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Impact of lemongrass oil, an essential oil, on serum cholesterol

  • Published:
Lipids

Abstract

To test the hypothesis that non-sterol mevalonate pathway end products lower serum cholesterol levels, we asked 22 hypercholesterolemic subjects (315±9 mg cholesterol/dl) to take a daily capsule containing 140 mg of lemongrass oil, an essential oil rich in geraniol and citral. The paired difference in serum cholesterol levels of subjects completing the 90-day study approached significance (P<0.06, 2-tailed t-test). The subjects segregated into two groups, one consisting of 14 subjects resistant to the protocol and the other consisting of 8 subjects who responded. Paired differences in cholesterol level at 30, 60 and 90 d for resistant subjects were +2±6, +2±7 and −1±6 mg/dl; paired differences for the responding subjects were −25±10 (p<0.05), −33±8 (p<0.01) and −38±10 (p<0.025), respectively. The paired difference (+8±4) in the cholesterol levels of six responders 90 days after the discontinuation of lemongrass oil was not significant.

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Abbreviations

GRAS:

Generally Regarded As Safe

HDL:

high density lipoprotein

HMGR:

3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl reductase

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Author information

Author notes

  1. G. L. Underbakke & P. Hanson

    Present address: Cardiology Section and Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, Department of Medicine, UW-Madison, Madison, USA

  2. E. Shrago (Director)

    Present address: Clinical Nutrition Research Unit, Clinical Nutrition Center, Department of Medicine, UW-Madison, Madison, USA

  3. R. H. Wainberg

    Present address: Department of Human Oncology, UW-Madison, Madison, USA

  4. A. A. Qureshi

    Present address: Biology Department, Piedmont College, 30351, Demarest, GA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin, 1415 Linden Drive, 53706, Madison, WI

    C. E. Elson, G. L. Underbakke, P. Hanson, E. Shrago (Director), R. H. Wainberg & A. A. Qureshi

Authors
  1. C. E. Elson
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  2. G. L. Underbakke
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  3. P. Hanson
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  4. E. Shrago
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  5. R. H. Wainberg
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  6. A. A. Qureshi
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Elson, C.E., Underbakke, G.L., Hanson, P. et al. Impact of lemongrass oil, an essential oil, on serum cholesterol. Lipids 24, 677–679 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02535203

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02535203

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