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Botany
A small tree. The leaves smooth, oblong to broadly lanceolate,
4 to 10 cm long, with short petioles of about 1 cm long. Flowers
are white, solitary and short-pedicelled. Fruits are hesperidums,
with a loose skin and leathery pericarp, with a sweet pulp that
is only fairly juicy. Of many varieties, the large ones attain
a size of about 10 cm.
Distribution
Widely cultivated
in the Philippines.
Seeds and cuttings used for propagation.
Constituents
Rind: Volatile
oil, 14-19.33%-limonene, 92% and methylanthranillic acid, methyl
ester.
Juice: Citric acid, 0.35% - 1.2%; vitamins A, B, and C; hesperidin.
Parts
used and preparation
· Fruit,
rind and seeds.
· Rind preparation: gather the rind of any ripe citrus
fruit and sun-dry, either whole or cut into thin slices.
· Seed preparation: place the seed in a container, add
an amount of water equal to one fiftieth of the total weight
of the seeds, store for a short time and put into a dry kettle.
Heat with a weak fire until the materials turn light yellow and
smell fragrant. Sundry the material. Crush before using.
Drug
Characteristics and Pharmacological Effects
The seed preparation has pain relieving effect. In Malaya, a
decoction of the roots is used in dysentery. Powdered leaves
with leaves of Areca catechu may be drunk for stomach ache. An
infusion of the fresh juice is used as a cleanser or stimulant
of wound surfaces. A lotion of the boiled leaves is used hot
on painful places and swelling in Malaya. Seed preparation tastes
bitter with pain relieving effect. Rind preparation tastes bitter,
with mild nature. The fibers of the rind tastes bitter-sweet,
neutral natured.
Uses
Nutritional
· Fruit: Food
and source of vitamin C.
· Flavor: Rind.
Folkloric
· Nausea and fainting: Squeeze rind near nostril for irritant
inhalation.
· Decoction of roots used for cough and fever.
· For cough: boil a concentrated decoction of the rind
and drink.
· For anorexia and vomiting: add fresh rhizome of ginger
to a concentrated decoction of the rind and drink.
· Decoction of dried flowers used for diarrhea.
· Decoction of rind or peel used to regulate menses.
· Leg bath of boiled leaves used for rheumatism, and painful
and swollen legs.
· Oil from rind used for stomach problems; and as liniment
for gout, rheumatism and other painful swellings.
Note: The folkloric applications are
similar for all Citrus species.
Availability
Widely cultivated.
Commercial fruiting.
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