Serai wangi (Cymbopogon nardus)
Common names
-serai wangi (Malaysia)
-citronella grass, ceylon citronella (English)
-ya xiang mao (China)
-ganjnil, guchcha, kamachipillu (India)
-ta khrai hom, cha kai ma khutt (Thailand)
Descriptions
-a member of the Poaceae (Graminaceae)
-a tall, tufted perinnials; culms up to 2.5m tall
-leaf blade is harsh, scrabid and glaucous beneath
-the false panicle is large, linear, congested, interrupted and the spatheoles are narrowly elliptic
Traditional uses
Leaves and stem: make oil
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to enhance the floral scents in perfumes, soaps and toilet water
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also used in insect repellent products
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to bathe women after delivery- induce sweating in an attempt to invigorate the women after the process of delivery and remove toxins from the body
Leaves: decoction
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to cleanse the genitalia after each micturation
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as a vaginal wash
Leaves: boiled together with the leaves of Gendarussa vulgaris (daun rusa) and Piper betel (sireh)
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to enhance the involution of the uterus
Leaves: included together with leaves of Blumea balsamifera (sambong), Morinda citrifolia (mengkudu) and Languas galanga (lengkuas) in the wrappings of heated stones which is applied over the uterus (a process called “bertungku”)
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for the treatment of postpartum headache and the avoidance of “angin meroyan”
Chemical constituents
Alpha-terpineol; betapinene; benzoic acid; borneol; L-borneol; bourbonene; camphene; L-camphene; camphor; β-caryophyllene; Δ3-carene; carvacrol; carvone; cinnamic aldehyde; capric acid; caprylic acid; carbone; citral; citronella oil; citronellal; citronellol; citronellyl acetate; citronellyl butyrate; coumarin; p-cymene; decanoic acid; delta-3-carene; elemol; eugenol; eugenol methyl ether; isoeugenol methyl ether;farnesol; formaldehyde; furfural; geraniol; geraniol acetate; geranyl acetate; geranyl butyrate; geranyl formate; hydrocyanic acid; isovaleraldehyde; lavandulol; limonene; D-limonene; L-limonene; limonene oxide; trans-limonene diol; linalool; linalyl acetate; menthol methyl heptenone; methylisoeugenol; methyl eugenol; methol; methyl isoeugenol; myrcene; nerol; nerolidol; ocimene; cis-ocimene; trans-ocimene; octyl alcohol; patchoulene; phellandrene, D-α-phellandrene; D-β-phellandrene; phenylethyl alcohol; α-pinene; β-pinene; α-pinene; sabinene; safrole; sesquiterpenoids; γ-terpenene; α-terpenene; terpineol, α-terpineol; terpineols; terpenin-4-ol; terpinolene; α-thujene; tricyclene and vanillin
Preparation/ part of plants used
Leaves: grinded together with the seeds of Nigella sativa (habbatus sawdah) and used as a poultice on the head