Medicinal importance of citrus products and by-products - A review

For over 50 years of citrus research undoubtedly directed the healthful properties of citrus fruit juice and by products, an out come of waste in the form of peel and rag generated during the processing of citrus juice industry. In addition to nutritional properties, citrus fruits has numerous medicinal importance. The major thrust in addition to vitamin C has been the water soluble B-complex vitamin especially folic acid and thiamin (Vitamin B) vitamins. The citrus juice folate was reported to reduce neural tube birth defects and the risk of heart disease by lowering blood serum homocystine level. Therapeutical value of carotenoids that could be the important first line of defence against ROS and also took part in catalytic activity. It helps in the deactivation of carcinogens. Anthocyanin is a pigment having the therapeutical properties, largely employed in the pharmaceutical industry and had ability to modulate capillary permeability and resistance. Pectin is a dietary fiber reported to reduced the serum cholesterol, hypercholesterolemia and promote the excretion of fats, bile acid, cholestrol and posses growth suppression of prostate cancer cell. Limonene is a terpenoid which is the major component of citrus volatiles, produced by distillation during citrus juice processing. It has properties to block and suppress the carcinogenic events. However, another foremost thrust of citrus research programme has been the investigation of the theraputical value of principle citrus flavonoids. Which occurs in fruits and their medicinal properties had been found to induced ability to prevent red blood cell clumping, affect the bleeding and capillary fragility, anti-inflammatory activity against allergic reactions and antiviral activity. Besides, certain citrus beverage influenced the metabolism of some pharmacological agents indicating that in recent past during the few years, a considerable amount of commercial interest has been developed on the health promoting properties of citrus fruit juice and by products.