Herb Profile

Lemongrass

Cymbopogon citratus

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) carries a Grade C rating — limited evidence.

Last reviewed: Report a correctionProfile-wide ·C Limited

Use extra caution — CNS active potential; avoid stacking with sedatives, alcohol, sleep aids, antidepressants, or other psychoactive supplements without clinician review. Details

Evidence
Limited Evidence
Typical onset
Varies by prep
Safety rating
High caution
Best for
Anti Inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Stress
Avoid / review if
Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Supplement Dosing Without Guidance, Internal Essential Oil Use, Low Documented Interaction Burden
Next steps

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Lemongrass monograph visual
Generated profile category visual

Safety

Safety & Cautions

CNS active potential; avoid stacking with sedatives, alcohol, sleep aids, antidepressants, or other psychoactive supplements without clinician review. Avoid pregnancy/breastfeeding use unless supervised.

High caution

Caution level: High. Multiple caution categories apply, or the record uses avoid/contraindication language.

  • Interaction-AwareMedication or interaction context is explicitly noted.
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding CautionPregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Detailed safety fields

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and contraindications

  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Supplement Dosing Without Guidance
  • Internal Essential Oil Use
  • Low Documented Interaction Burden
  • Caution With Sedatives Or Antihypertensives At High Doses.

Safety classifications

  • Interaction-Aware: Medication or interaction context is explicitly noted.
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution: Pregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.

Full safety note

  • CNS active potential; avoid stacking with sedatives, alcohol, sleep aids, antidepressants, or other psychoactive supplements without clinician review. Avoid pregnancy/breastfeeding use unless supervised.

Safety labels

  • Interaction-Aware
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution

Evidence-based safety

Caution when combined

Severity and certainty are shown separately. A high-priority caution can still be theoretical: these pairings are screened from shared contraindication mechanisms and are not automatically documented clinical interactions. Provenance identifies the source fields that produced each flag; it does not upgrade the certainty of the pairwise claim.

Moderate Caution

149 flagged pairings

Blood-pressure effects · Sedation / CNS depression

Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.

Blood-pressure effectsCertainty: Theoretical

Data provenance recorded for 81 of 81 pairings in this mechanism group.

+69 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.

Sedation / CNS depressionCertainty: Theoretical

Data provenance recorded for 68 of 68 pairings in this mechanism group.

+56 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.

Evidence

Evidence Summary

Evidence lens

Read as directional context, not settled clinical proof.

LimitedLimited Evidence

Human clinical evidence: Present in source signals

Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Metabolic Regulation · Vascular Function Support · Stress Response Modulation

Research maturity: Emerging research — Long Term Human Evidence May Be Limited.

Safety boundary: Safety note available — CNS active potential; avoid stacking with sedatives, alcohol, sleep aids, antidepressants, or other psychoactive supplements without clinician review.

Study design details
Evidence Grade

Grade C: Limited Evidence

Evaluation of methodological rigor, population reach, and evidence alignment.

Design Match
Randomized controlled trial
Risk of Bias
Low
Consistency
Not assessed
Strongest recorded design is a randomized controlled trial, drawn from 1 recorded study, 1 in people.
How evidence grades work

Each grade reflects the strength and consistency of published human evidence — not marketing claims. Grades are based on study count, design quality, effect size, consistency, and recency.

Strong
Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
Moderate
Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
Preliminary / Mixed
Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
Traditional / Theoretical
Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Clinical Study Summaries (1)1 human evidence source · 1 human trial · Participant totals not consistently reported · Consistency not yet classifiable

What the evidence actually shows

This table contains 1 structured source, including 1 human evidence source; 1 is a human trial.

StudyDesignNDoseDurationPopulationOutcomeResult & magnitudeSource

A 2025 randomized clinical trial (38 participants) found that inhaled lemongrass aromatherapy during periodontal therapy reduced acute anxiety and some cardiovascular stress measures. The result is narrow, short-term, and route-specific.

Background
Randomized controlled trial

Randomly assigns participants to interventions or controls, reducing many sources of bias when the trial is conducted well.

—————A 2025 randomized clinical trial (38 participants) found that inhaled lemongrass aromatherapy during periodontal therapy reduced acute anxiety and some cardiovascular stress measures. The result is narrow, short-term, and route-specific.PubMed →

Dosing & Timing

No standardized dose
Preparation specific; use standardized product label for Leaf tea and require source backed dosage review before therapeutic claims.
How Lemongrass works

Simplified mechanism pathway based on preclinical and pharmacological evidence. Does not confirm clinical efficacy.

Mechanism Pathway — How Lemongrass Works

How Lemongrass WorksLemongrass acts on biological target pathways via metabolic (regulation), leading to anti inflammatory.LemongrassBiological TargetBiological pathwayMetabolicRegulationAnti InflammatoryObservable outcomeVascular FunctionSupport
CompoundTarget / ReceptorMechanismEffect / Outcome
Mechanisms & biological pathways (preclinical)
  • Metabolic Regulation
  • Vascular Function Support
  • Stress Response Modulation

Active Compounds

Key constituents studied in Lemongrass, with full pharmacology and safety profiles.

Compare related active botanicals

Explore botanicals with similar chemistry, effects, or safety considerations in the Botanical Activity Atlas.

Compare & Sourcing

Compare side-by-side tradeoffs or verify active marker guidelines.

Review available sources for Lemongrass

Independent database mapping — evaluated separately from safety and efficacy scores.

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Safety first · Harm reduction

This information is educational and not medical advice. Start low, avoid risky combinations, and consult a licensed clinician before making health decisions—especially if you use medications, have diagnosed conditions, or are pregnant/breastfeeding.

Learn how we evaluate confidence, safety, and intensity on the methodology page.

By Willie B. Randolph III

Founder & Head Researcher · Oak Ridge, TN · Last reviewed August 2026

Editorial Review

Checked against primary sources, cited evidence, and contraindication language before publication. Evidence claims, safety language, and affiliate modules are reviewed independently. Not personal medical advice.

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