CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Lemongrass (Cymbogoncitratus) is a plant from the grass
family which contained about 1-2% essential oil in a dry weight base. The essential oil is characterized by a high content of citral constituted with the isomers neral and geranial, which is used as a raw material for the production of iodine, vitamin A and b-carotene (Dhobi et al., 2010).
The essential oil of lemongrass is important in perfumery industry since it blends well with a great variety of essential oil (Carlson et al., 2001). The tea made from lemongrass leaves is used as antispasmodic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory antiphretic, diuretic and sedative (Carlini et al., 1986).
Lemongrass is a perential sedge throwing up dense fascilles of leaves from a short rhizome (Baser et al., 2010). The culm is south, erect up to 8 meter high. Leaves are long glaucous, green, having a strong flavor used as a herb for seasoning and insect repellent (Musa et al., 2013). It’s a plant, looking much like a very tall patch of grass that doesn’t often produce flower (Burt, 2004). At the base of each group of leaves there is a fat stalk, similar to a spring onion bulb. The overall plant is made up of big cluster of these individual stalk used for most cooking purposes, but the rest of the leaves can be used as well (Christina et al., 2010). Not only is the tea very zesty in flavor it can also help settle upset stomachs and ease cough. The oils in lemongrass have a number of homeopathies health uses. Though most home growers do not extract the essential oil, from their plant but mostly used as a flavoring (Wani et al., 2008).
Lemograss is native to India and tropical Asia, it is widely used as herb in Asian cuisine (Hossain et al., 2011). It has a substie citrus flavor which can be dried and powdered, suitable for poultry, fish, beef and sea food. It is often used as a tea in African countries such as Togo, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Latin American countries such as Mexico (Schanberg et al., 2002). Lemongrass oil is used as a pesticide and a preservative (Carlson et al., 2001). Research shown that lemongrass oil has anti-fungal properties (Dhobi et al., 2010). Despite its ability to repel insects, its oil is commonly utilized as a “lure” to attract honey bees (Ranitha et al., 2014).
It works conveniently as well as the pheromone created by the honey bear nasonov gland, also known as attractant pheromones.
Because of this, lemongrass oils are also used as a lure when trapping swams or attempting to draw the attention of hived bees (Joglekar,
1987).
Citronella grass (Cymbopogonnardus and Winterianus) grows to about two meters which is used in soap as an insect repellant especially mosquitoes in insect sprays and candles, and also in aromatherapy which is famous in Bintan Island; Indonesia. The principal chemical constituents of citronella geranial and citronellal are antiseptics, hence their use in households disinfectants and soaps. Besides oil production, citronella grass is also used for culinary purposes and as a flavoring (Guan et al., 2007). Lemongrass oil, used as a pesticide and preservative, is put on the ancient palm leaf manuscript found in India as a preservative. It is used at the oriental research institute mysore, the French institute of Pondicherry, the association for the brittle palm leaves and the hydrophobic nature of the oil keeps the manuscript dry so that the text is not lost to delay due to humidity. In India C. citratus is used both as a medical herbs and in perfumes C. citratus is consumed as a tea for anxiety in Brazuian folk medicine (Carlini et al., 1986). But a study in humans found no effect (Burt, 2004).
1.1 Justification
Research was conducted on lemongrass each using different solvent and method of extraction. But the effect of these solvent on chemical composition of lemongrass extract was not conducted here in Sokoto. Therefore, this research will elucidate the effect of some solvent on the chemical constituent of this grass species.
1.2 Aim and Objectives
The aims of this study are to determine the effect of two different solvent on the chemical composition of lemongrass oil.
1.3 The Objectives Are:
To determine;
i. Oil content in lemongrass using 2 solvent. ii. Chemical constituent using GC-MS.