|
Common Name:
|
Lemongrass Oil
|
|
Botanical Name:
|
Cymbopogon flexuosus (D. C.) Stapf.
|
|
|
|
Geographic origin of the plant:
|
Central Nepal
|
|
Method of growing:
|
Cultivated
|
|
|
|
Introduction / Varity of plant / Method of
extraction / Distilled organ:
|
Lemongrass oil is obtained by steam distillation
of partially wilted leaves of Cymbopogon flexuosus (D. C.) Stapf.
|
|
|
|
1.
Organoleptic Properties
|
|
Appearance
|
Fluid
liquid.
|
|
Color
|
Deep
yellow to orange-brown.
|
|
Aroma
|
Fresh-grassy
lemon-type.
|
|
|
|
2.
Physico-chemical Properties
|
|
Specific gravity
|
0.8725
to 0.8965 at 25º C
|
|
Optical rotation
|
[-]
1.25º to [-] 5º at 25º C.
|
|
Refractive index
|
1.4850
to 1.4936 at 25º C
|
|
Acid number
|
2
to 10
|
|
Ester number
|
15
to 40
|
|
Ester number after acetylation
|
220
to 260
|
|
Solubility
|
Soluble
in 0.5 to 1.5 vol. of 80% alcohol
|
|
Aldehyde content
|
70
to 85% (Hydroxylamine hydrochloride method)
|
|
|
|
3. Uses
|
|
(a) In flavors, cosmetics and perfumery.
|
|
(b) Medicinal & Aromatherapy use: Athlete's
foot, insect repellent, scabies, muscular aches and pains, poor
circulation, insufficient milk in breast feeding mothers,
colitis, indigestion, fevers, infections illness, headaches,
nervous exhaustion and other stress related disorders.
|
|
|
Synonyms : CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS DC AND CYMBOPOGON FLEXUOSUS OIL;
LEMONGRASS OIL (CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS DC AND CYMBOPOGON FLEXUOSUS);
CYMBOPOGON FLEXUOSUS OIL;
Odor Description : Sweet Lemon Grassy Fresh
Appearence : Pale Yellow To Yellow Liquid
NAFTA H. # : 3301.29.6000
CAS. # : 8007-02-1
Specific Gravity : 0.88700 - 0.89900 @ 25.00 C
7.381 - 7.481 Pounds Per Gallon
Actual S.G. : 0.89150 @ 25.00 C
7.418 Pounds Per Gallon
Refractive Index : 1.47800 - 1.49700 @ 20.00 C
Melting Point : N/A
Boiling Point : N/A
Blends Well With : Terpineol; Citral; Bergamot; Terpinyl
Acetate; Isoamyl Salicylate;
Soluble in : Paraffin Oil, Slightly Coudy;
Insoluble in : Water;
Some Perfumery Uses : Bath Salts; Soap Basis In Verbena
Verveine When Mod. With Bois De Rose Or Palmarosa; Citrus; Lime;
Orange;
Description : Do not use on any part of the body because of
sensitizing potential. Lemongrass Oil is produced from two distinctly
different botanical species of Cymbopogon. One is a native of East India
where it grows wild and is now cultivated over a comparatively limited
area in the western parts of India. The plant is Cymbopogon Flexuasus
and only cultivated plants are used for steam distillation. The other
plant, Cymbopogon Citratus, is possibly a native of Ceylon and parts of
East India, but it is now found only under cultivation. Unlike C.
Flexuosus, the Citratus is widely distributed all over the world and it
has been given the somewhat confusing name West Indian Lemongrass.
Lemongrass Oil is steam distilled from the fresh or partly dried leaves
of the above grass and occasionally, it is water and steam distilled.
Outside of India, the west Indian grass is distilled in Africa, Belgian
Congo, Angola, Equatorial Africa, Madagascar, Comoro islands, etc., in
Central America, in the West Indies, Haiti, Jamaica, in South America
and in Formosa, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaya, etc. Lemongrass Oil is a
yellow or amber somewhat viscous liquid with a very strong, fresh grassy
Iemon type, herbaceous or tea like odor. The oil is often turbid when it
arrives from the producers, but care should be taken that it be kept dry
since it is able to keep 2 1/2 or 3% of water clearly dissolved at room
temperature. This water content is definitely harmful to the citral
which decomposes rapidly in the presence of water, air and daylight. The
water is conveniently chilled out under stirring of the oil and it
separates as a bottom liquid layer. |
