Citrus medica (BijaPura)

It is very commonly used in the management of Agnimµandya and finds a place in the phala varga in ancient medicine. Bijapuraka is one among the ingredients of PaÛcŒmla and Amlavarga. Caraka categorized it under Hridya and Trishna-nigrahana Dasaimani. During the 19^th century, it is popularized through one preparation ‘Mœdiphala Rasayana’ by Pandit Divi Gopalacharya.

Botanical Description – It is a shrub or small tree, 2.5-3.5 m high, with short, thorny branches. Flowers usually numerous, pinkish or white.

Major Chemical Constituents– Abscisic acid, abscisin II, limonin, limonene, limocitrol, rutin etc

Part Used– Fruit, root

Dosage– Fruit juice 10-20 ml

Research–

Aqueous and alcoholic extracts of roots (C.medica L. var. acida Hook.f.) inhibited growth of Stap, aureus, Kleb. Pneumoniae, Prot. Mirabilis, Pscudo. ighantuy, Esch. Coli and Neiss. Gonorrhoea (J. Appl. Bacteriol. 1991, 71, 398).