|  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.
Studies
· Phytochemical: The volatile compounds in three selected Asian
citrus fruits (C. nobilis, C. sinensis, C reticulata) were characterized.
A total of 51 compounds were detected in C. nobilis, 41 in Dalandan:
terpenes, carbonyls, alcohols, esters and hydrocarbons, with limonene
as the main compound.
· Radioprotective
/ Naringin Citrus Flavonone: Naringin, a prominent
bioflavonoids in grapefruit and other citrus fruits, is present in C.
nobilis. Study on the free radical scavenging of naringin revealed a
dose-dependent scavenging and demonstrates it can protect mouse bone
marrow cells against radiation-induced chromosomal damage.
Note: The folkloric applications are similar for
all Citrus species.
Also see: Dalandan
Availability
Widely cultivated.
Commercial fruiting.
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