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Citronella oil

Citronella oil is produced by steam distillation from certain grass species of the Cymbopogon group of plants. Ceylon or Lenatabu citronella oil is made from Cymbopogon Nardus and Java or Maha Pengiri citronella oil is made from Cymbopogon Winterianus. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) also belongs to this group of plants, but it is not used for the production of citronella oil. Citronella oil is used to combat worms or other parasites in the intestines. It is also used to control muscle spasms, increase appetite and increase urine production to reduce water retention. Some people apply citronella oil directly to the skin to keep mosquitoes and other insects away. In food and beverages, citronella oil is used as a flavoring agent. In industrial production, citronella oil is used as a fragrance in cosmetics and soaps.

How does citronella oil work?

There is not enough information about how citronella oil works.

How effective is citronella oil?

Citronellaoil applied to the skin may be effective in repelling mosquitoes. Citronella oil is an ingredient in some commercial mosquito repellent products. However, it only seems to prevent mosquito bites for a short period of time, which is around 20 minutes. For this reason, other products that have a longer duration of action are usually preferred. There is not enough scientific data to make a statement about the effectiveness of citronella oil for the treatment of worm infestation, water retention and spasms. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of citronella oil in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Citronella oil appears to be safe and harmless for most people in the small amounts found in food. However, ingesting large amounts orally is not safe and harmless. Citronella oil appears to be safe and harmless for most people when applied to the skin to repel insects. However, it can cause skin allergies in some people. It is not safe to inhale citronella oil. There have been reports of lung damage from inhaling citronella oil.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: Not enough is known about the use of citronella oil during pregnancy and lactation. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid citronella oil.

Children: It is not safe to give citronella oil orally to children. There have been reports of poisoning in children and one infant died after swallowing an insect repellent containing citronella oil.

Interactions

At the present time, there is no information on interactions of citronella oil with medications or supplements.

Dosage

The following dosages were investigated in scientific studies:

Applied to the skin:

  • To prevent mosquito bites: Citronella oil in a concentration of 0.5 to 10%

References

  1. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21. Part 182 -- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe. Available at: http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid= 786bafc6f6343634fbf79fcdca7061e1&rgn=div5&view= text&node=21:3.0.1.1.13&idno=21
  2. Fradin MS, Day JF. Comparative efficacy of insect repellents against mosquito bites. N Engl J Med 2002;347:13-8.
  3. Public Health Agency of Canada. Canadian Recommendations for the Prevention and Treatment of Malaria Among International Travelers. Available at: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/ccdr-rmtc/04vol30/30s1/page2_e.html (Accessed May 24, 2005).
  4. Public Health Agency of Canada. Safety Tips on Using Personal Insect Repellents Available at: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/wn-no/repellents-insectifuge_e.html.(Accessed 24 May 2005)