Botany
Small, erect tree with smooth, greenish white shoots with spinescent thorns. Leaves are oblong to subelliptic, about 4 cm wide to 10 cm long, with narrowly winged petioles. Flowers are white, solitary or few clustered, smooth, and growing from the uppermost leaf axils. Fruit is spherical, 5 to 9 cm in diameter, the skin orange red and tight; partitioned inside with yellowish juice sacks.

Distribution
Found throughout the Philippines, invariably planted.

Chemical constituents and characteristics
• Emmenagogue, aromatic, stomachic, tonic, astringent, mildly carminative, antibacterial, antiemetic, antifungal, antispasmodic, antitussive, diaphoretic, digestive, stimulant.
• Citric acid, 0.29%; volatile oil-citral, 4%, geraniol, 12%, d-camphene, d-limonene, d-linalool, anthranilic acid methyl ester 0.3%, linalyl acetate 6.35%; indol; stachydrine (alkaloid); hesperidin; fatty oil; carotene; pectin, 6%; vitamins A, B, and C; enzymes; sugar.
• The flowers and rind of the fresh fruit contain neroli, a volatile oil, a fragrant yellowish liquid with a bitter and aromatic taste. In india, Neroli, mixed with vaseline, is used as a preventive agaiinst leeches.
•The leaves and young unripe fruit contain a volatile oil, the oil of orange leaf or "neroli petit" grain or essence de "pettitgrain." The oil consists of limonene 20 percent, nerolo 30 percent, nerolyl-acetate 40 percent and geranio 3 percent.
• Limonoid compounds have highest concentration in the early stages of growth of the leaves and fruit and highest in seeds during fruit growth and maturation.
• Contains bergapten which sensitizes the skin to sunlight; used in tanning preparations for skin pigmentation.
• Contains umbelliferone, an antifungal.
• Contains citrantin which has antifertility activity and used in contraceptives.

Parts used
Flowers, fruit and rind.

Uses:
Folkloric
Gas pains: Take decoction of rind as tea.
Nausea and fainting: Squeeze rind near nostril for irritant inhalation.
Dried flowers used as preventive for dysentery.
Orange peel used in preparation of tincture of cinchona and tincture of gentian.
Dried rind is used as tonic dyspepsia and for general debility.
Dried rind is rubbed on the face for acne or eczema.
Water distilled from the flowers used as stimulant.
Nutrition / Culinary
A good source of vitamin C.
Rich in flavonoids.
Dried flowers is a pleasant flavoring agent.
Condiment, fruit, oil.
Flowers used for scenting tea.
Essential oil from the dried fruit used as food flavoring.
Fruit rind used for baking flavors.
Others
Neroli oil, mixed with vaseline, for leech prevention.
Studies
• Citrus flavonoids have potential antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-cancer, antiviral, anti-inflammatory activity, and cholesterol lowering potential.

Caution !
Citrus Aurantium, Herbal Weight Loss Ingredient, Ephedra Substitute, May Have Risks: Since the banning of ephedra-containing weight loss products, products containing C. aurantium have surfaced. C. aurantium contains flavonoids and can increase blood levels of drugs (cyclosporine, felodipine, indinavir) with potential drug interactions and attendant side effects.

Availability
Cultivated
Wild-crafted.