Citrus sinensis

Fruits and leaves are laxative; leaves are used for fevers, malaria. Flowers and leaves infusion sedative. Widely cultivated in the Punjab (especially Sargodha, Gujranwala), Peshawar and Sind region. The sweet orange is one of the most popular of citrus fruits. Extensively consumed as fresh fruit, in juices, squashes etc.

Many varieties are cultivated in Pakistan. Some of the commonest are as follows:

(a) Mosambi (Mozambique) Fruit globose, c. 6.5-7 cm in diameter, apex marked with a circular ring. Pulp very sweet.

(b) Bloodred: Fruit smaller, c. 5.5-7 cm in diameter. Rind thin. Pulp orange streaked with red, or ruby-red; very juicy, acid sweet. The Gujranwala Distt. is famous for its bloodred oranges.

(c) Washington Navel. Fruit somewhat longer than broad, 8-9 cm in diameter; rind deep orange, apex marked with a distinct open or closed navel, containing a rudimentary secondary fruit. Pulp juicy, sweet, highly flavoured. Seeds few or none.

Common Names:

in English: blood orange, coolie orange, orange, orange tree, sweet orange, sweet orange tree

in Congo: ilala, malala

in East Africa: mchungwa, muchungwa

in Tanzania: mashungwa

in Mexico: azahar, yaga naraxo

in Arabic: bordguene

in China: tian chen

in India: battavi narinja, cattukkuti, kamal hanuu, carukkaraikkolumiccai, carukkarainarattai, kotinarattai, malta, moosambi, mosambi, musambi, nagaranga, pantil, pattaviyam, sathukudi, serthlum, tittippunarattai

in Pakistan: malta

Floral Description

Spinous tree, up to 10 m tall; spines few slender and flexible. Leaves aromatic 7.5-11 cm, ovate-oblong to ovate, entire or serrulate, acute to obtuse. Petiole narrowly winged, wings oblanceolate. Flowers axillary, in 1-6-flowered cymes. Petals reflexed. Stamens c. 20. Fruit oblate to slightly oval, 6-9 cm in diameter. Rind deep yellow to orange-red; thick or thin; pulp orange-yellow or reddish, sweet or slightly acidic.

Chemical Constitutes:

cis-Jasmone, (+)-Bicyclogermacrene, (+)-Nootkatone, (-)-Carene(-)-3-Carene, (-)-Jasmonic acid, (3S,5R,6S)-5,6-Epoxy-5,6-dihydro-3-hydroxy-8'-apo-beta,psi-carotenal, (E)-beta-Farnesene, (E)-Caryophyllene, (E)-Citral, (E)-Ocimene, (R)-linalool, (Z)-beta-Ocimene, (Z)-Citral, (Z)-Ocimene, 1-Octanol, 10'-Apoviolaxanthal, 2',6'-Dihydroxy-4'-methoxyacetophenone, 2,6-Dimethyl-1,3,5,7-octatetraene, 2-Methylfuran, 3'-Hydroxyacetophenone, 3,3',4',5,6,7,8-Heptamethoxyflavone, 3,8-Di-C-glucopyranosyldiosmetin, 3-Hydroxysintaxanthin, 4',5,7,8-Tetramethoxyflavone, 4(10)-Thujene, 4-(3-Methyl-2-butenoxy)isonitrosoacetophenone, 4-Terpineol, 5,6,7,4'-Tetramethoxyflavanone, 5,7,4'-Trimethoxyflavone, 5-Hydroxy-3,6,7,8,3'4'-hexamethoxyflavone, 6'-Hydroxy-3,4,2',3',4'-pentamethoxychalcone, 6-Methyl-5-hepten-2-one, 7-Hydroxy-3,5,6,8,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone, 7-Hydroxycoumarin, 8-Heptadecene, Acetic acid geraniol ester, Adrenaline, Aesculetin dimethyl ether, Allo-Ocimene, Alloaromadendrene, alpha-Cubebene, alpha-Myrcene, alpha-Pinene, alpha-Sinensal, alpha-Terpinene, alpha-Terpineol, alpha-Thujene, Benzaldehyde, Benzene acetonitrile, Benzeneacetaldehyde, beta-Bisabolene, beta-Carotene 5,6-epoxide, beta-Cubebene, beta-Pinene, beta-Sinensal, beta-Terpineol, Carvone, Carvyl acetate, Citracridone-I, Citral, Citronellal, Citronellyl acetate, Citrunobin, Citrusin III, Citrusinine I, Citrusinine II, Copaene, Cyanidin 3-(4''-acetylglucoside), Cyanidin 3-(6''-malonylglucoside), Cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, Cyclohexane, Decanal, delta-Amorphene, Demethylnobiletin, Didymin, Dihydrokaempferide 7-rhamnoside, Dihydroxyphenylalanine, Ethyl acetate, gamma-Terpinene, Gardenin B, Geraniol, Gibberellin A1, Gibberellin A17, Gibberellin A19, Gibberellin A20, Gibberellin A29, Gibberellin A3, Gibberellin A4, Gibberellin A44, Gibberellin A8, Gibberellin A81, Gibberellin A9, Gossypetin 3,7,8,3',4'-pentamethyl ether, Gossypetin hexamethyl ether, Heptadecane, Hexanal, Humulene, Indole-3-acetic acid, Isopropanol, Isosinensetin, Limonene, Limonene oxide, Methyl anthranilate, Methyl indole-3-acetate, Methyl salicylate, Mutatochrome, Myrcene, n-Hexanol, n-Phenylformamide, Narirutin, Neo-allo-ocimene, Nerol, Nerolidol, Neryl acetate, Nobiletin, Nonanal, Noradrenaline, Noscapine, p-Cymene, Pentadecane, Peonidin 3-(6''-p-coumarylglucoside), Piceol, Quercetagetin 3,5,6,3',4'-pentamethyl ether, Quercetagetin hexamethyl ether, Retusin(Ariocarpus), Sabinene hydrate, Salvigenin, Scopoletin, Scutellarein 5,6,7,4'-tetramethyl ether, Sinensetin, Sintaxanthin, Tangeretin, Terpinolene, Thymol, trans-2-Hexenal, Tyramine, Valencene, Undecanal, Xanthoxylin

Medicinal Activities:

Research shows that Citrus sinensis exhibit Antibilious, Anticancer, Antigastritic, Antihistaminic, Antihomocysteine, Antiinflammatory, Antioxidant, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Antitussive, Antiulcerogenic, Antiviral, Cardioprotective, Carminative, Depurative, Diaphoretic, Digestive, Gastrostimulant, Hepatoprotective, Hypocholesterolemic, Hypoglycemic, Hypolipemic, Hypotensive, Hypouricemic, Immunostimulant, Laxative, Myorelaxant, Orexigenic, Respiradepressant, Secretolytic, Sedative, Stomachic and Tonic activities.