Citrus limon Health Dictionary

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  2. Citrus Limon

Citrus Limon: From 1 Different Sources

(Linn.) Burm.f.

Family: Rutaceae.

Habitat: Cultivated all over India.

English: Lemon.

Ayurvedic: Jambira, Jambh, Jambhir, Jaamphal, Nimbu, Nimbuka, Naaranga, Limpaka, Dantashatha, Airaavata, Neebu (bigger var.).

Unani: Utraj.

Siddha/Tamil: Periya elumuchhai.

Action: Fruit—antiscorbutic, carminative, stomachic, antihistaminic, antibacterial. Used during coughs, colds, influenza and onset of fever (juice of roasted lemon), hiccoughs, biliousness. Fruit juice—used externally for ringworm (mixed with salt), erysipelas, also in the treatment of leprosy and white spots. Leaves and stems—antibacterial.

All parts of the plants of citrus sp. contain coumarins and psoralins. The fruits contain flavonoids and li- monoids. The flavonoids comprise three main groups—flavanones, fla- vones and 3-hydroxyflavylium (antho- cyanins); flavanones being predominantly followed by flavones and antho- cyanins. Bitter flavonoids do not occur in lemon and lime.

Lemon juice is a richer source of antiscorbutic vitamin (contains 4050 mg/100 g of vitamin C) than lime, and a fair source of carotene and vitamin B1. Volatile oil (about 2.5% of the peel) consists of about 75% limonene, alpha-and beta-pinenes, alpha-ter- pinene and citral. The fruit juice also contains coumarins and bioflavonoids.

The acid content of the fruit, once digested, provides an alkaline effect within the body and is found useful in conditions where acidity is a contributory factor (as in case of rheumatic conditions). The bioflavonoids strengthen the inner lining of blood vessels, especially veins and capillaries, and help counter varicose veins, arteriosclerosis, circulatory disorders and infections of liver, stomach and intestines.

Major flavonoid glycosides, isolated from citrus peels and juices, include hesperidin (with properties of vitamin P). Rutin and other flavanones, isolated from citrus fruits, form the principal components of vitamin P. Flavanone glycosides contained in lemon and lime juices are eriocitrin 47 and 94; hesperidin 84 and 196 mg/l, respectively.

The composition of cold pressed lime oil is quite similar to lemon oil, but citral content of lime oil is higher.

Monoterpene alcohols and their esters, aldehydes—geraniol, geranial and neral, contribute to the characteristic aroma of lemon and lime.

Dosage: Fruit—6-12 g (Juice—5- 10 ml). (API Vol. IV.)
Health Source: Indian Medicinal Plants
Author: Health Dictionary

Citrus Aurantifolia

(Christm.) Swingle.

Synonym: C. medica L. var. acida (Roxb.) Hook. f.

Family: Rutaceae.

Habitat: Wild in the warm valleys of the outer Himalayas. Cultivated in the plains.

English: Acid or Sour Lime, Country Lime.

Ayurvedic: Nimbuka.

Unani: Limu Kaghzi.

Siddha/Tamil: Elummichhai, Thurinjippazham.

Folk: Kaagazi Nimbu.

Action: Antiscorbutic, stomachic, appetizer, refrigerant. Used in bilious vomiting. Leaves—an infusion is given for fever in jaundice, for sore throat, thrush. Root—an infusion is given for colic and dysentery, also as febrifuge.

Limes are rich in vitamins, minerals and alkaline salts, but not in fruit sugars. Lime peel contains ergosterol. An enzyme, 1,3-beta-glucan hydrolase has been reported from the bark and leaf extract. See C. limon.... citrus aurantifolia

Citrus Aurantium

Linn.

Family: Rutaceae.

Habitat: Cultivated in Khasi hills and Cachar. Also in Guntur (Andhra Pradesh). Found in semiwild state in the Naga and Khasi hills.

English: Citrus dulcis, Sour Orange, Sweet Orange.

Folk: Khattaa.

Siddha/Tamil: Mallikanarangi.

Action: Peel—laxative, feeble stomachic, emmenagogue. Leaves— prescribed in the treatment of arthritis and bronchitis. Flowers— aqueous extract is employed in scurvy, fever, inflammation, nervous and hysterical cases. Fruit— a decoction is used to recover from cachexia left by intermittent fever and in cases of enlarged spleen. Dried rind—used in atonic dyspepsia.

Key application: Cut peel—in loss of appetite and dyspeptic ailments. (German Commission E.). As a bitter tonic. (British Pharmacopoeia.)

The main constituents of the peel include the alkaloid synephrine and N- methyltyramine. Synephrine, an alpha 1-adrenergic agonist, stimulates a rise in blood pressure through vasoconstriction. N-methyltyramine also raises blood pressure.

The root gave xanthyletin. The essential oil exhibits antifun- gal activity, it was found effective in treatment-resistant fungal skin diseases. (Expanded Commission E Monographs.)

Commercially available Citrus vul- garis (bitter orange) extracts are often promoted for weight loss due to purported thermogenic effects. In animal models, synephrine causes weight loss, but also increases cardiovascular toxic- ity. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)... citrus aurantium

Citrus Maxima

(Burm.) Merrill.

Synonym: C. decumana Watt. C. grandis (L.) Osbeck

Family: Rutaceae.

Habitat: North-eastern region up to 1,500 m in Assam and Tripura.

English: Pummelo, Shaddock.

Ayurvedic: Madhukarkatikaa.

Unani: Chakotra.

Siddha/Tamil: Pambalimasu.

Folk: Mahaa-nibu, Sadaaphal.

Action: Fruit—cardiotonic. Leaves, flowers and rind—used as a sedative in nervous affections. Leaves— used in convulsive cough, chorea, epilepsy, also in the treatment of haemorrhagic diseases. A lotion of boiled leaves used hot in painful swellings. The essential oil from fresh leaves exhibits dermatophytic, and fungistatic activity.

The root-bark contains beta-sitos- terol and acridone alkaloids. It also contains several coumarins. The alkaloids and coumarins show antimicrobial acitivity.

The essential oil from the leaves and unripe fruits contain 20% limonin, 30% nerolol, 40% nerolyl acetate and 3% geraniol. diosmin, beta-sitosterol and beta-D- glucoside. The roots contain campes- terol, stigmasterol, sitosterol and cholesterol.

Aqueous extract of the peel showed hypotensive action in dogs.

The fruits and seeds are a cardioton- ic; found useful in palpitation.

Dosage: Fruit—10-20 ml juice. (API Vol. III.) Leaf, flower, fruit, root— 50-100 ml decoction. (CCRAS.)... citrus maxima

Limón

Lemon (Citrus spp.; typically Citrus limon).

Plant Part Used: Fruit, leaf, root.

Dominican Medicinal Uses: Fruit: juice or tea, orally for common cold, flu, kidney stones, musculoskeletal injury, diarrhea; juice, topically, for burns, bruises and dermatological conditions. Root: multi-herb decoction or tincture, orally, menstrual disorders.

Safety: Fruit is widely consumed and generally considered safe; little data available on safety of root and leaves.

Laboratory & Preclinical Data: Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, diuretic, nutritive.

* See entry for Limón in “Part 3: Dominican Medicinal Plant Profiles” of this book for more information, including references.... limón

Citrus Paradisi

Macf.

Family: Rutaceae.

Habitat: Khasi Hills, submountain- ous Himalayan ranges in Garhwal, Kumaon in U.P., Maland areas of South, Pachmarhi (Madhya Pradesh), Sikkim and Western Ghats.

English: Citron.

Ayurvedic: Maatulunga, Lunga, Maatulaka, Mahaalunga, Bijpuura, Bijaahva.

Unani: Turanj.

Siddha/Tamil: Kadaranrathai, Naarthankai, Thurinjippazham.

Folk: Bijoraa.

Action: Fruit—antiscorbutic, refrigerant, astringent, carminative, stomachic, antibacterial. Used for dyspepsia, bilious vomiting, cold, fever, hiccough. Root— anthelmintic. Flowers and buds— astringent.

The peel contains coumarins, limet- tin, scoparone, scopoletin and um- belliferon; besides nobiletin, limonin,

Family: Rutaceae.

Habitat: Native to the West Indies. Commercialized in the USA. Cultivated mainly in Punjab.

English: Grapefruit, 'Marsh' Grapefruit.

Folk: Chakotraa. Chima Bombili- maas (Tamil Nadu).

Action: Young leaves—decoction is used to relieve cold or headache. Fruit—used for developing resistance against colds and influenza.

Grapefruit is rich in vitamins, minerals, potassium and pectin, which balance the acid reaction in the stomach and stimulate appetite. Half grapefruit contains vitamin A 318 IU, vitamin C 46.8 mg, niacin 0.2 mg, potassium 158 mg. The fruit contains beta- carotene and cartenoid lycopene. Ly- copene is especially noted for reducing the risk of prostate cancer. The fruit juice contains furanocoumarins, including bergamottin, also naringin, naringenin, limonin, quercetin, kaem- pferol and obacunone.

For drug interactions with grapefruit juice, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.

Grapefruit is not to be confused with grape (Vitis vinifera).... citrus paradisi

Feronia Limonia

(Linn.) Swingle.

Synonym: F. elephantum Corr.

Family: Rutaceae.

Habitat: Indigenous to South India; cultivated throughout the plains of India up to 500 m in the western Himalaya.

English: Wood Apple.

Ayurvedic: Kapittha, Dadhittha, Dadhiphala, Surabhichhada, Dantshatha, Kapipriya.

Unani: Kuvet.

Siddha/Tamil: Vilamaram, Vilangai, Narivila.

Folk: Kaith.

Action: Fruit—antiscorbutic, carminative, stimulates the digestive system bark. Pulp is included in a paste to tone the breast. Leaves— astringent; used for indigestion, flatulence, diarrhoea, dysentery and haemorrhoids.

Unripe fruit—prescribed in sprue, malabsorption syndrome. (The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India.)

The leaves and stem bark contain the coumarins, luvangetin, xanthotoxin and limonin and the steroids, sitosterol and sitosterol-O-beta-D-glucoside.

Antifungal compounds, psoralene from stem bark; xanthotoxin and os- thenol from root bark and 2,6-dimeth- oxybenzo-quinone from the fruit shell are reported. Roots contain xanthotoxin and bergapten, used for the treatment of leucoderma, characterized by vitiligo.

Dosage: Dried pulp of mature fruit—1-3 g powder. (API Vol. II.)... feronia limonia

Limoncillo

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus).

Plant Part Used: Leaf, stalk.

Dominican Medicinal Uses: Leaf/stalk: infusion, orally, for asthma, common cold, flu-symptoms, stomach ailments, indigestion, gastro-intestinal pain, diarrhea (in children), menopausal hot flashes, arthritis, internal bruising and musculoskeletal injury.

Safety: This plant is nontoxic according to clinical studies; the essential oil potential may cause allergic reaction to skin or lung irritation if inhaled.

Contraindications: Pregnancy.

Laboratory & Preclinical Data: In vivo: anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, lowered heart rate (leaf infusion, essential oil); antinociceptive (essential oil); chemopreventive, inhibition of hepatocarcinogenesis (leaf extract); hypocholesterolemic (leaves).

In vitro: antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antitumor, polyphenol oxidase inhibition (essential oil or constituents); enzyme inhibition, vasorelaxant (leaf/stalk extract).

* See entry for Limoncillo in “Part 3: Dominican Medicinal Plant Profiles” of this book for more information, including references.... limoncillo

Limonia Crenulata

Roxb.

Synonym: Hesperethusa crenulata (Roxb.) M. Roem.

Family: Rutaceae.

Habitat: Throughout India, from Punjab and Kumaon eastwards; in Assam, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and South India.

Ayurvedic: Bilvaparni.

Siddha/Tamil: Nayvila.

Folk: Ran-limbu, Naringi (Mum- bai), Tondsha (Maharashtra), Beli, Bainthaa.

Action: Dried fruit—stomachic; used in pestilent fevers, also as an antidote to poisons. Root— purgative, sudorific.

The plant showed anti-inflammatory activity which was attributed to 8- hydroxy-6-methoxy-2-methyl-anthra- quinone-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside in animal studies.

The leaves contain an essential oil; major constituents are geraniol, alpha- and beta-pinene, 1,8-cineole, elemol acetate, linool, alpha-terpinolene, camphor, eudesmol, p-cymene, cam- phane, azulene, borneol acetate, alpha- terpenol, alpha-curcumene, alpha thu- jone, limolene, myrcene and beta- ocimene.

Leaves also contain anthraquinones and dalbargin galactopyranoside.... limonia crenulata

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