Fwd: Lemon Grass

[J.M. Garg]

Forwarding pl.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Arun Kumar <dra...@bsnl.in>
Date: 2009/3/8
Subject: Lemon Grass
To: Rawat GS <raw...@wii.gov.in>, Chandola S K <s_chand...@yahoo.com>, "sas. Biswas" <bisw...@gmail.com>, "J.M. Garg" <jmg...@gmail.com>
Cc: DK Singh <singh...@rediffmail.com>

 

With best wishes and regards,
 
Dr. Arun Kumar, Ph.D.,
Director Research, Training & Placement,
Dolphin (PG) Institute of Biomedical & Natural Sciences,
Manduwala, Dehra Dun 248 007 (Uttrakhand)
0135-2672461 (R), 09219657030 (Cell)

----- Original Message -----

From: cj kalra

Sent: Sunday, March 08, 2009 6:24 AM

Subject: FW: Lemon Grass

 

---

 

Fresh lemon grass fields in Israel become Mecca for cancer patients By Allison Kaplan Sommer April 02, 2006 *************************************************************** A drink with as little as one gram of lemon grass contains enough citral to prompt cancer cells to commit suicide in the test tube. Israeli researchers find way to make cancer cells self-destruct -Ben Gurion University   At first, Benny Zabidov, an Israeli agriculturalist who grows greenhouses full of lush spices on a pastoral farm in Kfar Yedidya in the Sharon region, couldn't understand why so many cancer patients from around the country were showing up on his doorstep asking for fresh lemon grass. It turned out that their doctors had sent them. 'They had been told to drink eight glasses of hot water with fresh lemon grass steeped in it on the days that they went for their radiation and chemotherapy treatments,' Zabidov told ISRAEL21c. 'And this is the place you go to in Israel for fresh lemon grass.'   It all began when researchers at Ben Gurion University of the Negev discovered last year that the lemon aroma in herbs like lemon grass kills cancer cells in vitro, while leaving healthy cells unharmed. The research team was led by Dr. Rivka Ofir and Prof. Yakov Weinstein, incumbent of the Albert Katz Chair in Cell-Differentiation and Malignant Diseases, from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at BGU. Citral is the key component that gives the lemony aroma and taste in several herbal plants such as lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus), melissa (Melissa officinalis) and verbena (Verbena officinalis.) According to Ofir, the study found that citral causes cancer cells to 'commit suicide: using apoptosis, a mechanism called programmed cell death.' A drink with as little as one gram of lemon grass contains enough citral to prompt the cancer cells to commit suicide in the test tube. The BGU investigators checked the influence of the citral on cancerous cells by adding them to both cancerous cells and normal cells that were grown in a petri dish. The quantity added in the concentrate was equivalent to the amount contained in a cup of regular tea using one gram of lemon herbs in hot water. While the citral killed the cancerous cells, the normal cells remained unharmed. The findings were published in the scientific journal Planta Medica, which highlights research on alternative and herbal remedies. Shortly afterwards, the discovery was featured in the popular Israeli press. Why does it work? Nobody knows for certain, but the BGU scientists have a theory. 'In each cell in our body, there is a genetic program which causes programmed cell death. When something goes wrong, the cells divide with no control and become cancer cells. In normal cells, when the cell discovers that the control system is not operating correctly - for example, when it recognizes that a cell contains faulty genetic material following cell division - it triggers cell death,' explains Weinstein. 'This research may explain the medical benefit of these herbs.' The success of their research led them to the conclusion that herbs containing citral may be consumed as a preventative measure against certain cancerous cells. As they learned of the BGU findings in the press, many physicians in Israel began to believe that while the research certainly needed to be explored further, in the meantime it would be advisable for their patients, who were looking for any possible tool to fight their condition, to try to harness the cancer-destroying properties of citral. That's why Zabidov's farm - the only major grower of fresh lemon grass in Israel - has become a pilgrimage destination for these patients. Luckily, they found themselves in sympathetic hands. Zabidov greets visitors with a large kettle of aromatic lemon grass tea, a plate of cookies, and a supportive attitude. 'My father died of cancer, and my wife's sister died young because of cancer,' said Zabidov. 'So I understand what they are dealing with. And I may not know anything about medicine, but I'm a good listener. And so they tell me about their expensive painful treatments and what they've been through. I would never tell them to stop being treated, but it's great that they are exploring alternatives and drinking the lemon grass tea as well.' Zabidov knew from a young age that agriculture was his calling. At age 14, he enrolled in the Kfar Hayarok Agricultural high school. After his army service, he joined an idealistic group which headed south, in the Arava desert region, to found a new moshav (agricultural settlement) called Tsofar. 'We were very successful; we raised fruits and vegetables, and,' he notes with a smile, 'We raised some very nice children.' On a trip to Europe in the mid-80s, he began to become interested in herbs. Israel, at the time, was nothing like the trend-conscious cuisine-oriented country it is today, and the only spices being grown commercially were basics like parsley, dill, and coriander. Wandering in the Paris market, looking at the variety of herbs and spices, Zabidov realized that there was a great export potential in this niche. He brought samples back home with him, 'which was technically illegal,' he says with a guilty smile, to see how they would grow in his desert greenhouses. Soon, he was growing basil, oregano, tarragon, chives, sage, marjoram and melissa, and mint just to name a few. His business began to outgrow his desert facilities, and so he decided to move north, settling in the moshav of Kfar Yedidya, an hour and a half north of Tel Aviv. He is now selling 'several hundred kilos' of lemon grass per week, and has signed with a distributor to package and put it in health food stores. Zabidov has taken it upon himself to learn more about the properties of citral, and help his customers learn more, and has invited medical experts to his farm to give lectures about how the citral works and why. He also felt a responsibility to know what to tell his customers about its use. 'When I realized what was happening, I picked up the phone and called Dr. Weinstein at Ben-Gurion University, because these people were asking me exactly the best way to consume the citral. He said to put the loose grass in hot water, and drink about eight glasses each day.' Zabidov is pleased by the findings, not simply because it means business for his farm, but because it might influence his own health. Even before the news of its benefits were demonstrated, he and his family had been drinking lemon grass in hot water for years, 'just because it tastes good.'

 

---

Windows Live™ Contacts: Organize your contact list. Check it out.

--
With regards,
J.M.Garg
"We often ignore the beauty around us"
Creating Awareness about Indian Flora & Fauna:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1
For learning about our trees & plants, please visit/ join Google e-group (Indiantreepix) http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en

[sibdas]

Lemon grass is Cymbopogon citratus, source of an aromatic oil, used as
perfumery, cosmetics etc. Infusion of leaves used as substitute of Tea
(some more information in mail from Arun Kumar). Another Cymbopogon
sp. C. nardus is the Citronella grass, used for extraction of oil, for
perfumery, cosmetics etc. , also a mosquito repellant. Is it also used
as substitute of Tea.?

On Mar 9, 5:43 pm, "J.M. Garg" <jmga...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Forwarding pl.
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Arun Kumar <drar...@bsnl.in>
> Date: 2009/3/8
> Subject: Lemon Grass

> To: Rawat GS <raw...@wii.gov.in>, Chandola S K <s_chandola2...@yahoo.com>,
>
> "sas. Biswas" <biswas...@gmail.com>, "J.M. Garg" <jmga...@gmail.com>
> Cc: DK Singh <singh_d...@rediffmail.com>

>
> With best wishes and regards,
>
> Dr. Arun Kumar, Ph.D.,
> Director Research, Training & Placement,
> Dolphin (PG) Institute of Biomedical & Natural Sciences,
> Manduwala, Dehra Dun 248 007 (Uttrakhand)
> 0135-2672461 (R), 09219657030 (Cell)

> ----- Original Message ----- *From:* cj kalra <cjka...@hotmail.com>
> *Sent:* Sunday, March 08, 2009 6:24 AM
> *Subject:* FW: Lemon Grass
>
> ------------------------------
>
> *Fresh lemon grass fields in Israel become Mecca for cancer patients*

>
> By Allison Kaplan Sommer April 02, 2006
>
> ***************************************************************
>
> A drink with as little as one gram of lemon grass contains enough citral to
> prompt cancer cells to commit suicide in the test tube.
>
> Israeli researchers find way to make cancer cells self-destruct -Ben Gurion
> University
>
> At first, Benny Zabidov, an Israeli agriculturalist who grows greenhouses
> full of lush spices on a pastoral farm in Kfar Yedidya in the Sharon region,
> couldn't understand why so many cancer patients from around the country were
> showing up on his doorstep asking for fresh lemon grass. It turned out that
> their doctors had sent them. 'They had been told to drink eight glasses of
> hot water with fresh lemon grass steeped in it on the days that they went
> for their radiation and chemotherapy treatments,' Zabidov told ISRAEL21c.
> 'And this is the place you go to in Israel for fresh lemon grass.'
>
> It all began when researchers at Ben Gurion University of the

> Negevdiscovered last year that the lemon aroma in herbs like lemon

> grass kills
> cancer cells in vitro, while leaving healthy cells unharmed. The research
> team was led by Dr. Rivka Ofir and Prof. Yakov Weinstein, incumbent of the
> Albert Katz Chair in Cell-Differentiation and Malignant Diseases, from the
> Department of Microbiology and Immunology at BGU.
>

> Citral is the key component that gives the lemony aroma and taste in several
> herbal plants such as lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus), melissa (Melissa
> officinalis) and verbena (Verbena officinalis.)
>
> According to Ofir, the study found that citral causes cancer cells to
> 'commit suicide: using apoptosis, a mechanism called programmed cell death.'
> A drink with as little as one gram of lemon grass contains enough citral to
> prompt the cancer cells to commit suicide in the test tube.
>
> The BGU investigators checked the influence of the citral on cancerous

> cellsby adding them to both cancerous cells and normal cells that were

> He also felt a responsibility to know what to tell his customers about its
> use. 'When I realized what was happening, I picked up the phone and called
> Dr. Weinstein at Ben-Gurion University, because these people were asking me
> exactly the best way to consume the citral. He said to put the loose grass
> in hot water, and drink about eight glasses each day.'
>
> Zabidov is pleased by the findings, not simply because it means business for
> his farm, but because it might influence his own health. Even before the
> news of its benefits were demonstrated, he and his family had been drinking
> lemon grass in hot water for years, 'just because it tastes good.'
>

>   ------------------------------
>
> ------------------------------

> Windows Live™ Contacts: Organize your contact list. Check it

> out.<http://windowslive.com/connect/post/marcusatmicrosoft.spaces.live.com...>

>
> --
> With regards,
> J.M.Garg
> "We often ignore the beauty around us"
> Creating Awareness about Indian Flora & Fauna:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1
> For learning about our trees & plants, please visit/ join Google e-group
> (Indiantreepix)http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en
>
>
>

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[Anand Kumar Bhatt]

If I am not mistaken lemon grass is generally added to tea at the brewing stage. Can it be used as a substitute for tea as well?

akbhatt

My blogsite is at:
http://anandkbhatt.blogspot.com
And the photo site:
www.flickr.com/photos/akbhatt/

[Yazdy Palia]

Hi friends,
I have the same doubt as Mr. Anand Kumar Bhatt. Most Parsi houses use
Lemongrass and mint while brewing tea. I am yet to come across anybody
using it as a substitute for tea.
Regards
Yazdy Palia.

[sibdas ghosh]

It is so mentioned in some Indian Text Books, Apart from that Food and Drug Administration (USA) certifies it as a herbal tea (decoction of non-tea herbs) prescribed for stomach disorder, respiratory problems and for fever (hence also known as Fever tea). Germans also use it for that purpose- one of their" Kraeuter Tee"

--
Sibdas Ghosh

[rashida atthar]

Hi friends,
 
I would like to add a little bit of what I have experienced about the lemon grass tea. There is a Yoga institute in Mumbai  which conducts camps, day and residential. They only serve lemon grass tea. It is brewed with boiling water,  per cup about three to four strands of lemon grass are required and instead of sugar, brown jaggery is added. You can add milk or have it without milk. It has a very good aroma and tastes very good too !
 
regards,  

Rashida Atthar

 

---

Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:39:59 +0530
Subject: [indiantreepix:9277] Re: Fwd: Lemon Grass
From: sibda...@gmail.com
To: yazdy...@gmail.com
CC: anand...@gmail.com; indian...@googlegroups.com

[Yazdy Palia]

Hi Friends,
Rashida's information is interesting. I have lemon grass growing at
our place and use it for flavour along with regular tea leaves. Should
try it all by itself.
Regards
Yazdy Palia.

[Swagat]

Hi all,

Cymbopogum citratus called 'Gavati Chaha'  गवती चहा in Marathi मराठी.
in Sanskrut 'Putigandha'  संस्कृतमधे "पुतिगंधा"
in Hindi 'Gandhtrina' हिंदी- गंधत्रिणा

Regards,
~Swagat
----------------------------------------------------------------------

2009/3/10 Yazdy Palia <yazdy...@gmail.com>

--
'I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do.' - Helen Keller

[city farmer]

Dear all

pl see www.natuecocityfarming.blogspot.com giving a recipe for herbal
tea. All herbs for the herbal tea are grown organically on the
terrace.

Cheers
Preeti

On Mar 11, 9:02 pm, Swagat <swagat1...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Cymbopogum citratus called 'Gavati Chaha'  गवती चहा in Marathi मराठी.
> in Sanskrut 'Putigandha'  संस्कृतमधे "पुतिगंधा"
> in Hindi 'Gandhtrina' हिंदी- गंधत्रिणा
>
> Regards,
> ~Swagat
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>

> 2009/3/10 Yazdy Palia <yazdypa...@gmail.com>

>
>
>
>
>
> > Hi Friends,
> > Rashida's information is interesting. I have lemon grass growing at
> > our place and use it for flavour along with regular tea leaves. Should
> > try it all by itself.
> > Regards
> > Yazdy Palia.
>
> > On Tue, Mar 10, 2009 at 8:31 PM, rashida atthar
> > <rashidaatt...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > > Hi friends,
>
> > > I would like to add a little bit of what I have experienced about the
> > lemon
> > > grass tea. There is a Yoga institute in Mumbai  which conducts camps, day
> > > and residential. They only serve lemon grass tea. It is brewed with
> > boiling
> > > water,  per cup about three to four strands of lemon grass are required
> > and
> > > instead of sugar, brown jaggery is added. You can add milk or have it
> > > without milk. It has a very good aroma and tastes very good too !
>
> > > regards,
>
> > > Rashida Atthar
>
> > > ________________________________
> > > Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:39:59 +0530
> > > Subject: [indiantreepix:9277] Re: Fwd: Lemon Grass

> > > From: sibdasgh...@gmail.com
> > > To: yazdypa...@gmail.com
> > > CC: anandkbh...@gmail.com; indian...@googlegroups.com

>
> > > It is so mentioned in some Indian Text Books, Apart from that Food and
> > Drug
> > > Administration (USA) certifies it as a herbal tea (decoction of non-tea
> > > herbs) prescribed for stomach disorder, respiratory problems and for
> > fever
> > > (hence also known as Fever tea). Germans also use it for that purpose-
> > one
> > > of their" Kraeuter Tee"
>

> > > On Tue, Mar 10, 2009 at 10:37 AM, Yazdy Palia <yazdypa...@gmail.com>

> > wrote:
>
> > > Hi friends,
> > > I have the same doubt as Mr. Anand Kumar Bhatt. Most Parsi houses use
> > > Lemongrass and mint while brewing tea. I am yet to come across anybody
> > > using it as a substitute for tea.
> > > Regards
> > > Yazdy Palia.
>
> > > On Mon, Mar 9, 2009 at 10:36 PM, Anand Kumar Bhatt
> > > <anandkbh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >> If I am not mistaken lemon grass is generally added to tea at the
> > brewing
> > >> stage. Can it be used as a substitute for tea as well?
> > >> akbhatt
>

> ...
>
> read more »- Hide quoted text -

[J.M. Garg]

Wonderful discussions!!!

 

Here are some extracts from Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cymbopogon_citratus

Cymbopogon citratus, commonly known as lemon grass as well as oil grass, is a tropical plant from Southeast Asia which is often sold in stem form. Its leaves are used to make tea which can relieve stomach and gut problems. It can also act as an antidepressant and as a mood enhancer. While it can be grown in warmer temperate regions (such as UK) it is not hardy to frost.

Abundant in the Philippines, and 65- to 85-% citral, Cymbopogon citratus contains active ingredients like myrcene, an antibacterial and pain reliever, citronella, citronellol and geranilol. NGO Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc. (Adfi) established in Mambugsay, South of Negros and Escalante, Negros Occidental lemon grass essential oil production, via distillery plants which extract the oil. Hydro steam distillation, condensation and cooling were used to separate the oil from the water. Hydrosol or Hydrolat, as a by-product of the distillation process, is a pure natural water or plant water essence used for the production of skin care products such as lotions, creams and facial cleansing toner in its pure form. The main products are - organic unadulterated lemon grass oil (for industrial users), and “Negros Oil” (mixture of lemon grass oil with virgin coconut oil) used in aromatherapy.^[2]

2009/3/16 city farmer <preet...@gmail.com>

[Dinesh Valke]

Dear friends,

Referring
1) Wikipedia ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cymbopogon,
2) NPGS / GRIN ... http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?12810, http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?103628

... the nativitity for following:
East-Indian Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) ... India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, and Cambodia
West-Indian Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus) ... Malay archipelago
Ceylon Citronella Grass (Cymbopogon nardus) ... n-e, e, s tropical Africa, India, Sri Lanka
Java Citronella Grass (Cymbopogon winterianus) ... s-e Asia

My queries:
a) ... would like to know the grass used in tea, popularly known in Marathi as Gavati Chah गवती चहा.
b) ... are there any more of Cymbopogon species that are ... native to / cultivated in ... Maharashtra state, for use in tea


Regards.

2009/3/16 city farmer <preet...@gmail.com>

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[Gurcharan Singh]

At least two I could find

Cymbopogon citratus

C. flexuosus

-- 
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ 

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