Citral
Compiled from published pharmacological and botanical literature. Not independently verified by Herbuno. Spotted an error or have a correction? Flag it below →
| Chemical Class | Acyclic monoterpene aldehyde |
| Molecular Formula / CAS | C₁₀H₁₆O · CAS 5392-40-5 (mixture of geranial and neral isomers) |
| Primary Botanical Source(s) | Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus, C. citratus); also lemon balm and lemon myrtle |
| Plant Part | Leaf (essential oil) |
| Typical Content | The dominant component of lemongrass essential oil, typically 65–85% of total oil composition |
| Solubility / Format | Volatile, oil-soluble monoterpene; available as a high-purity standardised powder/isolate |
| Sourcing Status | Product-live — genuine match via Herbuno’s lemongrass extract line |
| Buy from Herbuno | Citral 95% Powder (Lemongrass Extract) |
Name origin: Citral takes its name from its citrus-like aroma, being the primary compound responsible for the strong lemon scent of lemongrass despite the plant bearing no botanical relation to citrus fruit. Traditional use: Lemongrass has an extensive history in Brazilian and broader Latin American folk medicine, prepared as an infusion (“abafado”) for nervous and gastrointestinal disturbances and fever, and carries parallel traditional use across South and Southeast Asian culinary and medicinal traditions. Research trajectory: Early pharmacological research on lemongrass essential oil through the mid-20th century sought to confirm its traditional sedative and calming reputation, with citral subsequently identified as a major contributor to this effect; research since has expanded substantially into citral’s anti-inflammatory mechanisms specifically, an area that has grown considerably in the past decade, alongside continued anxiolytic and antimicrobial investigation. Commercial source: Lemongrass is the standard commercial source of citral, and Herbuno’s standardised extract reflects this well-established, genuine botanical match.
Evidence for Citral Applications
Citral is chemically a mixture of two geometric isomers, geranial (trans-citral, sometimes called citral A) and neral (cis-citral, citral B), which together account for the majority of lemongrass essential oil composition; both isomers contribute to citral’s biological activity, and analytical citral specifications typically report the combined total of both forms. Claim strength: Moderate.
In a rodent model of experimental Staphylococcus aureus infection, citral essential oil demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting NF-κB translocation and reducing inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in LPS-stimulated macrophages, with the study also reporting reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-alpha) alongside lower bacterial load in treated animals (et al. 2017). Claim strength: Moderate.
At the molecular level, citral has been shown to suppress cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene expression while activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors alpha and gamma (PPARα/γ) in human macrophage-like cells, a mechanistic combination linking citral to both direct anti-inflammatory activity and lipid-metabolism-relevant nuclear receptor signalling (Katsukawa et al. 2010). This dual mechanism helps explain citral’s broad reported anti-inflammatory and metabolic research interest. Claim strength: Moderate.
A dedicated study of isolated citral’s anxiolytic activity, using diazepam and buspirone as reference comparators in mice, found that citral produced anxiolytic-like effects in the elevated plus maze and open-field tests, with pharmacological blocking experiments indicating the effect occurs via both GABA-A receptor and 5-HT1A serotonin receptor modulation (et al. 2022). This study examined the isolated compound directly, distinguishing it from earlier essential-oil-level anxiolytic research on lemongrass generally. Claim strength: Emerging.
Because citral is volatile and readily degrades under heat, light and oxygen exposure, formulators should account for its instability in both raw-material storage and finished-product shelf-life planning; citral degradation products have also been associated with skin-sensitisation potential in some individuals, distinct from freshly-prepared citral itself, which is a consideration for topical and fragrance applications specifically. Beyond its anti-inflammatory and anxiolytic research, citral has also shown antimicrobial activity against a range of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria in laboratory testing, and separate research has examined its effects on cervical and breast cancer cell lines, though this cytotoxicity research remains preliminary and cell-culture based. Claim strength: Moderate.
Dosage & Formulator Specification
Published rodent research on citral’s anxiolytic activity has used intraperitoneal doses in the 1–20 mg/kg range, while anti-inflammatory research has used comparable low-dose ranges; no formally established human oral dosing range exists for isolated citral specifically, distinct from general lemongrass essential oil aromatherapy use.
Analytical quantification of citral is performed by GC or HPLC, reporting the combined geranial plus neral content; formulators should request fresh-material analytical data given citral’s known instability, since older or improperly stored material can show reduced citral content and increased degradation products relative to its original specification. A certificate of analysis stating only total citral without a breakdown of the two individual isomers is generally sufficient for most formulation purposes, since both isomers contribute similarly to the compound’s characteristic aroma and reported bioactivity.
Given documented reports of skin sensitisation associated with oxidised citral degradation products, formulators working in topical or fragrance applications should source fresh, properly stabilised material and consider antioxidant co-formulation where citral is a significant component of the finished product.
Regulatory positioning for citral follows established lemongrass and citrus-flavour-ingredient precedent in most markets; it is a recognised flavouring and fragrance substance under FEMA and IFRA frameworks. High doses of citral have been associated with developmental toxicity in some animal studies, so pregnancy-related caution is generally advised for concentrated lemongrass or citral products. Formulators should also note that IFRA restricts maximum use concentrations for citral in certain leave-on cosmetic categories specifically because of its documented sensitisation potential, and should verify current category-specific limits before finalising a topical formulation.
Frequently Asked Questions — Citral
Citral is not a single molecule but a mixture of two geometric isomers, geranial (trans-citral) and neral (cis-citral), which together make up the majority of lemongrass essential oil and give it its characteristic strong lemon scent.
Research in mice has found that isolated citral produces anxiolytic-like effects comparable to reference anti-anxiety medications, working through both GABA-A and serotonin (5-HT1A) receptor pathways. This builds on lemongrass’s long traditional use as a calming remedy in folk medicine.
Citral is volatile and degrades under heat, light and oxygen exposure. Degraded citral has also been associated with skin sensitisation in some individuals, which is a particular consideration for topical and fragrance formulations using older or improperly stored material.
Research has found citral suppresses COX-2 gene expression and activates PPAR-alpha and gamma nuclear receptors, and separately inhibits NF-κB signalling and reduces pro-inflammatory cytokine production in infection models, giving it a multi-pathway anti-inflammatory mechanism.
Related compounds: Eugenol, Alpha-Pinene