Revue De La Litterature : Cymbopogon citratus (Dc) Stapf, Ethnopharmacologie, Phytochimie Et Activites Pharmacologiques

Cymbopogon citratus (D.C.) Stapf est une herbe aromatique vivace appartenant a la famille des Poaceaes (Gramineas), utilise traditionnellement pour soigner diverses maladies. De nombreuses etudes ont montre que cette plante possede des proprietes antimicrobiennes, antifongiques, anti-inflammatoires, anti cancerigenes, antidiabetiques, anti-oxydantes, cardiovasculaires, insecticides et antiparasitaires. Les molecules les plus importantes responsables de ses proprietes therapeutiques sont : citral, myrcene, limonene, tanins, nerol acetate, neryl acetate, linalool, geranyl acetate, terpin-4-ol, â-caryophyllene, geraniol, saponosides, composes phenoliques, flavonoides. Bien que les extraits du C citratus ou certains de ses constituants tels que le citral, le myrcene et le limonene soient toxiques a forte dose, aucun cas d’intoxication relatif a l’utilisation du C citratus n’a ete decrit dans la litterature. Cet article est un resume non-exhaustif de la description botanique, de l’ethnopharmacologie, de la phytochimie, de l’activite pharmacologique et de la toxicite du C citratus . Mots cles: Cymbopogon citratus , citral, â-myrcene, antimicrobien, antifongique, toxicite English Abstract Cymbopogon citratus (D.C.) Stapf is a perennial aromatic herb belonging to Poaceaes (Gramineas) traditionally used to treat various diseases. Many studies have shown that this plant has an antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic, antidiabetic, antioxidant, cardiovascular, insecticide and pesticide activities. The therapeutic properties were related to citral, â myrcene, limonene, tannins, nerol acetate, neryl acetate, linalool, geranyl acetate, terpin-4-ol, â-caryophyllene, geraniol, saponins, flavonoids, phenolic compounds. Although extracts of C. citratus or some of its components such as citral, â-myrcene and limonene are toxic at high doses, no cases of human intoxication of C. citratus was described. This article is a non-exhaustive summary of the botanical description, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacological activity and toxicity of C. citratus . Keywords: Cymbopogon citratus , citral, â-myrcene, antimicrobial, antifungal, toxicity