Lemongrass is a tropical, grassy plant used in cooking and herbal medicine. Extracted from the leaves and stalks of the lemongrass plant, lemongrass oil has a powerful, citrus scent. It’s often found in soaps and other personal care products.

Lemongrass oil can be extracted, and it’s been used by healthcare providers to treat digestive problems and high blood pressure. It has many other potential health benefits, too.

In fact, lemongrass essential oil is a popular tool in aromatherapy to help relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. Keep reading to learn more about how you can use lemongrass essential oil to improve your well-being.

1. It has antibacterial properties
Lemongrass is used as a natural remedy to heal wounds and help prevent infection. Research from 2010 found that lemongrass essential oil was effective against a variety of drug-resistant bacteria, including those that cause:

skin infections
pneumonia
blood infections
serious intestinal infections

2. It has antifungal properties
Fungi are organisms like yeast and mold. According to a study from 1996Trusted Source, lemongrass oil was an effective deterrent against four types of fungi. One type causes athlete’s foot, ringworm, and jock itch.

Researchers found that at least 2.5 percent of the solution must be lemongrass oil to be effective.

3. It has anti-inflammatory properties
Chronic inflammation is thought to cause many health problems, including arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer. Lemongrass contains citral, an anti-inflammatory compound.

According to a 2014 study on animalsTrusted Source, oral lemongrass essential oil showed powerful anti-inflammatory abilities on mice with carrageenan-induced paw edema. The oil also demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects when applied topically on mice with ear edema.

4. It has antioxidant properties
Antioxidants help your body fight off free radicals that damage cells. Research has shown that lemongrass essential oil helps hunt free radicals.

According to a 2015 study, lemongrass oil mouthwash showed strong antioxidant abilities. Researchers suggest it’s a potential complementary therapy for nonsurgical dental procedures and gingivitis.

5. It may help prevent gastric ulcers or relieve nausea
Lemongrass is used as a folk remedy for a number of digestive problems, ranging from stomachaches to gastric ulcers. According to a 2012 study on mice, lemongrass essential oil helped prevent gastric ulcers, a common cause of stomach pain.

Lemongrass is also a common ingredient in herbal teas and supplements for nausea. Although most herbal products use dried lemongrass leaves, using the essential oil for aromatherapy may provide similar benefits.