Lemongrass Jor Lab L-10 (Cymbopogon khasianus (Hack.) Stapf ex Bor)

Cymbopogon khasianus is a genus belonging to family Poaceae. It is a vegetatively propagated perennial crop basically found in Khasi and Naga Hills and some lower part of Assam of North East India. Elemicin is a natural organic compound which is known as pheylpropene, also a constituent of oleoresin. It was named as elemicin after discovery of this compound in the essential oil of Canarium luzonicum, which is known as elemi plant. It is used to synthesize the alkaloid, mescaline. Elemicin has some anti proliferative effects and tumoricidial effects against several human cell lines. It also has antibacterial activity against human enteropathogen Campylobacter jejuni also. Elemicin has anti allergic properties on 5–lipoxygenase from RBL-1 cells.

Till date none of the methyl eugenol rich variety of lemon grass is available in the public domain. So, CSIR-NEIST made efforts to identify high elemicin rich variety of lemon grass from the collected germplasm.. The price of methyl eugenol rich essential oil is higher than the normal citral rich lemon grass essential oil. In recent years, there has been a tremendous growth of interest in plant based drugs, pharmaceuticals, perfumery products, cosmetics and aroma compounds used in food flavors and fragrances and natural colors in the world.  Lemongrass oil is one of the important essential oils used in fragrance and flavour industries. The oil has high market demand in India and abroad.

Lemongrass oil is used in wide range of skin care and cosmetic products, such as soaps, deodorants, shampoos, lotions, and tonics. It also works as an air freshener and deodorizer, especially when blended with other essential oils. Lemongrass oil is also known for its ability to repel insects, such as mosquitoes and ants, due to its high citral and geraniol content.

• An elemicin rich variety of Cymbopogon khasianus (Jor Lab L-10)
• This variety contains more than 0.40 percent essential oil with more than 60% elemicin content.