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Botany
Small tree or shrub,
2-4 meters high, smooth throughout, branching with slender, solitary,
sharp spines 1 cm or less. Leaves are oblong-ovate to elliptic-ovate,
4-6 cm long. Petioles are 1-1.5 cm long. Racemes are short, bearing
few flowers, white and fragrant. Petals are 4, oblong, 10-12 mm long.
The fruit is almost spherical, 3-5 cm in diameter, yellow, thin-skinned,
10-celled or more.
Distribution
Planted throughout the Philippines in settled areas.
Constituents
and properties
Pulp: citric acid, 4.24%;
protein, 0.94%; sugar, 0.5%.
Juice: citric acid, 7.67%; vitamin C.
Juice is regarded as antiseptic, tonic, antiscorbutic, astringent, diuretic.
Root bark is febrifuge.
Parts utilized
Fruit, roots, bark, rind.
Uses
Folkloric
Nausea and fainting: Squeeze
rind near nostril for irritant inhalation.
Decoction of roots used for dysentery; root-bark as febrifuge.
Crushed leaves applied to forehead for headaches.
Leaf decoction for eyewash and to bathe a feverish patient.
Mouthwash and gargle for sore throat and thrush.
Externally, fresh juice is used to clean wounds; roasted, for chronic
sores.
Juice used for irritation and swelling of mosquito bites.
Poultice of leaves applied to ulcer wounds.
Poultice of leaves for skin diseases or on the abdomen after childbirth.
In southwest Nigeria, roots, bark, stem,
twigs, leaves and fruit used in treatment of malaria.
Others
Flavor: Use juice and
grated rind. A pleasant ade.
Substitute for true lemon.
Good source of vitamin C.
As fumigant, steaming brew of leaves under the blanket.
Lime oil is extracted by steam distillation of the fruit rinds; used
for colds, sore throats, bronchitis, asthma. Also for arthritis, obesity,
cellulite and as tonic and astringent.
Studies
• Essential
oils / Antifungal: Study
on essential oils of three varieties of C. aurantifolia showed the plant
to be very rich in monoterpenes, with limonene its major compound. The
three extracts showed fungicidal inhibiting action to Phaeoramularia
angolensis and presents an alternative to chemical fungicides used for
Citrus fruit crops.
• Antiproliferative / Anti-cancer:
Study of in vitro effects of several concentrations of lime juice
(CLJ) showed significant inhibition of proliferation of human breast
carcinoma cell line and assumes that protein components of the CLJ extract
may have anti-proliferative effects on tumor cell lines.
• Antimicrobial:
Study investigating the
antibacterial effects of two plants extracts showed Citrus aurantifolia
showing promising borad spectrum antibacterial effects on human pathogens.
• Antiaflatoxigenic:
The essential oils of we medicinal plants were studied for
its inhibition ofthe toxigenic fungus Aspergillus parasiticus.Citrus
aurantifolia was found to inhibit both A. parasiticus and aflatoxin
production. The study suggests some medicinal plants may be potential
candidates for protection of food and feeds from toxigenic fungus growth
and subsequent AF contamination.
•
Antiproliferative / Colon Cancer Prevention:
Study of the lime volatile oil of CA yielded 22 compounds,
D-limonene, D-dihydrocarvone among the major componds. The oil
showed 78% inhibition of human colon cancer cells, DNA fragmentation
and apoptosis induction, results that suggested potential antiproliferative
benefits in colon cancer prevention.
• Nephrolithiasis: Consumption of Citrus auratifolia Swingle in idiopathic calcium renal stone with hypocitraturia increased the urine volume, pH level and total citrate value, total potassium and decreased the calcium ration to urine citrate with consequent decrease of renal stone recurrence.
• Fertility Effects: Lime juice causes irregularity of the estrous cycle, partially blocks ovulation, and may possibly compromise fertility.
• Toxicity Studies: Acute and subchronic toxicity studies of water extract from roots of Citrus aurantifolia in rats showed no signs of toxicity and no significant histopathological changes in the internal organs.
Availability
Commercial cultivation.
Extracts, essential oils and supplements in the cybermarket.
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