Lemongrass Cancer Cure

Other Names: Camel’s Hay, Citronella, Geranium Grass, Cochin Grass, Sereh, Sere, Herbe de Citron, Zitronengras, Erba di Limone, Hierba de Limon, Bhustrina, Sera, Bai Mak Nao, Serai, Takrai, Tanglad

Lemongrass can assist in a holistic cancer treatment. Lemongrass will not cure cancer alone but in combination with other herbs, juices and therapies, lemongrass will boost cancer treatment effectiveness.

Lemongrass is an herb used widely in Asian Cuisine. Lemongrass is used as a fragrance and flavoring, and in folk medicine, as an antispasmodic, hypotensive, anticonvulsant, analgesic, antiemetic, antitussive, antirheumatic, antiseptic and as treatment for nervous and gastrointestinal disorders and fevers. In Chinese medicine, lemongrass is used in the treatment for headaches, stomachaches, abdominal pain, and rheumatic pain. Recently, it has been found out that lemongrass might also work for cancer.

Citral, Lemongrass Anti-Cancer Agent

Citral is the key active component that gives the lemony aroma and taste in lemongrass. Researchers at Ben Gurion University of the Negev discovered that lemongrass kills cancer cells in vitro, while leaving healthy cells unharmed. The research team was led by Dr. Rivka Ofir and Prof. Yakov Weinstein, incumbent of the Albert Katz Chair in Cell-Differentiation and Malignant Diseases, from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at BGU.

The researchers found out that citral causes cancer cells to “commit suicide” in a mechanism called apoptosis. A drink with as little as one gram of lemon grass contains enough citral to prompt cancer cells to “commit suicide” in the test tube. The success of their research led them to the conclusion that herbs containing citral may be consumed as a preventative measure against certain cancerous cells.

A study in rats also found citral to inhibit the formation of retonoic acid from retinol, a chemical reaction involved in the formation of skin tumors. It has also been studied for its potential to prevent the formation of several types of tumors and cancers, including cancer of the digestive track, colon cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, and neuroblastoma (cancer of nerve cells occuring in children and infants).

Lemongrass essential oil is also effective at limiting proliferation of a type of breast cancer and a connective-tissue cancer. Furthermore, lemongrass has powerful antioxidant effects, stronger than the food preservatives BHA and BHT.

Antioxidants are often touted as having the potential to prevent cancer, although these claims are controversial and not universally true. However, there are benefits to antioxidants, including the prevention of spoilage of food. This benefit has been firmly established for lemongrass.

Metabolism studies on lab rats show that citral is extensively broken down as soon as it enters the blood stream. Therefore it may not be possible to achieve a high enough concentration of citral in the human body to affect any cancer cells, even with drinking large amounts of lemongrass tea.

The research on lemongrass and its role in cancer prevention or treatment is young and inconclusive. The studies were mostly performed on lab animals so it is yet to be shown whether or not these benefits carry through into humans. However, lemon grass is safe for general consumption both as a seasoning and as an herbal tea, and no adverse effects have been documented from moderate use of it. On the other hand, the tea is delicious and it does have cancer-fighting properties that may give the body that tiny additional boost it needs to win its war against cancer. Not only is it cheap and easy to grow, when you are boiling the tea the whole house is filled with a sensuous aroma.

Lemongrass Health Benefits

• Has Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties
• Detoxifies the liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and the digestive tract
• Boosts the Immune System
• Reduces Uric Acid
• Reduces Cholesterol
• Reduces Excess Fats
• Alleviates Indigestion
• Alleviates Gastroenteritis
• Reduces Acne and Pimples
• Tones Muscles and Tissues
• Reduces Menstrual Troubles
• Reduces Blood Pressure
• Improves Blood Circulation
• Reduces Cellulite
• Sedative
• Reduces Fevers
• Helps in Flatulence and Colic
• Relieves Arthritic Pain
• Relieves Rheumatism

Lemongrass Precaution

Lemongrass tea is not advisable for people under a chemotherapy regimen that includes carboplatin. There is some evidence that the natural protective chemical gluthathione plays a role in reducing the toxic effects of carboplatin in the body and may reduce side effects and damage caused by the drug. Because citral can reduce gluthathione levels, drinking lemongrass tea while taking carboplatin could cause an increase in side effects from the carboplatin.

Lemongrass may produce allergic reactions in susceptible persons. Stop taking lemongrass if you experience skin hives, rash, itchy or swollen skin, breathing problems, tightness in your throat or chest or chest pain. Also, due to insufficient safety data on humans, lemongrass is not recommended for pregnant or lactating women without prior consultation of your physician.

Lemongrass Tea Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 large stalks of fresh lemongrass, without leaves
• 4 x 250ml cups of water
• 3 tablespoon of pure natural honey (add more if you prefer sweeter)
• 2 tablespoon of lemon juice, lime, or calamansi (adjust amount to suit your taste)

1. Cut off the knob at the bottom part of the stalk.
2. Wash it in water and peel off the first layer of the stalk that may have turned brown.
3. Use a pestle or the blunt side of a heavy knife and bruise the stalks especially at the thickest and juiciest part of the stalk to split it open. This helps to release the juice when boiling.
4. Put the lemongrass stalks in the water and bring it to a boil. When the water starts to boil, turn the flame down and simmer for about 20 minutes. The water should take on a light yellowish tinge
5. Let it cool to room temperature and add 3 tablespoons of pure natural honey
6. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (optional). You can drink it warm or chilled.

Lemongrass Nutritional Value

1 cup of Lemongrass (about 67g)contains:

• Protein – 1.2 g
• Phytosterols – 4.5 mg
• Total Calories – 66.3
• Total Carbohydrate -17 g
• Total Fat – 0.3 g
• Vitamins A, C, B6, Niacin, Folate, Riboflavin, and several minerals including Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Copper, Manganese and Selenium.

Lemongrass Cancer Treatment Recommendation

The lemongrass aroma smells great and is really relaxing. Because it is a natural sedative, it is best to take it before going to bed or taking a nap during the day.

Buy Lemongrass Products Online

Lemongrass Tea
http://www.google.com/search?q=lemongrass+tea&tbs=shop:1&aq=f

Lemongrass Citral from Vitapurity.com
http://vitapurity.com/citral.html

Lemongrass Research Links

Citral is a new inducer of caspase-3 in tumor cell lines.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15931590

A phase II detoxification enzyme inducer from lemongrass: identification of citral and involvement of electrophilic reaction in the enzyme induction.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12615076

Inhibitory effects of lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus, Stapf) extract on the early phase of hepatocarcinogenesis after initiation with diethylnitrosamine in male Fischer 344 rats.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12049809

Inhibitory effects of lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf) on formation of azoxymethane-induced DNA adducts and aberrant crypt foci in the rat colon.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9163680