Pharmaceutical name:

英文药名：

Herba Cymbopogon citratus

Biological name:

拉丁學名：

Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. ;

Andropogon citratus DC

Pron. in Japanese:

日語發音：

kobo

Pron. in Korean:

韓語發音：

hyang mo

Pron. in Cantonese:

粤語發音：

heong1 maau4

Other Names:

別名﹕

ning meng mao 檸檬茅﹐xiang ba mao 香巴茅﹐feng mao 風茅。

Common Name:

外文名：

English: lemon grass, fever grass

Indian: bhustrina, sera

Malay, Indonesian: serai

Distribution:

分佈：

Southern part of mainland China, Taiwan, South East Asia, southern India, Sri Langka, southern Europe, Florida, and California. Taiwan is the largest producer.

中國大陸南部，台灣，東南亞，印度南方，錫蘭，歐洲南部，美國 佛州，加州。產量最大的是台灣。

Properties (characteristics):

性味:

Acrid, warm,

辛，溫。

Channels (meridians) entered:

歸經：

lung, heart, stomach, bladder.

肺，心，胃，膀胱。

Actions, Indications & Uses:

rheumatism, headache, stomachache, weak digestion, diarrhea;  irregular menses, postpartum edema, bruises and hematoma caused by impact injuries. External use for ringworms.

It is a common herb in Indian and south east Asian cooking.

風濕疼痛，頭痛，胃痛，消化不良﹐腹部氣脹﹐腹痛，腹瀉，月經不調，產後水腫，跌打瘀血腫痛。外用治癬。

在東南亞和印度﹐香茅是常用之料理香料。

Medical Function:

藥理:

The essential oil of xiang ma possesses antifungal effect (like Venezuelan Streptomyces kitasatoensis)

There are reports that the leaves and roots contain an insulin like substance that possesses hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects. This insulin like substance is grey white powder, non flagrant, slightly bitter, non-alkaloid, non-glucoside, non-tannin. Its insulin value is 1 gram equals to 440 units (oral), or 880 units (hypodermic injection).

Citronellal and geraniol possess fragrant smell and can be used as spices but are not known to possess any medical uses.

Citral possesses anti-cancer effect.

1. 香茅的揮發油有抗真菌(如委內瑞拉鏈絲菌等)作用。
   曾有報告，葉、根中含胰島素樣物質，為灰白色、無臭微苦的粉末，非生物鹼或甙，亦非鞣質；其胰島素效價為：口服1克相當440單位，皮下注射相當880單 位。

2. 香茅醛及牻牛兒醇皆有特異氣味，可作香料；無特殊藥理作用 。

3. 檸檬醛抗癌作用。

4. 與香茅醇化學結構相近的香茅酸對小鼠皮下注射，有麻痺作用 ；對離體蟾蜍心臟有強心作用，大劑量可致收縮期停止。
   注射於家兔可使血壓下降，呼吸增大。

5. 蟾蜍下肢灌流可使血管擴張。

6. 在離體兔腸標本上，有抑制平滑肌的作用。

7. 對兔有溶血作用

Chemical Ingredients:

化學成份:

Dosage:

用量：

Fresh herb: 10-15 grams

Dry herb 3 to 6 grams for decoction.

Essential oil: a few drops.

鲜品：10 ～ 15 克。

乾品：3 ～ 6 克，煎湯。

香油：數滴。

Commonly Used formulae:

常用配方:

Chronic back pain and rheumatism: xiang mao, shan xiang (山香) , guo shan xiang (過山香), jin gou ji ( 金狗脊)18 grams each,  add water and double boil. Taken orally.

Headache due to cold: fresh xiang mao 40 grams boiled with water and taken orally.

Bruises and hematoma: 40-60 grams of fresh xiang mao boiled with water and taken orally.

Modern Research:

Cautions:

禁忌：

Over usage causes headache and uneasiness in stomach. It may irritate sensitive skin. Do not use on skin inflammation or eczema.

使用過度可能導致頭痛和反胃。 可能會刺激敏感皮膚。不可用在發炎狀態的皮膚和濕疹上。