• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2019

Cymbopogon citratus, commonly know as lemongrass, prossesses strong antioxidant, anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties. Howerver, its anti-obesity activity remains to be elucidated. This study investigated the effect of ethanol extract of Cymbopogon citratus on adipogenesis, and its underlying mechanism, in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The results demonstrated that ethanol extracts of Cymbopogon citratus effectively suppressed intercellular lipid accumulation at non-toxic concentrations, and was associated with the down-regulation of adipocyte-specific transcription factors, including $C/EBP{\alpha}$ and $PPAR{\gamma}$, and phosphorylation of $AMPK{\alpha}$. Furthermore, ethanol extracts of Cymbopogon citratus increased p21 and p21 expression, while the expression of CDK2, cyclin A and cyclin B1 was reduced. As a result, ethanol extracts of Cymbopogon citratus seems to induce G0/G1 cell cycle arrest of 3T3-L1 cells. On the other hand, ERK and Akt signaling pathways were not involved in anti-adipogenesis by ethanol extracts of Cymbopogon citratus. Taken together, theses results suggest that ethanol extracts of Cymbopogon citratus inhibits adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells and can be used as a safe and efficient natural substance to manage anti-obesity.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.160-164
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• 2005

The effects of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil (Lemongrass oil) and its main component, citral (84.30%), on antibiotic-susceptible and -resistant strains of Salmonella enteritidis and S. typhimurium were assessed. C. citratus oil and citral significantly inhibited all strains of the two Salmonella species examined, with minimum inhibiting concentrations (MICs) ranging from 0.5 mg/ml to 8.0 mg/ml. The combined effects of C. citratus oil and citral (84.30%) were evaluated using a checkerboard microtiter assay. Essential oil fractions of C. citratus and citral exhibited strong synergistic or additive effects with streptomycin or kanamycin against S. typhimurium strains with fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices in the range of 0.28 to 1.00. In conclusion, a combination of streptomycin and lemongrass oil or its main component, citral, may be useful for reducing the minimum effective dose of antibiotic required for the treatment of resistant S. typhimurium infections.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.235-238
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• 2017

Colorado potato beetle is a most destructive insect pest of potato throughout the world. Although utilization of chemical insecticides is a main method for management of this pest, their negative side-effects such as threat to humans and the environmental pollution prompted researchers to search for natural alternatives. Recently plant essential oils with low or without side-effects against noun-targeted organisms and with high availability were considered as safe bio-pesticides. In the present study, toxicity of essential oil of Iranian lemongrass, Cymbopogon citratus Stapf, was evaluated against 3th instar larvae and adults of Colorado potato beetle by a leaf dipping method. Results displayed essential oil had notable toxicity against both larvae and adults after 24 and 48 h exposure times. Probit analysis revealed $LC_{50}$ values (lethal concentration to kill 50% of population) with 95% confidence limits were 10.32 (9.17 - 11.72) and 7.76 (6.80 - 8.74) ${\mu}l/ml$ for larvae and 6.27 (4.82 - 8.15) and 4.35 (3.24 - 5.62) ${\mu}l/ml$ for adults after 24 and 48 h, respectively. Based on regression analysis, a positive correlation between log concentration of essential oil and insect mortality was achieved. Results indicated C. citratus essential oil can be candidate as a natural alternative to the harmful chemical insecticides in the management of Colorado potato beetle.

• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2020

Salinity with sodic condition disturbs germination, retards emergence, and slow down seedling development of Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus).Lemongrass is a perennial grass plant widely distributed worldwide and most especially in tropical and subtropical countries. This research experiment was designed to evaluate the influences of (4 dSm^-1+ 13.5 (mmol L^-1)^-1/2, 5 dSm^-1+ 25 (mmol L^-1)^1/2, 5 dSm^-1+ 30 (mmol L^-1)^1/2, 10 dSm^-1+ 25 (mmol L^-1)^1/2 and 10 dSm^-1+ 30 (mmol L^-1)^1/2) on biomass produce of lemon grass against salt tolerance. The uppermost biomass yield (45.53 gpot^-1) was produced by 4 dSm^-1+ 13.5 (mmol L^-1)^1/2 treatment. The increase in the intensity of salts reduced the growth of lemon grass. Lower biomass yield (79.33 gpot^-1) was gained at 10 dSm^-1+ 30 (mmol L^-1)^1/2. 5 dSm^-1+ 25 (mmol L^-1)^1/2 treatment performed enhanced outcome i.e. the least reduction % over control (5.87). Salinity- sodicity showed serious effect on the growth reduction from 5.87% to33.60%. This reduction gap was affected by the negative effect of salinity and sodicity on Linseed growth. Salinity- sodicity showed severe impact on the growth reduction from 5.87% to33.60%. Based on the findings, lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus).was capable to grow up the maximum at 4 dSm^-1+ 13.5 (mmol L^-1)^1/2 treatment.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.423-433
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• 2022

The objective of this study was to determine whether Cymbopogon citratus extract as a corrosion inhibitor from natural tropical resources could prevent corrosion of carbon steel in sulfuric acid solution. Inhibitory action of this extract was investigated using electrochemical methods such as potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Those methods revealed corrosion rate, efficiency of inhibition, and adsorptions isotherm values when the extract was added to the sulfuric acid solution at concentration up to 500 ppm with various immersion time at ambient temperature. Results revealed that higher concentration of the extract and longer immersion time decreased the corrosion rate of carbon steel whereas the inhibition efficiency of the extract was increased up to 97.25%. The value of charge transfer resistance was increased significantly by adding the extract at concentration up to 500 ppm with an immersion time of 60 minutes. The type of the extract was a mixed inhibitor. It could inhibit the corrosion process in both anodic and cathodic sides electrochemically. Results of this study suggest that the mechanism of adsorption on the surface of carbon steel is related to Langmuir adsorption isotherm.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.16-24
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• 2016

In this study, antifungal activity of essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus and Ocimum basilicum and two fungicides Mancozeb and Metalaxyl-Mancozeb in six different concentrations were investigated for controlling three species of Phytophthora, including P. capsici, P. drechsleri and P. melonis on pepper, cucumber and melon under in vitro and greenhouse conditions, respectively. Under the in vitro condition, the median effective concen- tration ($EC_{50}$) values (ppm) of plant essential oils and fungicides were measured. In greenhouse, soil infested with Phytophthora species was treated by adding 50 ml of essential oils and fungicides (100 ppm). Disease severity was determined after 28 days. Among two tested plant essential oils, C. citratus had the lowest $EC_{50}$ values for inhibition of the mycelial growth of P. capsici (31.473), P. melonis (33.097) and P. drechsleri (69.112), respectively. The mean $EC_{50}$ values for Metalaxyl-Mancozeb on these pathogens were 20.87, 20.06 and 17.70, respectively. Chemical analysis of plant essential oils by GC-MS showed that, among 42 compounds identified from C. citratus, two compounds ${\beta}$-geranial (${\alpha}$-citral) (39.16%) and z-citral (30.95%) were the most abundant. Under the greenhouse condition, Metalaxyl-Mancozeb caused the greatest reduction in disease severity, 84.2%, 86.8% and 92.1% on melon, cucumber, and pepper, respectively. The C. citratus essential oil reduced disease severity from 47.4% to 60.5% compared to the untreated control ($p{\leq}0.05$). Essential oils of O. basilicum had the lowest effects on the pathogens under in vitro and greenhouse conditions. These results show that essential oils may contribute to the development of new antifungal agents to protect the crops from Phytophthora diseases.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.73-82
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• 2023

Purpose : Cymbopogon citratus, also known as lemongrass, has widely spread around the world and its essential oil is usually applied in food, perfume, and other industrial purposes. In addition, C. citratus has also been used for the treatment of inflammation, digestive disorders, and diabetes in traditional medicine. In this study, the antioxidative activity of C. citratus ethanol extract (CCEE) was analyzed in RAW 264.7 cells through the induction of one of phase II enzymes, heme oxygenase (HO)-1 by nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45-related factor (Nrf)2, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt. Methods : The antioxidative activity of CCEE against oxidative stress and its underlying molecular mechanisms were analyzed by the cell viability assay, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation assay, and Western blot analysis in RAW 264.7 cells. Results : The results exhibited that CCEE potently attenuated tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) induced intracellular ROS levels in a dose-dependent manner without any cytotoxicity. CCEE treatment significantly induced the expression of HO-1 which is known for its antioxidative capacity. In addition, CCEE treatment significantly upregulated the expression of Nrf2, a corresponding transcription factor for the regulation of antioxidative enzymes, which was in accordance with the HO-1 overexpression. MAPK and PI3K/Akt were also evaluated for their important roles in the regulation of cellular redox homeostasis against oxidative damage. As a result, the potent HO-1 expression was mediated by not extracellular regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun NH2 terminal kinase (JNK), p38, but phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) phosphorylation. To confirm the antioxidative activity of CCEE-induced HO-1 expression, oxidative damage was initiated by t-BHP and attenuated by CCEE treatment, which was identified by HO-1 selective inhibitor and inducer. Conclusion : Consequently, CCEE potently induced the HO-1-mediated antioxidative potential through the modulation of Nrf2 and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways in RAW 264.7 cells. These results suggest that CCEE could be a promising strategy for the mitigation against cellular oxidative damage.

• Mycobiology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.219-229
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• 2006

Seventeen microbial species including 10 fungal taxa, two yeasts and five bacteria, were isolated from freshly prepared orange, guava and banana juices kept in open bottles at room temperature for 7 days. Eight different essential oils, from local herbs, were tested for their antimicrobial activity against these test organisms. The essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum basilicum and Origanum majorana were found to be highly effective against these microorganisms. Aspergillus niger, A. flavus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the most prevalent microorganisms in juice, showed the highest resistance against these essential oils. GC-MS analysis showed that while e-citral, a'-myrcene, and z-citral represent the major components (75.1 %) of the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus; bezynen,l-methyl-4-(2-propenyl), 1,8-cineole and trans-a'-bisabolene were the main components (90.6%) of Ocimum basilicum; whereas 3-cyclohexen-l-0l,4-methyl-l(l-methylethyl)-(CAS), c-terpinene and trans-caryophyllene represent the major components (65.1%) of Origanum majorana. These three essential oils were introduced into juices by two techniques namely, fumigation and direct contact. The former technique showed more fungicidal effect than the latter one against A. flavus, A. niger, and S. cerevisiae. The essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus by comparison to other test oils showed the strongest effect against these fungi with a minimum inhibitory concentration of $1.5\;{\mu}l/ml$ medium and a sublethal concentration of $1.0\;{\mu}l/ml$. The antimicrobial activity of this oil is thermostable at $121^{\circ}C$ for 30 min.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.594-601
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• 2022

This study evaluated the biological properties of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) extracts. The EtOAc extract of lemongrass had DPPH, TEAC, and nitric oxide-scavenging activity assay results of 58.06, 44.14, and 41.08% at the concentration of 50, 10, and 50 ㎍/ml, respectively. The EtOAc extract had higher elastase and collagenase inhibitory activities than the 80% MeOH, n-hexane, BuOH, and water extracts and comparable whitening activity toward monophenolase or diphenolase. Also, the EtOAc fraction had higher lipase inhibitory and antimicrobial activities against Cutibacterium acnes among extracts which is known to an important contributor to the progression of inflammatory acne vulgaris, and an opportunistic pathogen present in human skin. Total phenolic and flavonoid concentrations in the EtOAc extract were 132.31 mg CAE/g extract and 104.50 mg NE/g extract, respectively. Biologically active compounds in lemongrass extracts were analyzed by LC-MS. This study confirms that lemongrass extracts have potential use as cosmetic skincare ingredients. Thus, lemongrass can be considered a promising natural source of readily available, low-cost extracts rich in antioxidant, skincare, and antimicrobial compounds that might be suitable for replacing synthetic compounds in the cosmeceutical industry.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.225-235
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• 2019

Cymbopogon citratus (CC) and Perilla frutescens (PF) are known to exert various biological effects. However, their skin hydration and skin barrier effects remain unclear. This study investigated effects of their extracts on skin hydration and skin barrier and analysed the phenolic compounds. effects of these extracts on skin hydration in HaCaT cells showed that Hyaluronic acid production in cells treated with ethanol extracts was higher than that treated with water extracts for both CC and PF. HPLC was used to analyse 19 phenolic compounds in CC and PF ethanol extracts (CCE and PFE). Results revealed chlorogenic acid and p-coumaric acid in CCE and rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid in PFE. Expression levels of hyaluronan synthase 1 (HAS1), HAS2, HAS3, and aquaporin 3 (AQP3), which are related to skin moisturization, and filaggrin and loricrin, which are related to skin barrier were higher in cells treated with CCE than with PFE. CCE and PFE also increased expression of PPAR-a protein involved in skin moisturization and epidermal differentiation in a concentration-dependent manner. As major components of CCE, chlorogenic acid and p-coumaric acid increased PPAR-a protein expression. Thus, CCE and PFE could be used as functional cosmetic materials for skin hydration and skin barrier effects.