Citronella oil

Citronella oil is an essential oil obtained from the leaves and stems of different species of Cymbopogon (lemongrass). The oil is used extensively as a source of perfumery chemicals such as citronellal, citronellol, and geraniol. These chemicals find extensive use in soap, candles and incense, perfumery, cosmetic, and flavouring industries throughout the world.^[1]

Citronella oil is also a plant-based insect repellent and has been registered for this use in the United States since 1948.^[2] The United States Environmental Protection Agency considers oil of citronella as a biopesticide with a non-toxic mode of action.^[3]

Citronella oil has strong antifungal properties.^[4]^[5]^[6]

^ Lawless, J. (1995). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils. Element. ISBN 1-85230-661-0.^{[page needed]}
^ "U.S. EPA Citronella Factsheet" (PDF). Retrieved June 9, 2014.
^ "EPA citronella reregistration fact sheet" (PDF).
^ Nakahara, Kazuhiko; Alzoreky, Najeeb S.; Yoshihashi, Tadashi; Nguyen, Huong T. T.; Trakoontivakorn, Gassinee (October 2003). "Chemical Composition and Antifungal Activity of Essential Oil from Cymbopogon nardus (Citronella Grass)". Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences. 37 (4): 249–52. INIST 15524982.
^ Pattnaik, S; Subramanyam, VR; Kole, C (1996). "Antibacterial and antifungal activity of ten essential oils in vitro". Microbios. 86 (349): 237–46. PMID 8893526. INIST 3245986.
^ Prabuseenivasan, Seenivasan; Jayakumar, Manickkam; Ignacimuthu, Savarimuthu (2006). "In vitro antibacterial activity of some plant essential oils". BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 6: 39. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-6-39. PMC 1693916. PMID 17134518.

[Lawless,_J._1995-1] Lawless, J. (1995). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils. Element. ISBN 1-85230-661-0.^{[page needed]}

[U.S._EPA_Citronella_Factsheet-2] "U.S. EPA Citronella Factsheet" (PDF). Retrieved June 9, 2014.

[3] "EPA citronella reregistration fact sheet" (PDF).

[4] Nakahara, Kazuhiko; Alzoreky, Najeeb S.; Yoshihashi, Tadashi; Nguyen, Huong T. T.; Trakoontivakorn, Gassinee (October 2003). "Chemical Composition and Antifungal Activity of Essential Oil from Cymbopogon nardus (Citronella Grass)". Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences. 37 (4): 249–52. INIST 15524982.

[5] Pattnaik, S; Subramanyam, VR; Kole, C (1996). "Antibacterial and antifungal activity of ten essential oils in vitro". Microbios. 86 (349): 237–46. PMID 8893526. INIST 3245986.

[6] Prabuseenivasan, Seenivasan; Jayakumar, Manickkam; Ignacimuthu, Savarimuthu (2006). "In vitro antibacterial activity of some plant essential oils". BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 6: 39. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-6-39. PMC 1693916. PMID 17134518.

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