Citrus maxima
Pomelo
Citrus maxima, commonly known as the pomelo, is the largest citrus fruit in the world. Renowned for its thick rind and sweet, segmented flesh, it is a nutritional powerhouse. Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, this medicinal fruit supports immune function, aids digestion, and promotes overall cardiovascular health.
- Scientific name: Citrus maxima
- Family: Rutaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, known scientifically as Citrus maxima, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Sapindales and the family Rutaceae. Ultimately, it is situated within the genus Citrus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Sapindales | WCVP |
| Family | Rutaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Citrus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Citrus maxima, is recognized by various common names across different languages and cultures. In Chinese, it is referred to as 柚子 (yòuzi), while in Javanese, it is called jeruk bali. In the Tibetan language, it is known as སྐྱུར་ཙི་ཆེན་པོ།, and in Polish, it is termed pomarańcza olbrzymia. Additionally, in the Kazakh language, it is known as makbug.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 柚子 | Wikidata |
| jv | jeruk bali | Wikidata |
| bo | སྐྱུར་ཙི་ཆེན་པོ། | Wikidata |
| pl | pomarańcza olbrzymia | Wikidata |
| za | makbug | Wikidata |
| ms | Limau bali | Wikidata |
| hu | pomelo | Wikidata |
| sw | Mbalungi Mkubwa | Wikidata |
| et | pomelipuu | Wikidata |
| bn | জাম্বুরা | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant, known as Citrus maxima, exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several key regions. In the Indian Subcontinent, it can be found growing in the area of Assam. Its presence is also noted in West Tropical Africa, specifically within the nation of Gambia. Within China, the species is distributed across South-Central, Southeast, and the island of Hainan. These diverse locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in various tropical and subtropical environments.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Assam | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Bangladesh | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | East Himalaya | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | India | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Sri Lanka | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Andaman Is. | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as pomelo, offers various therapeutic benefits through its different anatomical components. The medicinal properties are often extracted from the peels, which contain essential oils, or more specifically, the thick peel of individual specimens used in traditional remedies. When processing the plant, the fruit peels are frequently dried or juiced to harness their antioxidant effects. Additionally, the young fruits are sometimes utilized for their specific acidity and nutrient profiles, while the seed can also be processed for its unique chemical constituents.- Total parts
- 12
- Scientific sources
- 15
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| peels | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| peel | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fruit peels | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| young fruits | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| seed | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rind | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pulp | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| peelings | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| internal white (albedo) and external yellow (flavedo) peels | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Citrus maxima has 27 reported phytochemicals identified across 29 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include limonene, naringin, 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-heptamethoxyflavone, 6',7'-dihydroxybergamottin, 6',7'-epoxybergamottin.
- Total chemicals
- 27
- Scientific sources
- 29
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| limonene | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| naringin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-heptamethoxyflavone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 6',7'-dihydroxybergamottin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 6',7'-epoxybergamottin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Naringenin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bergamottin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bergaptol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| caffeic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| catechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Citrus maxima has 11 reported activities identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Antiepileptic.
- Total activities
- 11
- Scientific sources
- 17
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiepileptic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiobesity | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiproliferative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antitumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hepatoprotective | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Citrus maxima has 8 reported medicinal uses identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Breast Cancer, Cryptosporidiosis, colon cancer, cough, helminthiases.
- Total uses
- 8
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Breast Cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cryptosporidiosis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| colon cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cough | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| helminthiases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lung inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lung injury | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| obesity | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |