There's no shortage of headlines claiming that everyday herbs and spices can help fight cancer. And lemongrass is a name that often comes up.
You’ve probably heard of lemongrass teas or essential oils or even dietary supplements.
So, why has it become so popular in the scientific community?
Researchers have identified several naturally occurring compounds in lemongrass that appear to influence how cancer cells behave under laboratory conditions. Some studies have found they can slow the growth of certain cancer cells or trigger processes that cause those cells to die (more on that below).
But before we get too excited, it's important to understand what these studies actually show… and what they don't.
Let's take a look at what the science says.
Why Researchers Are Interested in Lemongrass
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) has been used for centuries in cooking and traditional medicine, particularly throughout Asia, Africa, and South America.
Today, scientists are interested in it for its rich collection of naturally occurring bioactive compounds.
The most studied of these is citral, which gives lemongrass its distinctive citrus aroma. Researchers are also investigating compounds such as geraniol, limonene, and beta-caryophyllene (BCP) because of their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and other biological properties.
A comprehensive 2024 review of lemongrass research notes that these compounds have attracted attention across several areas of health research, including inflammation, infection, and cancer biology.
What the Research Has Found So Far
Much of the excitement around lemongrass comes from what researchers have observed in laboratory and animal studies.
In experiments using isolated cancer cells, lemongrass extracts and individual compounds have been shown to:
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slow the growth of certain cancer cells
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encourage damaged cancer cells to self-destruct through a natural process called apoptosis
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influence pathways involved in inflammation and oxidative stress
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reduce the ability of some cancer cells to multiply
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Prostate Cancer
One of the compounds receiving the most attention is citral. Laboratory research has found that citral can affect several biological pathways involved in cancer cell survival and may reduce the ability of prostate cancer cells to grow and form new colonies.
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Lung Cancer
Researchers have also investigated lemongrass against lung cancer cells. In separate laboratory studies, both lemongrass essential oil and citral slowed the growth of certain lung cancer cell lines and promoted apoptosis, or programmed cell death.
Later research using A549 lung cancer cells reported similar findings, showing that lemongrass extracts caused both apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.
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Breast Cancer
Other studies have explored different compounds found in lemongrass. For example, researchers isolated a unique polysaccharide from the plant and found it showed anti-breast cancer activity in laboratory testing, adding to growing interest in lemongrass's complex chemical profile.
Animal studies have also produced encouraging results. In one mouse study, lemongrass essential oil appeared to protect against DNA damage associated with chemically induced mammary cancer, suggesting that its biological effects may extend beyond isolated cells.
Taken together, these studies suggest that compounds in lemongrass have genuine biological activity. They also help explain why researchers continue investigating the plant as a potential source of future therapeutic compounds.
What These Findings Mean, and What They Don't
The research is certainly interesting, but it's important to keep it in perspective.
Almost all of the evidence available today comes from cell culture experiments and animal studies. These are valuable first steps because they help scientists understand how natural compounds behave and identify which ones deserve further investigation.
However, success in the laboratory doesn't automatically translate into success in people.
Cancer cells growing in a petri dish are exposed directly to concentrated extracts under carefully controlled conditions. Inside the human body, those same compounds must be absorbed through digestion, metabolized by the liver, distributed throughout the body, and reach a tumor in sufficient amounts to have an effect. That's a much more complicated process.
At present, there are no large, well-designed human clinical trials showing that lemongrass can prevent, treat, or cure cancer.
That means lemongrass should not be viewed as a substitute for evidence-based treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, or other physician-directed care.
The Bottom Line
The research around lemongrass, especially its ability to slow the growth of certain cancer cells, is exciting. However, they do not yet prove that lemongrass can prevent, treat, or cure cancer in humans.
For now, lemongrass is best appreciated as a nutritious culinary herb with many benefits including those connected with cancer.
As research continues into plant-based compounds such as citral and beta-caryophyllene, there may come a time when they contribute to new therapies.