Lemon Grass

Science Investigatory Project

Prepared By:
Abegail Joya
Maricar Tanuyan
Jonalyn Diones
Jhewell Garcia

Prepared for:
Mrs. Dolorfina Crisostomo
ABSTRACT:

Take a second look at the lemon grass (tanglad) growing in your

backyard. This tropical fragrant grass with an aromatic citrus flavor and
a tinge of ginger can be an answer to your medicinal needs, cooking, and
drinking needs. Lemon grass in used in cooking medicinal purposes,
prevent cancer and a cure to headache and stomach ache. The lemon
grass is usually boiled for medicinal purposes but it was also used in
stuffing ingredient and food flavoring in poultry dishes: also used as
flavor of wines, sauces, salads and spices. When used in medicine, it was
boiled with 1 tablespoon of dried or 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped
leaves in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes and strain. Drink decoction while
lukewarm. This method heals gaseous distension. If you have diarrhea
boil 10 leaves in 2 glasses of water for 10 minutes and add a tablespoon
of sugar and a pieced of crushed ginger. Take the solution after each
loose bowel movement. But if you are a diuretic person, make a 20% of
decoction of leaves and drink ¼ glass of decoction 3x daily. It can be also
used as mosquito repellant. Just typically apply the juice from pounded
leaves. If you want an aromatic bath, just boil 4 handfuls of leaves in 1
liter of water for 5 minutes. Add enough water to make it lukewarm. Use
the decoction as bath for the sick and for the mothers who have just
given birth. But take note, LEMON GRASS SHOULD NOT BE USED IN
PREGNANT WOMEN BECAUSE IT STIMULATES THE UTERINE AND THE
MENSTRUAL FLOW.

Everybody wants a fresh breath, isn’t it? If you want to, just soak 2
tablespoonfuls of chopped leaves in 1 glass of hot water for 30 minutes
then strain. And use the infusion as mouthwash. It also helps prevent
cancer. Lemon grass has 65-85% citral that contains active ingredients
like myrcene, citronella, and geraniol.

According to a research by Dr. Rivka Ofir and Prof. Yakov

Weinstein from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Ben
Gurion University, the citral in Lemon grass was proven in Israel to kill
cancer cells while leaving normal cells healthy. The study found that
citral causes cells to “commit suicide using apoptosis, a mechanism
called programmed cell death.”

A drink with a little as one grain of lemon grass contains enough

citral to prompt the cancer cells to commit suicide in the test tube.

Ofir and Weinstein checked the influence of the citral on cancerous

cells by adding them to both cancerous cells that were grown in a petri
dish. The quantity added in the concentrate was equivalent to the
amount contained cup of regular tea using one gram of lemon herbs in
hot water. While the citral killed the cancerous cells, the normal cells
unharmed.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Arlene May G. Corpus, RND, MBA is a therapeutic dietitian at

Manila Adventist Medical Center in Pasay City.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 Articles
 Title page
 Abstract
 Acknowledgement
 Table of Contents
 Introduction
 Methodology
 Results and Discussions
 Conclusions
 INTRODUCTION

Lemon grass (scientific name: cymbopogon citrates), also called oil

grass, fever grass or citronella grass, works well as medicine in some
parts of the world. Americans use lemon grass as an antispasmodic
(relief or prevention of spasms), analgesic(reduction or elimination of
pain), antipyretic(treatment of fevers), and antiemetic(prevention of
vomiting). Chinese take lemon grass to treat headaches, stomachaches
and abdominal and rheumatic pains. Indians use lemon grass to treat
headaches and stomachaches as an anti-tussive (relief or suppression og
cough), antirheumatic (relief from rheumatism), and antiseptic
(prevention of infection by inhibiting the groth of microorganisms.)
lemon grass treatment is usually prepared through an infusion made by
pouring boiling water on fresh or dried leaves.

A recent study by the Philippine Food and Nutrition Research

Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) claimed
that every 100g of edible lemon grass, when boiled, can contain up to
24.205 micrograms of beta-carotene, the anti-oxidant that the scientist
believes can help prevent cancer. Another DOST study showed that
lemon grass oil has the potential as a tropical eye medication against
keratomycosis, as an inflammation of cornea often associated with
burning or blurring of vision. Research also showed that the
antibacterial and anti-fungal properties of lemon grass helps improve
skin by reducing acne and pimples, and at the same time act as muscle
and tissue toners. Citronella, known for its calming effects, helps relieve
insomnia or stress. And should excessive barking of dogs get annoying,
neutralize it by spaying the dog with citronella. With such a wide array
of uses in the cheapest form possible, go for lemon grass. Nothing to lose,
everything is gain.
 METHODOLOGY:

Lemon Grass Drink

Lemon grass, as an herbal tea, is a good cleanser that helps detoxify

the liver, pancreas, kidneys, bladder and the digestive tract.

WHAT YOU NEED:

 4 cups of water
 ½ cup fresh lemon grass tops, chopped
 Muscovado sugar to taste
 Calamansi (optional)

WHAT TO DO:

1. Add lemon grass to boiling water.

2. Turn off heat and let solution stand for 8-10 minutes.
3. Strain, squeeze calamansi, sweeten to taste and chill.
4. Serve with ice.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

 What is in lemon grass that heals common illness like

headaches and stomachaches?
 Lemon grass contains active ingredients that fights
against microorganisms.

 How does lemon grass prevent cancer?

 The study found out that the citral causes cells to
commit suicide using apoptosis, a mechanism called
programmed cell death.
  What are the uses of tanglad?
 Flavorings
 Insect repellants
 Anti-bacterial
 Pain reliever
 Cosmetics
 Perfumery

CONCLUSIONS

This tropical fragrant grass with an aromatic citrus flavor and

tinge of ginger and can be an answer to your medicinal, cooking and
drinking needs.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Corpus, Arlene May G., Lemon Grass, Health and

Home I July-August 2009, The Marketing
Department, Philippine Publishing House.