Pharmacological Activity of Citrus macroptera: an overview of a medicinal plant

Abstract

Plants and plant parts have been extensively used as medicine from the dates of early civilization. They are low in cost and have least side effects. In India, the practice of the traditional medicinal can be traced back to 5000 B.C. Citrus macroptera (Mont.) of the family Rutaceae is a bitter fruit bearing plant commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions. It is an endangered wild plant of North-eastern India. Various parts of this plant such as leaves, bark, pulp, peel specially fruits have an immense range of medicinal importance and has been used in different kinds of ailments like fever, kidney and liver dysfunction, dyspepsia, cardiovascular disease, stroke and many more to mention. The fruit of this perennial spiny plant has potential antioxidant, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, antipyretic and appetite stimulant activity. The principal phytochemical constituents of this plant are Ribalinine, Edulinine, Bergamottin, Psoralen, Marmin, Severine, Geipavarine, β-pinene, α-pinene, ρ-cimene, (E)-ocimene, vanilline, Rutin, kaempferol, sabinene, limonene, γ-terpinene and so forth. Furthurmore thrombolytic, antidiabetic, antidepressant, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective activity have been reported on this plant. This review represents a comprehensive study on the various aspects of Citrus macroptera with respect to their traditional and medicinal usage or better use as alternative medicine for various kinds of treatments.