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. 2020 Jan 17;9(1):119. doi: 10.3390/plants9010119

Table 7.

Biological activity of C. limon fruit extracts confirmed by scientific research.

Activity Mechanism of Action References
Anticancer activity
  • -

    Inhibition of the proliferation of cancer cells;

  • -

    Activation of “TRAIL”-apoptopic cell death;

  • -

    Inhibition of tumour growth in chronic yelogenous leukaemia (CML);

  • -

    Antioxidant action and induction of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells (breast adenocarcinoma cells) (C. limon seed extract).

 [9,47]
Antioxidant activity
  • -

    Augmention of antioxidant cellular defences via ERK/Nrf2 signalling pathway.

 [8,48]
Anti-inflammatory activity
  • -

    Inhibition of NF-κB factor, nitric oxide (II) synthase (iNOS), induced cyclooxygenase (COX-2) (hesperidin, hesperitin);

  • -

    Down-regulation of TLR-signaling pathway (limonin).

 [8,49,50,52]
Antibacterial activity
  • -

    Inhibiting activity against Gram-positive bacteria: Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis;

  • -

    Inhibiting activity against Gram-negative bacteria: Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella sonnei, Helicobacter pylori.

 [5,7]
Antifungal activity
  • -

    Inhibiting activity against Candida glabrata strains.

 [7]
Antiviral activity
  • -

    Inhibition of replication of Herpes simplex.

 [57]
Anti-allergic activity
  • -

    Inhibition of histamine secretion in peritoneal cells of rats.

 [1,59]
Hepatoregenerative activity
  • -

    Normalization of alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin;

  • -

    Reduction in malonic dialdehyde (MDA), lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase.

 [10]
Prevention of diabetes and treatment of its symptoms
  • -

    Inhibition of gluconeogenesis (naringenin, hesperitin);

  • -

    Inhibition of gluconeogenesis (naringenin, hesperitin);

  • -

    Reducing wound-healing time;

  • -

    Increasing tissue growth rate, collagen synthesis, and protein and hydroxyproline concentration.

 [1,60]
Anti-obesity activity
  • -

    Lowering blood lipids;

  • -

    Reducing the levels of insulin, leptin and adiponectin in the blood.

 [1,62]
Effects on the cardiovascular system
  • -

    Limiting myocardial damage (naringenin);

  • -

    Decreasing blood fibrinogen;

  • -

    Lowering blood pressure in people with hypertension.

 [1,11,63]
Effects on the nervous system
  • -

    Strengthening short-term memory.

 [67]
Effects on the respiratory system
  • -

    Treatment of chronic pneumonia (naringenin).

 [68]
Effects on the skeletal system
  • -

    Increasing bone density;

  • -

    Decreasing osteoclast activity;

  • -

    Decreasing TRAP-positive multinucleated cell numbers (nomilin);

  • -

    Decreasing bone resorption activity (nomilin);

  • -

    Down regulation osteoclast-specific genes (NFATc1 and TRAP mRNA levels) (nomilin).

 [66,69]
Treatment of menstrual disorders
  • -

    Period induction in cases of irregular menstrual cycles.

 [5]