Botanical Name: Citrus aurantifolia Common name: Lime, lemon, sour lime, Key L Read More
Botanical Name: |
Citrus aurantifolia |
Common name: |
Lime, lemon, sour lime, Key Lime |
Plant
family: |
Rutaceae |
Genus: |
Citrus |
Appearance/Color: |
Yellowish green to greenish brown liquid with thin and
clear consistency |
Odor: |
A top note with a medium aroma, it has a tart, fresh scent
characteristic of the fruit. |
Blends With: |
Clary Sage, Lavender, Neroli and Ylang-Ylang. |
Origin: |
Italy |
Source: |
Fruit Peel |
Method
of Extraction: |
Cold Pressed |
Citrus aurantifolia (Christm)
Swingle (C. aurantifolia) is a polyembryonic plant cultivated in many countries
all over the world and grows in hot subtropical or tropical regions such as
Southern Florida, India, Mexico, Egypt, and the West Indies. Lime Essential Oil
is amongst the most affordable of essential oils and is routinely used for its
energizing, fresh and cheerful aroma. It is well known in folklore for its
ability to cleanse, purify and renew the spirit and the mind. It is also said
to be effective in cleansing the aura. Lime essential oil is rich in Vitamin C,
making the oil an ideal immune system booster. Lime can be used in a diffusor
or vaporizer to assist with relief from stress, anxiety, and allow for a calm
mind.
It is an important medicinal and
food plant widely cultivated in many parts of the world. It is valued for its
nutritional qualities and numerous health benefits. The plant is used in
traditional medicine as an antiseptic, antiviral, antifungal, anthelmintic,
astringent, diuretic, mosquito bite repellent, for the treatment of stomach
ailments, constipation, headache, arthritis, colds, coughs, sore throats and
used as appetite stimulant. These health benefits of Citrus aurantifolia
are associated with its high amounts of photochemical and bioactive compounds
such as flavonoids, limonoids, phenols, carotenoids, minerals and vitamins.
Although the precise origin is
uncertain, wild limes are believed to have first grown in Indonesia or
Southeast Asia, and then were transported to the Mediterranean region and north
Africa around 1000 CE. To prevent scurvy during the 19th century, British
sailors were issued a daily allowance of citrus, such as lemon, and later
switched to lime. The use of citrus was initially a closely guarded military
secret, as scurvy was a common scourge of various national navies, and the
ability to remain at sea for lengthy periods without contracting the disorder
was a huge benefit for the military. The British sailor thus acquired the nickname,
"Limey" because of their usage of limes.
Lime
Essential Oil possesses multiple therapeutic potentials. These
biological credentials include anticancer, antianxiety, antiobesity,
antibacterial, antioxidant, pesticidal, and antidiabetic activities. The
essential oil of C. aurantium was reported to display marked
pharmacological effects and great variation in chemical composition depending
on growing locations but mostly contained limonene, linalool,
and ?-myrcene. Phytochemically, C. aurantium is rich
in p-synephrine, an alkaloid, and many health-giving secondary metabolites
such as flavonoids.
Lime Oil in Pharma
The chemical composition of C.
aurantium is responsible for health-promoting effects. The chemical
composition includes vitamins, minerals, phenolic compounds, and terpenoids.
Among the diverse chemical components in C. aurantium, flavonoids
belonging to phenolics have been recognized as important due to their
physiological and pharmacological role and their health benefits, include
anticancer, antianxiety, antiobesity, antibacterial, antioxidant, pesticidal, and
antidiabetic activities.
Essence of Lime oil
Lime
Essential Oil is usually utilized as a flavoring and acidifying agent
for food. Besides the essential oil and its components, the fruits of C.
aurantium are sources of flavonoid-type compounds with diverse
biological effects. Additionally, it was reported that flavonoid glycosides
were isolated from the plant and the biogenic amine and flavanone contents have
been determined. Due to the abundance of health-giving secondary metabolites
COMMON
USAGE
·
Cures
Infections
·
Prevents
Viral Infections
·
Cures
Toothaches
·
Increases
Appetite
·
Treats
Bacterial Infections
·
Effective
Disinfectant
·
Reduces
Fever
·
Promotes
Blood Coagulation
·
Restores
Health
·
Prevents
Signs of Aging
Ingredients:
S.No |
Key Constituents |
Strength (%) |
1 |
(?)-Limonene |
51.5–59.6 |
2 |
?-Pinene |
12.2–16.0 |
3 |
g-Terpinene |
1.3–14.4 |
4 |
p-Cymene |
0.4–10.4 |
5 |
?-Pinene |
2.0–5.0 |
6 |
Geranial |
2.2–3.9 |
7 |
Sabinene |
0.9–2.1 |
8 |
?-Myrcene |
0.9–1.8 |
9 |
?-Bisabolene |
0.2–1.7 |
10 |
Neryl acetate |
0.4–1.5 |
11 |
?-Bergamotene |
1.0–1.4 |
12 |
Neral |
0.5–1.2 |
Safety
Summary
·
Hazards:
Skin sensitization if oxidized
·
Phototoxic:
may be photo carcinogenic.
·
Cautions (dermal): If
applied to the skin at over maximum use level, skin must not be exposed to
sunlight or sun bed rays for 12 hours.
Old or oxidized oils should be avoided.
Maximum
dermal use level 0.7%
Safety
Advice
Because of its (?)-limonene content we
recommend that oxidation of expressed lime oil is avoided by storage in a dark,
airtight container in a refrigerator. The addition of an antioxidant to
preparations containing it is recommended.
Organ Specific Effects
·
Adverse skin reaction:
No irritation or sensitization data could be found. Expressed lime oil was
phototoxic when applied to human skin. Photo toxicity is due to bergapten and
other furanocoumarins. Bergapten is photo carcinogenic. Eleven cases of photo
dermatitis from expressed lime oil have been reported, and photodynamic
reaction was experimentally produced by expressed lime oil on the skin and
subsequent solar irradiation. Auto oxidation products of (?)-limonene can cause
skin sensitization
·
Reproductive toxicity:
The low reproductive toxicity of (?)- limonene and ?-pinene suggests that expressed
lime oil is not hazardous in pregnancy.
Systemic Effects
·
Acute
Toxicity: No information found.
·
Antioxidant/pro-oxidant activity:
Persian lime oil has demonstrated marked DPPH radical scavenging activity. Lime
terpenes induced glutathione S-transferase activity to more than 2.5 times
control level in mouse tissues.
·
Carcinogenic/anti carcinogenic potential: Lime
oil (type unspecified) has been reported as a promotor of tumors in the fore
stomach and in the skin of rats pretreated with DMBA; most of these papillomas
were benign, but a few were malignant. Lime oil was not mutagenic in the Ames
test, and did not produce CA in Chinese hamster fibroblasts. Citral and
(?)-limonene display anti carcinogenic activity.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
·
Ecotoxicity
Very toxic to
aquatic life with long-lasting effects EC50 (algae/aquatic plants) 55.9 mg/l
(48h) - RIFM
·
Mobility
Not determined
·
Persistence & Biodegradability
Considered
readily biodegradable Bioaccumulation Potential Considered low considering
expected biodegradability
·
PBT Assessment Results
No additional
data available
·
Precautions
Do not
discharge into the environment especially not into waterways, sewers and the
sea.
·
Disposal Methods
Do not release into
the environment. Collect waste into suitable containers and contact hazardous
chemical disposal company.