Citrus medica

Common Names:

in English: citron, medicinal citron

in China: xiang yuan

in India: ab-i-turanj, akacam, amalacampiram, amalacaram, amalainimpuram, amirtapalai, ampu, ampucaram, ampukecaram, ampuvacini, ampuvakini, amuturai, amuturaimaram, aricalam, aricayam, arinam, bara-ninbri, baranimbu, beeja pooramu, bijapura, bijapuram, bijori, bijoru, bimbeera, camiranam, campalam, campam, campavam, campiko, campiram, campirovatti, canronmuli, canronmulikai, cempirottam, cerunarakam, cherunarakam, cholangam, cinturattatikam, cinturattatikamaram, citalam, citamparaelumiccai, citamparavelumiccai, dabba chettu, daeva maadala, dantahashkam, dantasanam, dantasathah, dantasatham, devamadala, dodda nimbehannu, doddanimbe, elimitchum pullum, elumiccam, elumichai, eroomitcheenaracum, erumicchinarakam, gajanimbe, gajanimma, ganapathimalanga, ganapatinarakam, gilam, haralai, harale, idalimbu, ilamiccai, ilamiccaimaram, iliminje, illiccam, iracakani, irakani, jambira, jamburi, jami, jerook, jora tenga, kakapalam, kalanbak, kalimbak, kalumiccai, karunam, karuncalikam, kasturi, katarankay, kauriyelumiccai, kolunci, kommatti matulai, koti narattai, lakucan, limbu, limong, limpaka, limunalhava, limunshirin, lungamu, maada vaala, maadala, maadiphalamu, maathu langa, madala, madalada, madalam, madalanarakam, madalangam, madavala, madhukarkatika, madhukukutika, madhuranarakam, madiphala, madiphalam, madiphalamu, madulangam, maha-jambirakaruna, mahaaphala, mahajambiram, mahaphala, mahnimbu, mancal, manglatatsutong, mapala, marutapakam, marutapakamaram, matalam, matalanarakam, matalunga, mateci, matukukkuti, matukukkutikai, matalunkam, matulai, matulankam, matulunga, matulungakamu, matulungamu, matunga, mauling, miccai, mincakam, miyaye, muruka, murukku, naaradabba, nani, naradabba, narakam, narangi, narattai, neembu, nibu, nimbaka, nimboo, nimbu, nimpataru, nimpukamvattiricotini, pahadi-nimbu, paharikaghju, peddanimba, peddanimma, perelumiccai, periya elimichcham, periya elumiccai, periyaelumichcham pazham, periyaelumiccai, perunteci, peruvelumiccai, phalapura, pilikkutiyan, pittamurimatar, poast turanf, poast turanji, poast turanj, pojana, pulladabba, qalambak, racakanimaram, rub turanj, rucaka, rucakam, sertawk, tantacikamaram, tatumuritam, tatumuritamaram, teci, thoralimbu, thorla-limbu, tiyyanimma, toranji, tume-han-thaur, turinci, turunci, upanorancakan, urocanakam, uru, urumaram, vacattircotini, valiyacerunarakam, valiyacherunarakam, vallinarakam, vanabijapura, vijapura, vikacitam, vikacitamiccai, yanaiyelumiccai

in Japan: musan-ô-maru-Bushu-kan

in Lepcha: bisupaot

in Malaya: limau kapas, limau mata kerbau, limau susu

in Mexico: bihuii nayi xtilla, pehuij nayi castilla

in Yoruba: osan lakuegbe

in Arabic: qares

Floral Description

Shrubs or small trees. Branches, leaf buds, and flower buds purplish when young. Branches with ca. 4 cm spines. Leaves simple or rarely 1-foliolate; petiole short, not winged; leaf blade elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 6-12 × 3-6 cm or larger, margin serrate, apex rounded, obtuse, or rarely mucronate. Inflorescences axillary, ca. 12-flowered or sometimes flowers solitary. Flowers bisexual or sometimes male by ± complete abortion of pistil. Petals 5, 1.5-2 cm. Stamens 30-50. Ovary cylindric; style long and thick; stigma clavate. Fruit pale yellow, elliptic to subglobose, to 2 kg, surface coarse; pericarp white to pale yellow and soft within, thicker than sarcocarp, removed with difficulty; sarcocarp with 10-15 segments, colorless, nearly pellucid to pale milky yellow, acidic to slightly sweet, fragrant. Seeds small; seed coat smooth; embryo(s) solitary to several; cotyledons milky white

Chemical Constitutes

(+)-S-Carvone, 3,5,6-Trihydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyflavone, alpha-Phellandrene, alpha-trans-Bergamotene, Aureusidin, Citral, Hordenine, Isopimpinellin, Junosmarin, Kinocoumarin, Linaloyl acetate, Malic acid, Phytofluene, Quercetagetin 7,3',4'-trimethyl ether, Succinic acid, Tyramine

Medicinal Activities and Uses:

Flowers and buds stimulant, astringent. Roots anthelmintic, for jaundice, constipation, vomiting, urinary problems. Powdered seeds for regulating fertility, a strong sterilizer. Fruit juice refrigerant, cooling, astringent, for constipation, diarrhea and dysentery, loss of appetite, vermifuge; ripe fruits stimulant and tonic; fruit juice along with milk given in dysentery; fruit decoction mixed with honey applied on forehead in mental disorders, hysteria; rind juice dropped in eyes trouble and swelling. Bark and leaf juice given as vermifuge.