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Botany
Small branching hairy shrub. Leaves are
long-petioled, palmately compound, 5- to 7-lobed or parted, fragrantly
scented. Flowers are pink or light purple on long peduncles.
Parts used
Leaves
Propagation
Stem cuttings.
Constituents
and properties
• Essential oil
contains myrcene, or beta-myrcene, an olefinic monterpene which is used
in traditional and commercial repellent preparations. (Source)
• Yields geraniol which is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry.
Properties
• Considered anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, sedative, anti-cancer.
Uses
Culinary
Edibility: Flowers, leaves.
Fresh leaves as condiment or tea.
Rose-scented leaves used as flavoring in desserts, jellies, vinegars.
Folkloric
Decoction of leaves used for cough and stomach aches.
Elsewhere used to stop bleeding, for wound healing and for antibacterial properties.
Aromatherapy
Leaf essential oil used in aromatherapy and massage for stress and skin problems. Essential oil considered to have antidepressant properties but has not been proven by clinical studies.
Others
Mosquito repellant.
Deodorant.
Cosmetic: Popular ingredient in cosmetic products for acne, anti-wrinkling, anti-stretch marks preparations.
Studies
• Essential Oils / Antioxidant: Study of the essential oil and monomer of P graveolens showed antioxidant effect.
• Antibacterial Effect / Antibiotic Synergism : Study was done to verify the possible synergistic effect between P graveolens essential oil and the antibiotic Norfloxacin. The results showed the occurrence of pronounced synergism between P graveolens essential oil and Norfloxacin against three bacterial species.
• Overdose / Renal and Hepatic Effects : Study showed an overdose of geranium extract can cause liver and kidney damage and suggests careful dosing and periodic laboratory testing for renal and liver functions.
Availability
Cultivated for aromatic
medicinal and ornamental uses. |
