Citrus limon
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Kaji nemu is a minor fruit of Assam belonging to the Rutaceae family. It is a citrus fruit, and is known to be a valuable source of essential oils composed of terpenes, sesquiterpenes, aldehydes, alcohols, esters and sterols. This fruit is a good source of Vitamin C, A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, citric acid, citrate and many other bio-flavonoids. This small sized fruit has abundant potential to exhibit antioxidant activities. Flavonoids like Hesperidin and Hesperetin are found in the fruit and they are well known show radical scavenging activity along with augmenting the antioxidant cellular defences via ERK/Nrf2 signalling pathway. Again, Vitamin C is one more compound that is found in a greater concentration than other compounds and it has immense antioxidant activity potential as it prevents the formation of free radicals and protects the DNA from mutations. It also helps in reducing lipid peroxidation contributing to show antioxidant activity. |
| Plant Details | Agro-climatic Zone | Vernacular Names | Pictures |
| Scientific Name: Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck Family: Rutaceae Juss. Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Sapindales Genus: Citrus L. Fruiting Season: Year Round Fruting Condition: Ripe |
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Andhra Pradesh : Bijapuram Assam : Kaji nemu, Nemu tenga Karnataka : Bijapura, Bijori, Dieng-soh Kerala : Odichukuthinaregam Manipur : Champra Tamil Nadu : Periyaelumichai West Bengal : Goranebu |
 Matured lemon fruit on tree.  Lemon flower.  Immature fruit. |
| Compound/Chemical | Immunomodulatory Activity | Pathway | Immunomodulatory Marker |
| Hesperidin, Hesperetin | Antioxidant activity | Antioxidant activity of the flavonoids from C. limon like, hesperidin, hesperetin was not only limited to their radical scavenging activity but also augmented the antioxidant cellular defences via the ERK/Nrf2 signalling pathway. | ERK, Nrf2[10] |
| D-limonene | Anti-inflammatory activity | D-limonene also involved the inhibition of TNF-α-induced NF-κB translocation in fibroblast cultures. | TNF-alpha, NF-kB[10] |
| D-limonene | Anti-inflammatory activity | D-limonene from C. limon (30 or 10 mg/kg p.o.) exhibited anti-inflammatory effects in mice under formalin test by reducing cell migration, cytokine production and protein extravasation induced by carrageenan. | NF-kB[10] |
| Limonin | Anti-inflammatory activity | Down-regulation of TLR-signaling pathway (limonin). | TLR signaling[10] |
| Vitamin C | Antioxidant activity | In addition, vitamin C prevents the formation of free radicals and protects DNA from mutations. Studies have also shown a reduction in lipid peroxidation in seizures and status epilepticus was induced by pilocarpine in adult rats. | Reduced lipid peroxidation and protection of DNA mutations[10] |
| Hesperidin | Anti-inflammatory activity | In in-vitro studies the hesperidin metabolites, or their synthetic derivatives, at their effectiveness in reducing inflammatory targets including NF-κB, iNOS, and COX-2, and the markers of chronic inflammation. | NF-κB, iNOS, and COX-2[10] |
| D-limonene | Effect on the digestive system | Increased bile flow | -[10] |
| D-limonene | Effect on the digestive system | Increased gastric motility and reduction of nausea | -[10] |
| D-limonene | Anti-inflammatory activity | Inhibition of leukocyte chemotaxis and nteraction with 5-lipoxygenase, TNF-α (tumour necrosis factor), IL-6. (interleukin-6) | 5-lipoxygenase, TNF-alpha, IL-6[10] |
| D-limonene | Effects on the nervous system | Inhibitory effect on pain receptors similar to that of indomethacin and hyoscine | Inhibit the pain receptors[10] |
| D-limonene | Effect on the digestive system | Neutralization of stomach acids | -[10] |
| D-limonene | Effect on the digestive system | Relief of gastric reflux | -[10] |
| D-limonene | Effects on the nervous system | Sedative and anxiolytic effect by activating serotonin and dopamine receptors. | Activating the dopamine receptors[10] |
| Fruit extract | Hepatoregenerating effect | The ethanolic extract (150 mg/mL) normalized the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total direct bilirubin, which had been altered due to CCl4 intoxication in rats. | ASAT, ALP, ALAT, CCl4[10] |
| D-limonene | Anti-diabetic activity | To evaluated the antidiabetic effect of D-limonene in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The antidiabetic effect of D-limonene was comparable with that of glibenclamide. | Inhbition of hyperglycemia activity[6] |
| Major Class | Metabolites |
| Alcoholic derivatives | 1-hexen-3-ol(whole fruit), Hex-3-en-1-ol(whole fruit) |
| Aldehyde derivatives | Trans-2-dodecenal(whole fruit), Trans-2-nonenal(whole fruit) |
| Benzopyrone | Coumarin(whole fruit) |
| Carboxylic acid derivatives | 2-carboxy-D-arabinitol(whole fruit) |
| Carotenoid | Carotene(whole fruit) |
| Coumarins derivatives | Scoparone(whole fruit) |
| Flavonoid | 2'-O-xylosylvitexin(whole fruit), Eupatin(whole fruit), Flavanone(whole fruit), Hesperidin(whole fruit), Nobiletin(whole fruit), Tangeretin(whole fruit) |
| Glycerophosphates | Phosphatidylglycerol(whole fruit) |
| Isoprenoids | Beta pinene(whole fruit) |
| Methoxybenzene derivatives | Acetic acid 3-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)propyl ester(whole fruit) |
| Monoterpenes | Citral(whole fruit) |
| Monoterpenoids | Dipentene(whole fruit), Eucalyptol(whole fruit), Geraniol(whole fruit), D-limonene(whole fruit) |
| Phenolic acid | L-ascorbic acid(whole fruit) |
| Terpenes | Alpha terpinene(whole fruit) |
| Terpenoids | (E)-beta-ocimene(whole fruit), 3-carene(whole fruit) |
| Vitamins | Thiamine(whole fruit) |
| Traditional Practice | Diseases | Plant Part | Additional Knowledge |
| Unani | Billious fever | Fruit | It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory efficacy and has a positive effect on the wellbeing of elderly female and male[11] |
| 04.1.1, 04.1.1.1, 04.1.2.3, 04.1.2.8, 04.1.1 |
| Incompatible with dairy products and other acidic fruits such as Grapes, Amla and Papaya etc. |
| CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat-6, Assam, India
CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur-61,Himachal Pradesh, India |