Geranium

Botanical Name - Pelargonium graveolens


Category - Medicinal


Form - Dry


Part Used - Leaves


General Information - "Commonly known as Geranium, Pelargonium graveolens, is an aromatic, perennial and flowering plant which belongs to Geraniaceae family in the order of Geraniales that contains about 230 genera and more than 2500 species4. Pelargonium species probably originates from South Africa and introduced to Europe in the 17th century and have since been hybridized all over the world5. Nowadays the major production of geranium takes place in China and Middle East especially in Egypt and Morocco6. Pelargonium genus has 750 species scattered widely around the world growing as annuals. P. graveolens has been known as â??Shamdani Atriâ?? in Iran. P. graveolens is a shrubby perennial plant growing to a height of 1 m if left unpruned. In the tropical areas it is grown as an annual. The leaves are lobed and contain essential oil. The plant has typical small, pink flowers. Leaves and stalks are the essential parts of this plant. The essential oil is extracted from fresh plant material mainly using steam distillation. P. graveolens essential oil is largely utilized in the perfumery, cosmetic and aromatherapy industries all over the world. It has since become indispensable aromatherapy oil. Geranium oil responds well to the balancing effects of constipation, insomnia, restlessness, nervousness, anxiety, worry, high blood pressure, anger, frustration, emotional upsets, hypercholesterolemia, slow to lose weight and low metabolic forces.
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Phytochemicals - "Many chemical constituents such as volatile substances, terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolics, coumarins, cinnamic acids and tannins have been isolated from the plant. Citronellol (29.90%), trans-geraniol (18.03%), 10-epi-�³- eudesmol (8.27%), isomenthone (5.44%), linalool (5.13%), geranyl acetate (4.52%), �³- Cadinene (2.89%), geranyl
butyrate (2.53%), geranyltiglate (2.50%) and gemacrene D (2.05%) were identified as the major constituents of the P. graveolens aerial parts essential oil. Phytochemical investigations in 1996 resulted in characterization of the indole alkaloids, elaeocarpidine, and its 20-H isomer epielaeocarpidine in the leaves of geranium.
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