Impact of lemongrass oil, an essential oil, on serum cholesterol

Lipids. 1989 Aug;24(8):677-9. doi: 10.1007/BF02535203.

Abstract

To test the hypothesis that non-sterol mevalonate pathway end products lower serum cholesterol levels, we asked 22 hypercholesterolemic subjects (315 +/- 9 mg cholesterol/dl) to take a daily capsule containing 140 mg of lemongrass oil, an essential oil rich in geraniol and citral. The paired difference in serum cholesterol levels of subjects completing the 90-day study approached significance (P less than 0.06, 2-tailed t-test). The subjects segregated into two groups, one consisting of 14 subjects resistant to the protocol and the other consisting of 8 subjects who responded. Paired differences in cholesterol level at 30, 60 and 90 d for resistant subjects were +2 +/- 6, +2 +/- 7 and -1 +/- 6 mg/dl; paired differences for the responding subjects were -25 +/- 10 (p less than 0.05), -33 +/- 8 (p less than 0.01) and -38 +/- 10 (p less than 0.025), respectively. The paired difference (+8 +/- 4) in the cholesterol levels of six responders 90 days after the discontinuation of lemongrass oil was not significant.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Cholesterol / blood
  • Humans
  • Hypercholesterolemia / blood
  • Hypercholesterolemia / diet therapy
  • Hypercholesterolemia / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Oils, Volatile
  • Plant Oils / therapeutic use*
  • Terpenes / therapeutic use*
  • Triglycerides / blood

Substances

  • Oils, Volatile
  • Plant Oils
  • Terpenes
  • Triglycerides
  • lemongrass oil
  • Cholesterol