Lemongrass is used for medicinal purposes.

Lemongrass has a pungent, spicy taste, a fragrant aroma, and a warming nature. It has diaphoretic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, carminative, diuretic, and expectorant effects, helping to treat bloating, frequent urination, edema in the legs, and coughs caused by colds and flu.

Lemongrass, also known as citronella grass or citronella leaf, is a perennial grass that grows in clumps. Its rhizomes are white or slightly purplish. The leaves are narrow and long, similar to rice leaves, with slightly rough edges. The entire plant has a distinctive aroma.

Lemongrass is grown throughout our country. People plant it around their houses, in their gardens, and around toilets to repel flies, mosquitoes, gnats, and fleas, thus cleaning the environment and preventing disease.

In addition, lemongrass essential oil also eliminates odors during sanitation work. Besides being used as a vegetable and spice (people often eat it raw or use it to marinate dishes to add fragrance), lemongrass is also a very effective medicinal herb. The parts used for medicine are the leaves and roots of lemongrass, which can be used fresh, dried, or sun-dried.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, lemongrass has a pungent, spicy taste, a fragrant aroma, and a warm nature. It is used to induce sweating, disinfect, fight inflammation, reduce gas, promote urination, and clear phlegm to treat bloating, frequent urination, edema in the legs, and coughs caused by colds and flu.

Prescriptions using lemongrass to treat illnesses:

Lemongrass leaves:(Often used in combination with other medicinal herbs to treat diseases).

Treating bloating:Lemongrass leaves, pomelo peel, star anise, Alisma orientalis, Akebia quinata, Cynodon dactylon, 10g each; cinnamon 5g; soot, saltpeter 2g each; musk 0.05g.

Boil all ingredients in 200ml of water for 15-30 minutes, then divide into two doses to be taken daily, after lunch and dinner. Continue for 2 days. Note: During treatment, avoid sticky rice and salty foods.

Herbal steam inhalation remedy for colds:Lemongrass leaves, pomelo leaves, lime leaves, chrysanthemum leaves, basil, or eucalyptus leaves (perilla, mint, and Vietnamese balm can also be added), 50g each, put into a pot, cover tightly, and boil for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, cover yourself with a blanket to steam yourself to induce sweating, wipe dry, then drink a bowl of the herbal decoction, cover yourself with a blanket, and rest.

Treating leg edema and frequent urination:100g of lemongrass leaves, 50g each of *Cynodon dactylon* root, *Imperata cylindrica* root, or *Plantago major* flowers. Wash all ingredients thoroughly, chop finely, dry in the sun, and decoct with 400ml of water until only 100ml remains. Drink in two doses per day. Use for 3-4 days.

Cleanses dandruff, leaves hair smooth:Lemongrass leaves, basil, pomelo leaves, etc., 30g of each, wash thoroughly and boil with water. Let it cool to a warm temperature and use it to wash your hair. You should wash your hair twice a week. Lemongrass-infused hair wash not only makes your hair fragrant and cleans dandruff but also prevents hair and scalp diseases.

Lemongrass roots:(It can be used alone or in combination with other medicinal herbs).

Treating diarrhea caused by a cold stomach:10g of lemongrass root; 8g each of bear root and *Rhizoma Polygoni multiflori* bark; 6g each of tangerine peel and *Magnolia officinalis* bark, decocted with 3 bowls of water until only 1 bowl remains. Drink while the decoction is still warm, preferably in the morning. Use for 2 days. Alternatively, 10g of lemongrass root, 8g of guava buds, and 8g of old galangal root, finely chopped, lightly roasted, decocted with 200ml of water until only 50ml remains, drink after meals.

Treating coughs caused by the common cold:Lemongrass root, tangerine peel, fresh ginger, perilla seeds, 200g each, crushed and soaked in 200ml of 40% alcohol; 400g of stemona root (remove the core, chop finely, and dry-roast); 200g of ophiopogon root (remove the core); 200g of mulberry bark (soaked in honey and roasted until golden brown). These three herbs are boiled down to a concentrated liquid extract of 250ml. Mix the liquid extract with the alcohol-soaked herbs. Drink 5-10ml 2-3 times a day for 3 days.

According to Health and Life