| |  | | Lemongrass
Answered by: Conrad Richter
Question from: Tracy
Posted on: November 21, 2000
I include lemongrass in my tea everyday. Could you tell me are there any side effects known with the frequent use of lemongrass? I’m also curious to the nutritional value of lemongrass.
According to the "Botanical Safety Handbook" prepared by the American Herbal Products Association (CRC Press, 1997), lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is rated "2b" for safety, which means that the herb is safe to use at therapeutic doses except during pregnancy.
At therapeutic doses, lemongrass is considered an emmenagogue and uterine stimulant. Emmenagogues are agents that stimulate menstruation and restore regular menstruation. Uterine stimulants tonify, stengthen, and increase the blood supply to, the uterus.
Used in beverage teas, the "Botanical Safety Handbook" says that the above concerns for therapeutic usage of lemongrass is not generally relevant. It is only when lemongrass is used at higher doses for its emmenagogue and uterine stimulant effects that the concerns during pregnancy apply.
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