Evaluation of the Chemical Composition of Brazilian Commercial Cymbopogon citratus (D.C.) Stapf Samples

Abstract

The concentration and the chemical composition of the essential oils obtained from different samples of Cymbopogon citratus were evaluated. Among the 12 samples investigated (11 dried leaf samples and fresh plant leaves), seven presented essential oil concentrations within the threshold established by the Brazilian legislation. The moisture content was also determined and the majority of the samples presented humidity contents near 12%. The GC and GC/MS analyses of the essential oils led to identification of 22 compounds, with neral and geranial as the two major components. The total percentage of these two compounds varied within the investigated sample oils from 40.7% to 75.4%. In addition, a considerable variation in the chemical composition of the analyzed samples was observed. The process of grinding the leaves significantly decreased (by up to 68%) the essential oil content, as well as the percentage of myrcene in the oils.

Modifying Effects of Lemongrass Essential Oil on Specific Tissue Response to the Carcinogen N-Methyl-N-Nitrosurea in Female BALB/c Mice

“…The major compounds found in lemongrass were citral (neral and geranial), geraniol, and b-myrcene, representing 89.07% of the total oil; the remaining percentage was the compounds 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one and undeca-2-one as previously described by other investigators. 33,34 No significant variation in food or water consumption was observed during the 5-week experimental period, and final body weights were similar among the groups (data not shown). At the end of week 5, proliferative and/or preneoplastic lesions induced by the MNU applications were detected in the mammary glands (e.g., alveolar/ductal hyperplasia), colon (e.g., ACF), and urinary bladder (e.g., simple or nodular hyperplasia) of the female BALB/c mice.…”

Efeito de solo previamente cultivado com plantas aromáticas na germinação e no desenvolvimento inicial de alface

“…O capimlimão (Cymbopogon citratus) é uma planta medicinal muito utilizada popularmente, pertencente à família Poaceae. Além do extrato das folhas, usa-se também o óleo essencial, cujos componentes principais são citral e miraceno (Costa et al, 2005;Barbosa et al, 2008;Roswalka, 2010). A citronela (Cymbopogon winterianus), uma planta aromática semelhante ao capim-limão e pertencente à mesma família, é conhecida por conter em suas folhas um óleo com propriedades antimicrobianas e repelentes, tendo como constituintes majoritários b-citronelal, geraniol e β-citronelol (Scherer et al, 2009).…”

Composição e fungitoxicidade do óleo essencial de capim citronela em função da adubação orgânica

“…Essas plantas são originárias da Índia e são utilizadas, por exemplo, como chá calmante e digestivo, na Indonésia (Castro et al, 2007(Castro et al, , 2010, e como sedativos e calmantes na medicina popular, no Brasil. Os óleos essenciais produzidos por C. nardus e C. citratus apresentam alto teor de geraniol e citronelal (Barbosa et al, 2008). O citronelal é utilizado como material básico para a síntese de importantes compostos químicos, denominados iononas, que são precursores e sintéticos para a obtenção de vitamina A. Esse óleo apresenta atividade repelente a insetos e ação fungicida e bactericida, além de ser utilizado na fabricação de perfumes e cosméticos (Trongtokit et al, 2005;Wong et al, 2005;Reis et al, 2006).…”