Citrus medica

Citrus medica, “Citron” in English and “Cédratier” in French, belongs to the Sapindales botanical family. It is a shrub or small tree that reaches a height of 2 to 5 m, native to North-Eastern India and possibly Myanmar. Mostly cultivated in the Persian Gulf, it reached the Mediterranean basin and was cited in the Antiquity by Theophrastus and Pliny the Elder.

Itsdozen of varieties have many culinary uses around the world, and its essential oil is still used in perfumery.

As a traditional medicine, whether Ayurvedic, Chinese or Mediterranean, different parts of the plant were and are still used for several different ailments: as a poison antidote, an antibiotic, to treat pulmonary and intestinal trouble, scurvy and others.

Its analgesic, anthelmintic and antiulcer activities have been validated by modern research.

The main components of its essential oil are citral, limonene, isolimonene (peel) and erucylamide (leaves).

• English name Finger citron
• French name Cédratier
• Chinese name Foshou