Citronellal

Citronellal

Citronellal or rodinale is a monoterpene aldehyde whose term in the official IUPAC nomenclature is: 3,7-dimethyloct-6-enal and having a brute or molecular formula C10H18O.
Citronellal is the main component in the mixture of terpenoid chemical compounds that give lemongrass oil its characteristic lemon scent.
The citronellal is present, as well as in the essential oil of lemongrass (Cymbopogon Nardus L.) also in that of Eucalyptus maculata var. citriodora and E. dealbata; it is also present in the essential oil of Melissa officinalis.
The citronellal is present as a mixture in the two forms: the first terpinolenic, the second limonenic, which both can then exist in the stereoisomeric forms foreseeable by theory.

The enantiomer (S) – (-) – of the lemongrass makes up to 80% of the oil from the kaffir lime leaves and is the compound responsible for its characteristic aroma.
The lemongrass has insect repellent properties and research has shown a high repellent effectiveness against mosquitoes. In addition, another research shows that lemongrass has strong antifungal qualities.

Warning: The information shown is not medical advice and may not be accurate. The contents are for illustrative purposes only and do not replace medical advice.