CITRUS LIMON

Common name: Lemon, Nimbu, Champra (Manipuri), எலுமிச்சை Elumicchai (Tamil) Hindi: Nimbu, Jambiri, Gaigal, Sanskrit: Ruchaka, Nimbaka, Gujarati: Limbu

Botanical name: Citrus limon   

Family: Rutaceae (citrus family)

Introduction: Lemon is an extremely common fruit in India. The lemon has a white, fragrant flower with five petals. The mildly fragrant flowers may be solitary or there may be 2 or more clustered in the leaf axils. Buds are reddish; the opened flowers have 4 or 5 petals 3/4 in long, white on the upper surface (inside), purplish beneath (outside), and 20-40 more or less united stamens with yellow anthers. The leading acid citrus fruit, because of its very appealing color, odor and flavor. The true lemon tree reaches 10 to 20 ft (3-6 m) in height and usually has sharp thorns on the twigs. The alternate leaves, reddish when young, become dark-green above, light-green below; are oblong, elliptic or long-ovate, 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 in long, finely toothed, with slender wings on the petioles. The fruit is oval with a nipple-like protuberance at the apex.

Geographical distribution

The plant occurs commonly throughout India and cultivated in gardens for its lemons.

Chemical composition

Rinds of fruits, flowers and leaves contain essential oil; it contains alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, d-limonene, linalool, aldehyde and acetic acid. Lemon peel contains volatile oil. The other constituents of the peels are hesperidin, pectin, calcium oxalate and bitter substances.

Therapeutic uses

It is anthelmintic, astringent, alexipharmic, carminative, cooling, detergent, digestive, disinfectant, refrigerant, stimulant, stomachic and tonic. It is useful in asthma, bilious vomiting, blood purification, constipation, cold, cough, diarrhoea, dysentery, dyspepsia, headache, fever, lumbago, sciatica, thirst and urinary calculus.

Folk medicinal uses

Lemon juice is mixed with equal quantity of fresh root extract of Kateli (Solanum surattense Burm.f.) This is applied (2-3 drops), for one month as a preventive measures against cataract. Fruit juice of nimbu is filled in the Bottle and 10-12 needles are put in this juice. The Bottle is put in a bag filled with wheat for one month. This juice is given in the dose of ½ spoon twice daily for 2 months and kidney stone are dissolved out. A half cut fruits of nimbu with black salt is rubbed on the affected part after mild heating. Juice is also squeezed on it. Treatment is given once a day for 3 days and bruises are cured.

Cultivation & Collection: Citrus limon is self-fertile. On average, fruit bearing begins when the trees are between 3 and 6 years old; however exact timing will depend on the type of the cultivar, your climate, the health of the plant and its care and other factors. Flowering is not seasonal but occurs during warm weather and regular rainfall. Flowers and fruits may coincide. Soil type – Loamy soil, Soil pH slightly acidic to neutral. Sun exposure full sun. Citrus trees should be planted in sunny and wind-protected area.

Types: Shrub

Preparations

Matulungadi-yog, bijapuradi-ghrita, rason-vati, agnitundi-vati.

Flowers and Fruits : Greater part of the year.

NOTE : Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle. (syn. Limon aurantifolia Christm.) has same Folk medicinal uses as Citrus limon (Linn.) Burm.f. (syn. Citrus medica linn.).