YIELD, CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS, AND BIOACTIVITIES OF CITRUS AURANTIFOLIA ESSENTIAL OIL: A REVIEW

Abstract

Citrus aurantifolia (Rutaceae family) is cultivated globally for food and medicine, with its leaves and peels serving as sources of essential oils utilized in culinary practices and traditional medicine for various therapeutic applications. The yield of essential oils extracted from C. aurantifolia leaves ranges from 0.3% to 0.8% (w/w), while peel extracts demonstrate yields of 0.5% to 3.0% (w/w). Limonene has been identified as the predominant chemical constituent in leaf and peel essential oils, with yields ranging from 29.7% to 77.5%. Bioactivity assessments reveal that C. aurantifolia essential oils exhibit significant insecticidal properties, including lethal, growth inhibitory, antifeedant, digestive inhibitory, repellent, and oviposition deterrent effects. Furthermore, these essential oils demonstrate potent antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of bacterial and fungal species and cause adverse effects on their cell membrane integrity and morphology. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays and β-carotene protection assays confirm the strong antioxidant potential of the essential oils. Therefore, C. aurantifolia essential oils have considerable potential for applications in insect pest management, food and agricultural product preservation, and the control of bacterial and fungal infections in animal and human health.