of inhibiting oral bacteria was 0.38 mg/mL. C. citratus essential oil showed positive results with a significant bacterial reduction when applied to feed, signaling the need for further studies to enable its use in the control of pathogens transmitted by animal feed.

Use of Starch and Biochar-Based Essential Oil Formulations from Three Aromatic Plants as Antifungal Components to Improve Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Seed Storage

Poor storage conditions of foodstuffs are responsible for their deterioration on many microorganism species with substantial quantitative and qualitative losses. During storage, formulating essential oil of some antifungal plants' based on cassava starch and corncob biochar efficacy was evaluated on fungi associated with peanut seeds (Arachis hypogaea L.). Two hundred peanut seeds were dispersed in plastic bottles; 5 g of essential oil formulation starch-based (3 and 7 µl/g) were sprinkled on the seeds. Biochar pieces were added to the seeds in the bottles for biochar-based essential oils. Laboratory conditions were used to store both treatment and non-treatment seeds for 70 days. Infection rates of fungal infections were estimated at 10, 20, 40, 60, and 70 days of storage. From the results obtained, five fungal genera were isolated from peanut seeds, including four species of Aspergillus, Cercospora sp, Fusarium sp, Phomopsis sp and Rhizopus stolonifer, with seed infection percentages ranging from 4 to 62%. The antifungal activity of starch-based formulations revealed that at a concentration of 3 µl/g, Cymbopogon citratus essential oil is the most effective antifungal agent, 13% infection for 70 days resulted storage of peanut seeds. After 70 days of storage, at a dose of 7 µl/g, C. sempervirens essential oil had the best antifungal efficacy with 23.50% of infected seeds for the biochar-based formulation. As a result of these findings, starch and biochar can be used to formulate essential oils for the conservation of peanut seeds. Moreover, Cymbopogon citratus essential oil formulated with starch is the most effective.

Comprehensive transcriptomics and metabolomics revealed the antifungal mechanism of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil nanoemulsion against Fusarium solani

BackgroundFusarium solani (F. solani) is the main pathogen causing root rot of Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen (P. notoginseng). Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf (C. citratus) essential oil (EO) is a mixture of various active ingredients with good antifungal effects and no residue. However, due to its hydrophobicity and oxidation, its bioavailability is low.ResultsIn this study, EO was made into a nanoemulsion using Tween-80 and anhydrous ethanol by ultrasonication. The antifungal activity of the traditional emulsion (TEO) and C. citratus nanoemulsion (NEO) was compared by measuring the effects on spores and mycelia and in vivo assays. The components of EO, TEO, and NEO were analyzed by GC‒MS, and the inhibitory mechanism of the emulsion against fungi was revealed by combining transcriptomics and metabolomics. The prepared NEO was a clear and transparent homogeneous liquid with a particle size of 15.86 ± 1.96 nm. It was an oil-in-water nanoemulsion and maintained good stability in different environments. The contents of antifungal components such as citronellal and linalool in NEO were significantly higher than those in TEO. The antifungal effect of NEO against F. solani was increased by 8 times compared with that of TEO. Through transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, it was found that both NEO and TEO inhibited the fungi by destroying the cell membrane, thereby affecting the ribosome, meiosis and TCA cycle of the fungi, and NEO had a deeper effect than TEO. NEO also inhibited the gene expression of the CYR1 enzyme and decreased the amount of d-trehalose, thus inhibiting the germination of spores and thereby affecting the growth of mycelia.ConclusionsThis study not only solved the problem of EO insoluble in water and low bioavailability but also greatly improved the antifungal activity, revealing the antifungal mechanism and the reason for the enhancement of NEO activity. It provides theoretical research for further development and utilization of EO to produce environmentally friendly pesticides or fertilizers and alleviate root rot of medicinal plants.Graphical

Insecticide evaluation of the Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf essential oil in Aedes aegypti

The objective was to determine the phytochemical composition and evaluate the in silico and in vivo biocidal activity of the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf in an Aedes aegypti model. The phytochemical composition was analyzed using Gas Chromatography coupled to the Mass Spectrometer, while molecular docking was used to evaluate the potential for inhibition of Acetylcholinesterase. The ovicidal, larvicidal, and adulticidal activities were investigated to evaluate the capacity of the essential oil to inhibit egg hatching and to cause mortality in larvae and adults of A. aegypti. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of 11 different compounds, with emphasis on β-myrcene (24.03%), β-citral (27.45%), and Neral (35.36%). In molecular docking, the compounds Geraniol (3.96%) and Linalool (2.77%) proved to be the best inhibitors. As for insecticidal activities, the essential oil of C. citratus was effective in inhibiting the hatching of A. aegypti eggs and was highly toxic to larvae. However, toxicity in adults of A. aegypti was incipient. These results indicate that the essential oil of C. citratus has potential as a candidate for the development of new insecticides aimed at controlling the immature stages of A. aegypti, possibly due to the inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase.

Potentiation of Antibacterial Activity of Ciprofloxacin by Essential Oil of Cymbopogon citratus against Fluoroquinolone-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

Background: Essential oil (EO) of Cymbopogon citratus has been demonstrated to have antibacterial activities against both Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria. The study was, therefore, conducted to evaluate the effects of combined use of C. citratus and ciprofloxacin against fluoroquinolone-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (FQRSA) and Escherichia coli (FQREC).&#x0D; Methods: The antibacterial activity of the essential oil was evaluated by agar dilution method while the combination studies were done using Checker-board agar dilution technique.&#x0D; Results: The mean MIC values of EO against the FQRSA and FQREC were 0.043 + 0.01 mg/ml and 0.049 mg/ml respectively. When ciprofloxacin was combined with EO of lemongrass, 53.9, 28.3, 17.8 and 0.0 % of the FQRSA isolates showed indifference, additive, synergistic and antagonistic effects respectively. Similarly, when ciprofloxacin was combined with EO of lemongrass at different ratios, 44, 35.5, 20.6 and 0.0 % of the FQREC isolates showed combined effects of additivity, synergism, indifference and antagonism respectively.&#x0D; Conclusions: The results revealed the invitro antibacterial potency of Cymbopogon citratus oil against fluoroquinolone resistant S. aureus and E. coli. More importantly, the study has proved that the combined use of ciprofloxacin and essential oil of lemongrass has increased the sensitivity of both FQRSA and FQREC bacteria.

Doses of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oil for Nellore steers fed with a forage-based diet

The aim was to evaluate whether doses of lemongrass essential oil supplementation affect DMI, apparent nutrient digestibility and methane production in Nellore steers fed forage-based diets. According to their initial fasting BW, 32 Nellore steers (BW = 332±19 kg; age = 19±1 months) rumen cannulated and castrated, were allocated in individual pens in a randomized complete block design. The treatments were randomly assigned to the animals: CON= forage-based diet without addition of lemongrass EO; 200EO= CON diet plus 200 mg/kg lemongrass EO; 400EO= CON diet plus 400 mg/kg lemongrass EO; or 600EO= CON diet plus 600 mg/kg lemongrass EO. The experimental diets contained 95% Tifton-85 haylage and 5% ground corn. The experimental period lasted 21 days, 15 days for diet adaptation and 6 days for sample collection. Samples of haylage, concentrate and total feces production were collected from day 15 to 20, to determine the total apparent digestibility of nutrients. On the 21st day at 0, 6 and 12 h after feeding, rumen fluid was collected to determine the parameters of rumen fermentation and methane production. Significant effects were adopted when P ≤ 0.05. The main active compounds of the EO of lemongrass used were geranial (42.5%) and neral (30.49%). No treatment effects were detected for DM and nutrient intake. The increasing EO levels of lemongrass did not affect the apparent digestibility of nutrients. There was an increasing linear effect (P < 0.05) of treatment in the in vivo analysis, where the highest dose had the highest valerate concentration. There was no effect for any other variables in vivo. Effects on fermentation parameters were identified in the ex situ technique. For acetate, there was a quadratic treatment effect with higher values for the 400EO for the variable production (g/kg day; P = 0.02) and gross energy (Mcal/kg day; P = 0.02). There was linear increase for butyrate production (g/kg day; P = 0.04) and gross energy (Mcal/kg day; P = 0.04). There was a quadratic effect with higher values for the 400EO for production (g/kg day; P = 0.02) and gross energy (Mcal/kg day; P = 0.02) of SCFA. There was a quadratic effect for REL (P = 0.01), with lower loss in the 400EO. There was no treatment effect for propionate (P ≥ 0.97) and methane production (P ≥ 0.19). In conclusion, 400 mg/kg lemongrass EO optimized ruminal fermentation, minimizing energy loss due to methane emissions.

Formulation and evaluation of bio-mosquito repellent air freshener gel from oil extract of cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf (lemon grass) plant.

Synthetic based mosquito repellents pose varying degrees of threats to public health in most developing nations. The developments has necessitated the need for environmentally friendly alternatives, which will have non-toxic, and biodegradable attributes. In this work, a mosquito repellent gel formulation was prepared from the essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf (lemon grass) extracted using a steam distillation system. The yields of the extracted oils were determined and calculated under varying conditions. The oil extract was then purified in the micro column parked with silica gel and characterized using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The GC-MS analysis of the essential oil revealed the presence of β-pinene, isoneral, nerolidol and squalene chemical constituents. The optimized gels were evaluated for their appearance, pH, spreadability, macroscopic stability test, swelling index, and hedonic evaluation. The mosquito repellent potential was simultaneously compared with the positive control ‘Odomos’, a commercial gel sold in the open market within Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria by varying the repellency time. The outcome of the evaluations confirmed that the formulated gels were stable with normal skin pH. The hedonic test indicated that formulation F5 is the most potent gel with a C. citratus oil concentration of 5% in the formulation. This gel formulation promises to be an environmentally sustainable alternative for repelling mosquitoes.

Cymbopogon citratus Essential Oil: Extraction, GC-MS, Phytochemical Analysis, Antioxidant Activity, and In Silico Molecular Docking for Protein Targets Related to CNS.

This study analyzed the chemical composition of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil from Puebla, México, assessed its antioxidant activity, and evaluated in silico protein-compound interactions related to central nervous system (CNS) physiology. GC-MS analysis identified myrcene (8.76%), Z-geranial (27.58%), and E-geranial (38.62%) as the main components, with 45 other compounds present, which depends on the region and growing conditions. DPPH and Folin-Ciocalteu assays using the leaves extract show a promising antioxidant effect (EC50 = 48.5 µL EO/mL), reducing reactive oxygen species. The bioinformatic tool SwissTargetPrediction (STP) shows 10 proteins as potential targets associated with CNS physiology. Moreover, protein-protein interaction diagrams suggest that muscarinic and dopamine receptors are related to each other through a third party. Molecular docking reveals that Z-geranial has higher binding energy than M1 commercial blocker and blocks M2, but not M4 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, whereas β-pinene and myrcene block M1, M2, and M4 receptors. These actions may positively affect cardiovascular activity, memory, Alzheimer's disease, and schizophrenia. This study highlights the significance of understanding natural product interactions with physiological systems to uncover potential therapeutic agents and advanced knowledge on their benefits for human health.

Insights into the toxicity, biochemical activity, and molecular docking of Cymbopogon citratus essential oils and citral on Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Insecticide resistance is a significant problem in insect management that can result from several processes including target-site change and increased activity of detoxifying enzymes. Spodoptera littoralis is one of the most resistant insect pests. For more effective insect management, alternatives to synthetic pesticides are encouraged. One of these alternatives is essential oils (EOs). Cymbopogon citratus EO and its main constituent citral were, therefore, considered in this study. The results revealed that C. citratus EO and citral exhibited significant larvicidal activity against S. littoralis, and the former was insignificantly more toxic than the latter. Additionally, treatments significantly affected the activity of detoxification enzymes. Cytochrome P-450 and glutathione-S-transferase were inhibited, while carboxylesterases, a-esterase and β-esterase, were induced. The molecular docking study indicated that citral bonded with the amino acids cysteine (CYS 345) and histidine (HIS 343) of cytochrome P-450. This result suggests that interaction with cytochrome P-450 enzyme is one key mechanism by which C. citratus EO and citral act in S. littoralis. The results of our study are hoped to contribute to a better understanding of the mechanism of action of essential oils at the biochemical and molecular levels and provide safer and more efficient pest management solutions for S. littoralis.

In Vitro Antifungal Activity of Selected Essential Oils Against Trichophyton mentagrophytes

Abstract The in vitro activity of Cinnamomum cassia, Melaleuca alternifolia, and Cymbopogon citratus essential oils and antimycotics clotrimazole, fluconazole, and ketokonazole against T. mentagrophytes was evaluated by the disc-diffusion method. The essential oils were tested at 5, 10, 20, 30, 50, and 100 % concentration. It was found that Cymbopogon, commonly called lemongrass, and cinnamon show stable results independent of the concentration used, whereas the efficacy of tea tree oil, significantly decreases with the decreasing concentration. When comparing the efficacy of antimycotics the largest zone of inhibition was obtained with clotrimazole, while fluconazole proved to be ineffective. We found that cinnamon and lemongrass are more effective than the antimycotics that we have used. Our study confirmed that some essential oils can be used for the treatment of dermatophytoses caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes and some of them are more effective than the commercial drugs.

A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ON LEMONGRASS (CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS) OIL EXTRACTION AND ITS APPLICATIONS

This article presents a comprehensive review of methods of extraction, properties, compositions and industrial application of lemongrass essential oil. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oil has been used traditionally since ancient days in medicine as remedy to improve blood circulation, treat fever and malaria, promote digestion and as well used to increase immune system of the human body. Essential Oils of lemongrass are used in various industries. Some of the industries in which they are used extensively include Aromatherapy, Food and drink industry, Pharmaceuticals industry, Fragrance and Flavour industry, Agriculture and Livestock industry, Cosmetic and Soaps industry, House hold and Domestic. The quality of the essential oil from lemongrass strongly depends on the extraction method and operating conditions. Basically lemongrass essential oil can be obtained by various extraction methods, such as steam distillation, conventional solvent extraction, Soxhlet extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), hydrodistillation (HD), microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD), Simultaneous-distillation-extraction technique (SDE), Solvent-Free-Microwave-Extraction Technique (SFME) and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with CO2. The composition of essential oil of Cympobogon citratus contains α-pinene, β-pinene, delta-3-catrene, myrcene dipentene, β-phellandrene, β-cymene , methyl heptanene, citronellal, β-elemene, β-caryophyllene, citronellyl acetate, geranyl acetate , citral A , citral B, geraniol, elemol , and β-caryophyllene oxide, etc. In addition, lemongrass oil also contains essential minerals such as Fe, Zn, Mg, Na, K, Ca, Mn, P etc. The most important physicochemical properties of lemongrass oil includes specific gravity, Optical rotation, refractive index, percentage of citral, freezing point, moisture content, acid value, ester value, carbonyl value and phenol content . Nevertheless, the chemical composition of the essential oil of Lemongrass also varies with the geographical origin, cultivation practices, plant age, photoperiod, harvest period, cultivars, and extraction methods. However, for extraction of lemongrass oil, green technology such SFE, SDE, SFME and MAHD that are consumer and environmental friendly in industrial-scale essential oil production should be considered as a method to overcome the limitations of traditional distillation methods. KEYWORDS: Essential Oil, Lemongrass, Microwave-Assisted-Hydrodistillation. Solvent Extraction, Steam Distillation, Supercritical Fluid Extraction

Cymbopogon citratus and Citral Overcome Doxorubicin Resistance in Cancer Cells via Modulating the Drug's Metabolism, Toxicity, and Multidrug Transporters.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is the major complex mechanism that causes the failure of chemotherapy, especially with drugs of natural origin such as doxorubicin (DOX). Intracellular drug accumulation and detoxification are also involved in cancer resistance by reducing the susceptibility of cancer cells to death. This research aims to identify the volatile composition of Cymbopogon citratus (lemon grass; LG) essential oil and compare the ability of LG and its major compound, citral, to modulate MDR in resistant cell lines. The composition of LG essential oil was identified using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In addition, a comparison of the modulatory effects of LG and citral, performed on breast (MCF-7/ADR), hepatic (HepG-2/ADR), and ovarian (SKOV-3/ADR) MDR cell lines, were compared to their parent sensitive cells using the MTT assay, ABC transporter function assays, and RT-PCR. Oxygenated monoterpenes (53.69%), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (19.19%), and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (13.79%) made up the yield of LG essential oil. α-citral (18.50%), β-citral (10.15%), geranyl acetate (9.65%), ylangene (5.70), δ-elemene (5.38%), and eugenol (4.77) represent the major constituents of LG oil. LG and citral (20 μg/mL) synergistically increased DOX cytotoxicity and lowered DOX dosage by >3-fold and >1.5-fold, respectively. These combinations showed synergism in the isobologram and CI < 1. DOX accumulation or reversal experiment confirmed that LG and citral modulated the efflux pump function. Both substances significantly increased DOX accumulation in resistant cells compared to untreated cells and verapamil (the positive control). RT-PCR confirmed that LG and citral targeted metabolic molecules in resistant cells and significantly downregulated PXR, CYP3A4, GST, MDR1, MRP1, and PCRP genes. Our results suggest a novel dietary and therapeutic strategy combining LG and citral with DOX to overcome multidrug resistance in cancer cells. However, these results should be confirmed by additional animal experiments before being used in human clinical trials.

Chemical Composition, Antibacterial and Combinatorial Effects of the Essential Oils from Cymbopogon spp. and Mentha arvensis with Conventional Antibiotics

This work aimed to evaluate the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus (CCEO), Cymbopogon khasianus (CKEO), and Mentha arvensis (MAEO) against two Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae) and three Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis) microbial strains and their combination with antibiotics (chloramphenicol, ampicillin, erythromycin) to observe the synergistic behavior between them. The essential oils (EOs) were investigated by the GC-MS (gas chromatography mass spectrometry) method. The synergistic effect between EOs and antimicrobial agents was analyzed by broth dilution assay. (-)-carvone (52.48%), geraniol (57.66%), and citral (37.83%) were the major components identified in EOs of MAEO, CKEO, and CCEO, respectively. According to the antibacterial activity, EOs demonstrated strong antibacterial activity with MIC values ranging from 0.7 to 18 mg/mL. The interaction between the combination of EOs and antibiotics was determined in terms of FICI (Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index). Some combinations displayed a partial synergistic effect, and some showed a synergistic and others displayed no effect against bacterial strains. The best synergistic action was shown by the combination of CCEO and Chloramphenicol against E. coli with a FICI value of 0.4. Three to four fold reductions in the MIC value of both essential oil and antibiotics were observed. Therefore, this synergistic interaction of the most active EOs with synthetic antibiotics could lead to new combination therapies for combating infections caused by multidrug-resistant microbes at sufficiently low concentrations in the pharmaceutical and food industry.