Lemon
CITRUS LIMON
Lemon is a citrus fruit from the lemon tree, a shrub belonging to the Rutaceae family. It originates from Asia. It is a hybrid of bitter orange and citron. It appeared 5,000 years before our era. It is found all around the Mediterranean. It can live 50 to 80 years. It loves the sun and needs a lot of water.
There are many, many varieties of lemon that stand out for their color, flavor, acid content and level of essential oil. The essential oil is extracted from the fruit skin. The earliest representations of the lemon date back to Roman times, when it was known for its medicinal uses. Nowadays, it can be said that it is the fruit that has the greatest therapeutic use.
PROPERTIES
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Anti-bacterial effect:
Lemon essential oil is a powerful anti-bacterial agent against many bacteria including: Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas fluorescens (DOSOKY & al., 2018 ; KLIMEK-SZCZYKUTOWICZ, 2020).
A study conducted in 2017 showed that it inhibits the development of Listeria monocytogenes in beef. The obtained zones of inhibition of bacteria, such as Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteritidis vary between 13 and 26 mm with lemon essential oil, while those obtained with gentamicin for the same bacteria are between 12 and 25 mm (HSOUNA & al., 2017).
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Anti-inflammatory effect:
Lemon essential oil reduces the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. The citral it contains also inhibits the activation of NF-kB and the expression of COX-2 (PUCCI & al., 2020 ; KLIMEK-SZCZYKUTOWICZ, 2020).
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Antioxidant effect:
The α-pinene and β-pinene contained in lemon essential oil exert an antioxidant effect by reducing the production of nitric oxide (PUCCI & al., 2020 ; BAIK & al., 2008). Lemon essential oil induces an increase in the GSH / GSSG ratio, attesting an antioxidant effect (PUCCI & al., 2020).
In a 2010 study on mice, its administration increased the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase, secreted in the hippocampus (LOPES CAMPÊLO & al., 2010). It also inhibits lipid peroxidation by stopping the chain of reactions by inactivating peroxide radicals (AMMAD & al., 2018).
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Anti fungal effect:
Lemon essential oil has an anti-fungal activity by inhibiting the formation of mycelium (GUCWA & al., 2018). It is particularly active against Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Candida parapsilosis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (KLIMEK-SZCZYKUTOWICZ, 2020 ; HSOUNA & al., 2017).
The limonene it contains inhibits the growth of Candida Albicans by causing damage to the cell membrane which causes apoptosis of fungal cells (GUCWA & al., 2018 ; THAKRE & al., 2018). It also exerts antifungal activity in vitro against fungi affecting grapevine wood (AMMAD & al., 2018).
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Anti parasitic effect:
Lemon essential oil is an effective repellant against the malaria vector: Anopheles stephensi (DOSOKY & al., 2018). It has also shown a remarkable effect against Sarcoptes Scabei var. cuniculi, in vivo and in vitro. Indeed, the application of lemon essential oil on the affected parts once a week for four weeks, allowed the total cure of the affected rabbits after two weeks of treatment (DOSOKY & al., 2018 ; KLIMEK-SZCZYKUTOWICZ, 2020).
As you have understood, lemon and health are linked for millenniums and not just to fight against scurvy during sea crossings.
