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Nimbu

Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck

Nimbu (Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck) is a plant drug, from the Rutaceae family. Citrus limon is widely recognized globally as a food and medicinal plant.

Key facts
Botanical nameCitrus limon (L.) Osbeck
FamilyRutaceae · other entries in this family
OrderSapindales
Pharmacopoeia statusCitrus limon is widely recognized globally as a food and medicinal plant. Included in WHO dietary guidelines. Lemon essential oil is regulated under EU and US cosmetics and food safety regulations. Listed in Ayurvedic texts as Nimbuka/Jambira.
Taxon identifiersGBIF 7647136 · NCBI Taxonomy 2708

The evidence at a glance

12papers on this site for this drug, published 2007 to 2025, 11 with a DOI.

  • 1Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
  • 7Other clinical studies and reviews
  • 4Laboratory and animal studies

A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Each paper is listed with what it measured on the page below. See the research index for how papers are tiered.

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishLemon
Latin/BotanicalCitrus limon (L.) Osbeck

Key Phytochemical Constituents

How does it work?

  • Antioxidant activity via flavonoid-mediated (hesperidin, eriocitrin) free radical scavenging and metal chelation
  • Anti-inflammatory action through diosmin and hesperidin-mediated inhibition of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and NF-kB signaling
  • Anticancer potential via D-limonene-induced apoptosis, phase II enzyme induction, and inhibition of tumor angiogenesis
  • Antimicrobial activity through essential oil monoterpenes disrupting bacterial and fungal cell membrane integrity

Which traditional uses are supported by research?

These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.

  • Digestive aid (Deepana-Pachana): traditionally used as a digestive aid. Clinical observations have reported carminative and stomachic effects.
  • Scurvy: traditionally used for scurvy and valued as a source of Vitamin C. Nutritional studies have reported it to be a source of Vitamin C.
  • Antimicrobial and preservative: traditionally used as an antimicrobial and preservative. Food science and MIC studies have reported activity against multiple pathogens.
  • Kidney stones: traditionally used for kidney stones. Clinical studies have reported an increase in urinary citrate.

What do recent studies show?

Only studies that could be traced to a published paper are listed here. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.

Recent safety updates

  • Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by FDA for food and flavoring use; lemon juice is safe at dietary levels
  • Excessive consumption may cause dental erosion due to citric acid content; phototoxicity risk from psoralen/furanocoumarin compounds in peel essential oil upon UV exposure

What is it made of?

Key Active Markers

  • Limonene
  • Hesperidin
  • Naringin
  • Citric Acid
  • Linalool
  • Quercetin
  • Diosmin
  • Eriocitrin
  • Ascorbic acid

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Fresh juice, Oral liquid/syrup, Effervescent tablet, Lozenges, Spray-dried powder, Essential oil (external/aromatherapy), Cream/gel (topical)

Standard Dosage: 10-30 mL fresh lemon juice with water daily; 1-3 g spray-dried juice powder; 2-5 drops essential oil for aromatherapy; topical gel 2-5% citrus extract

Optimal Timing: Morning on empty stomach with warm water. Before meals as appetite stimulant. Post-meal for digestive comfort.

Storage: Fresh juice: 2-8 deg C, protect from light. Powder: below 25 deg C, RH <35%, moisture-barrier packaging with desiccant. Essential oil: amber glass, 15-25 deg C, tightly sealed. All forms: protect from heat and direct sunlight.

Marker Compounds: Limonene, Citric acid, Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), Hesperidin, Eriocitrin, Citral (geranial + neral), Beta-pinene, Gamma-terpinene

Synergistic Combinations

  • Adrak/Ginger (digestive and anti-nausea synergy)
  • Madhu/Honey (throat soothing and antimicrobial)
  • Saindhava Lavana (electrolyte balance and digestive)
  • Tulsi (immune support beverage)
  • Haridra (golden lemon anti-inflammatory preparation)

Published research

Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses1

  1. Singh N, Yarla NS, Siddiqi NJ and others. 2021. Features, Pharmacological Chemistry, Molecular Mechanism and Health Benefits of LemonMedicinal chemistry (Shariqah (United Arab Emirates)). PMID 32901586 · doi:10.2174/1573406416666200909104050

Other clinical studies and reviews7

  1. Posadino AM, Maccioccu P, Eid AH and others. 2024. Citrus limon var. pompia Camarda var. nova: A Comprehensive Review of Its Botanical Characteristics, Traditional Uses, Phytochemical Profile, and Potential Health BenefitsNutrients. PMID 39203756 · doi:10.3390/nu16162619
  2. Yao L, Liu W, Bashir M and others. 2022. Eriocitrin: A review of pharmacological effectsBiomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie. PMID 35987162 · doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113563
  3. Klimek-Szczykutowicz M, Szopa A, Ekiert H. 2020. Citrus limon (Lemon) Phenomenon-A Review of the Chemistry, Pharmacological Properties, Applications in the Modern Pharmaceutical, Food, and Cosmetics Industries, and Biotechnological StudiesPlants (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 31963590 · doi:10.3390/plants9010119
  4. Dosoky NS, Setzer WN. 2018. Biological Activities and Safety of Citrus spp. Essential OilsInternational journal of molecular sciences. PMID 29976894 · doi:10.3390/ijms19071966
  5. González-Molina E, Domínguez-Perles R, Moreno DA and others. 2010. Natural bioactive compounds of Citrus limon for food and healthJournal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis. PMID 19748198 · doi:10.1016/j.jpba.2009.07.027
  6. Setzer WN. 2009. Essential oils and anxiolytic aromatherapyNatural product communications. PMID 19831048
  7. Hur MH, Park J, Maddock-Jennings W and others. 2007. Reduction of mouth malodour and volatile sulphur compounds in intensive care patients using an essential oil mouthwashPhytotherapy research : PTR. PMID 17380550 · doi:10.1002/ptr.2127

Laboratory and animal studies4

  1. Jin E, Yang Y, Cong S and others. 2025. Lemon-derived nanoparticle-functionalized hydrogels regulate macrophage reprogramming to promote diabetic wound healingJournal of nanobiotechnology. PMID 39891270 · doi:10.1186/s12951-025-03138-y
  2. Kamel NA, Wissa DA, Abd-El-Messieh SL. 2024. Novel nano composites from Citrus limon and Citrullus colocynthis agricultural wastes for biomedical applicationsScientific reports. PMID 39069554 · doi:10.1038/s41598-024-67423-w
  3. Makni M, Jemai R, Kriaa W and others. 2018. Citrus limon from Tunisia: Phytochemical and Physicochemical Properties and Biological ActivitiesBioMed research international. PMID 29568760 · doi:10.1155/2018/6251546
  4. Raimondo S, Naselli F, Fontana S and others. 2015. Citrus limon-derived nanovesicles inhibit cancer cell proliferation and suppress CML xenograft growth by inducing TRAIL-mediated cell deathOncotarget. PMID 26098775 · doi:10.18632/oncotarget.4004

Reference lists that include it

Quercetin

Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.

Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.

Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.