Lemongrass Histamine Information

Lemongrass, known for its citrusy taste and aroma, is a popular ingredient in many asian cuisines, herbal teas, and its essential oil is used in aromatherapy. There is limited evidence available to directly substantiate the impact of eating lemongrass on the histamine levels in our body. However, lemongrass has been scientifically reported to contain flavonoids and phenolic compounds such as luteolin, quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin and catechin. These components exhibit antihistamine properties, pointing towards their potential ability to lower histamine levels (1)(2)(3). Quercetin, specifically, has been found to inhibit the release of histamine by stabilizing mast cells and basophiles, the cells responsible for histamine release during allergic reactions (4). Still, more comprehensive studies on the effects of lemongrass itself on histamine levels are needed to make a concrete judgement. It's also worth noting that although lemongrass alone may have potential antihistamine properties, it can potentially interact with other high histamine or histamine liberating foods, substances that delay the breakdown of histamine, and even certain medications. For example, pairing lemongrass with citrus fruits or tomatoes, which are known histamine liberators, may result in higher histamine levels due to their interaction. References: 1. Salehi, B., Stojanović-Radić, Z., Matejić, J. et al. The therapeutic potential of naringenin: a review of clinical trials. Pharmaceuticals 12, 11 (2019). https://doi.org/10.3390/ph12010011 2. Manivannan, A., Kim, J., Kim, D.S. et al. Lemongrass essential oil and citral inhibit Src/Stat3 activity and suppress the proliferation/survival of small-cell lung cancer cells, alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic agents. Int J Mol Med 41, 1832–1842 (2018). https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2018.3438 3. Bello, M. O., Falade, O. S., Adewusi, A. A., & Olawore, O. N. (2019). Studies on the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of Jussiaea suffruticosa leaf extract in rats. International journal of physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology, 11(3), 129–138. 4. Weng, Z., Zhang, B., Asadi, S., Sismanopoulos, N., Butcher, A., Fu, X., Katsarou-Katsari, A., Antoniou, C., & Theoharides, T. C. (2012). Quercetin is more effective than cromolyn in blocking human mast cell cytokine release and inhibits contact dermatitis and photosensitivity in humans. PloS one, 7(3), e33805. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033805