Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Ethanol Extract of Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus) on Pathogenic Bacteria: A review

Abstract

Cymbopogon citratus species, is currently known as lemon grass. Besides the medicinal use, lemon grass can be also used in the food industry, as well as in cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. Ethanol extracts of lemon grass showed antimicrobial activity to certain some pathogenic bacteria, for example, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhi. The antibacterial activities of ethanol extract of lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) could be based on the primary and secondary metabolite in these extract. Primary metabolites of the ethanol extract of lemon grass were proteins, lipid and carbohydrates. On average, the increasing order of the analyzed primary metabolites was: lipid < protein < carbohydrates. While secondary metabolites of leaves extracts of lemon grass were tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid. From reviewed papers related to the properties of lemon grass extract, it is concluded that ethanol extract of lemon grass was able to be used as antibacterial agents in future.