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Immature Orange
Immature Orange
枳實
Market name:枳實
Photo location:Museum of Materia Medica, Inst. of Nat. Med.
TMPW No.:15446
Citrus aurantium
Plant name:Citrus aurantium
Photo location:Jiangxi Prov., China
Photo date:1994
Photographer:K. Komatsu

Synonym  
Latin name Aurantii Fructus Immaturus
Botanical source: Family name Rutaceae
Botanical source: Plant name - Citrus aurantium var. daidai Makino
- Citrus × aurantium Linné (IPNI:59600-2)
- Citrus natsudaidai Hayata (IPNI:771993-1)
Part used Unripe fruit
Empirical criteria for quality selection Good one is 2cm in diameter, and has thick blueish-black skin. It is one of "Sin-Chen" which refers older the better and consists of 6 crude drugs (TN).
Constituents Other aliphatic and related compounds:
[Citrus spp.]: Citric acid

Monosaccharides:
[Citrus spp.]: Vitamin C

Polysaccharides:
[Citrus spp.]: Pectic substance

Monoterpenoids:
[Citrus spp.]: d-Limonene
[C. aurantium, C. sinensis]: Linalyl acetate, Geranyl acetate, Methyl anthranilate, Citronellal, Citral, Linalool, Terpineol, Geraniol

Triterpenoids:
[Citrus spp.]: Limonin

Flavones & Flavonols:
[C. aurantium]: Isosinensetin, Sinensetin, 5,7,8,4'-Tetramethoxyflavone, Nobiletin, Tetra-O-methylscutellarein, 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-Heptamethoxyflavone, 3-Hydroxy-5,6,7,8,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone, Tangeretin, 5-Demethylnobiletin, Rhoifolin;
[C. sinensis]: Isosinensetin, Sinensetin, 5,7,8,4'-Tetramethoxyflavone, Nobiletin, Tetra-O-methylscutellarein, 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-Heptamethoxyflavone, 3-Hydroxy-5,6,7,8,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone, Tangeretin, 5-Demethylnobiletin, Rhoifolin;
[C. unshiu]: Isosinensetin, Sinensetin, 5,7,8,4'-Tetramethoxyflavone, Nobiletin, Tetra-O-methylscutellarein, 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-Heptamethoxyflavone, 3-Hydroxy-5,6,7,8,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone, Tangeretin;
[C. reticulata]: Isosinensetin, Sinensetin, 5,7,8,4'-Tetramethoxyflavone, Isosakuranetin, Nobiletin, Tetra-O-methylscutellarein, 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-Heptamethoxyflavone, 3-Hydroxy-5,6,7,8,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone, Tangeretin, 5-Demethylnobiletin;
[Poncirus trifoliata]: Tangeretin;
[C. natsudaidai]: Nobiletin, 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-Heptamethoxyflavone, 3-Hydroxy-5,6,7,8,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone, Tangeretin, Rhoifolin, 5,7,8,4'-Tetramethoxyflavone, (Tetra-O-methylscutellarein, Isosinensetin, 5-Demethylnobiletin)
[C. ichangensis]: Nobiletin, Tangeretin;
[C. wilsonii]: Nobiletin, Tetra-O-methylscutellarein, Tangeretin;
[C. junos]: 3-Hydroxy-5,6,7,8,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone

Flavanones & Dihydroflavonols:
[C. aurantium]: Poncirin, Naringenin, Hesperetin, Isosakuranetin, Narirutin, Naringin, Hesperidin, Neohesperidin;
[C. sinensis]: Naringenin, Hesperetin, Isosakuranetin, Narirutin, Hesperidin, Naringin
[C. unshiu]: Naringenin, Hesperetin, Narirutin, Hesperidin;
[C. reticulata]: Naringenin, Hesperetin, Narirutin, Hesperidin;
P. trifoliata: Poncirin, Naringenin, Isosakuranetin, Narirutin, Naringin;
[C. natsudaidai]: Poncirin, Naringenin, Naringin, Neohesperidin, Hesperetin, (Narirutin, Hesperidin)

Coumarins:
[C. aurantium, C. sinensis]: Umbelliferone, Auraptene, Citropten, Isoimperatorin, Imperatorin;
[C. aurantium]: Meranzin hydrate, Marmin, Isomeranzin, 5-[(6,7-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-2-octenyl) oxy]-Psoralen, Isoimperatorin, Meranzin;
[P. trifoliata]: Isomeranzin, Poncimarin, Isoponcimarin, Imperatorin, Phellopterin, Isoimperatorin;
[C. natsudaidai]: Meranzin hydrate, Marmin, Isomeranzin, 5-[(6,7-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-2-octenyl) oxy]-Psoralen, Isoimperatorin, Meranzin, (Phellopterin);
[C. ichangensis]: Meranzin hydrate, Limettin, Meranzin, Marmin, Isomeranzin, 5-[(6,7-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-2-octenyl) oxy]-Psoralen, Epoxyaurapten;
[C. wilsonii]: Meranzin, Marmin, Isomeranzin, Oxypeucedanin, 5-[(6,7-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-2-octenyl) oxy]-Psoralen, Imperatorin, Epoxyaurapten, Isoimperatorin;
[C. junos]: Phellopterin, Isoimperatorin

Alkaloids:
[Citrus spp.]: Synephrine;
N-Methylthyramine

Others:
[Citrus spp.]: Calcium chloride, Potassium chloride
Pharmacological effects Antiallergic (water extract, sinensetin, nobiletin, tangeretin), antiinflammatory (neohesperidin, sinensetin, nobiletin, tangeretin), antiulcer (marmin, nobiletin) and analgesic (isoimperatorin).
Indications As an aromatic stomachic, it is applied to treat indigestion, abdominal distention, constipation, stomachache and phlegm syndrome. Though the effects are similar to Aurantii Fructus (kikoku in JP, zhiqiao in CN), it is stronger in action.
Diseases Abdominal pain, Constipation, Diarrhea, Full stomach, Malaise due to feeling hot in the chest, Stomachache, Anorexia
Formulas untanto , en'nenhangeto , kairosan , kagenryokakusan (kyoteiken) , kamiuntanto , karokijitsuto , kanroin , kishukunichinto , kijutsuto , kippikijitsushokyoto , kyukichoketsuindaiichikagen , keigairengyoto , keibohaidokusan , kobokusammotsuto , kobokushichimotsuto , goshakusan , saikyohangeto , saikokikitsuto , saikosokanto , shigyakusan , shojokito , shobaito , jiketsujunchoto , junchoto , jinsoin , seijobofuto , daisaikoto , daisaikotokyodaio , daijokito , chikujountanto , tsudosan , hainosan , hainosankyuto , bukuryoin , bukuryoinkahange , bukuryoingohangekobokuto , bunshoto , henseishinkiin , mashiningan
Meridian tropism Spleen, Stomach
Property Slightly cold
Flavor Bitter, Sour
Classification in "Shen-non Ben-cao Jing" Middle
TCM: Classification Drugs for regulating the flow of vital energy
TCM: Medicinal effects To eliminate stagnation of qi marked by a feeling of stuffiness, fullness and distending pain.
Used for tenesmus in dysentery or constipation, pectoral pain and stuffiness sensation, due to stagnation of phlegm and qi, tenderness and feeling of fullness in the costal regions or from the epigastrium down to lower abdomen accompanied by constipation, gastroptosis, prolapse of the rectum, prolapse of the uterus.
Remarks Listed in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia 18th ed.
References TN: T. Namba & Y. Tsuda ed., Outline of Pharmacognosy, a Textbook, 3rd ed., Nankodo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, 1998.
DNA sequences of medicinal plants
Gene Region
Nuclear Chloroplast Mitochondria
Botanical source: Plant name 5Ss 18S ITS1 5.8S ITS2 26S others trnH-psbA matK trnK trnK-rps16 trnT-L trnL trnL-F rbcL rpoC1 ndhF others
Citrus aurantium var. daidai Makino (NCBI:txid1925543)
Citrus natsudaidai Hayata (IPNI:771993-1)
CCoAMT
 AB035144
rpl16
 AB514121
Citrus × aurantium Linné (IPNI:59600-2)
rpoB
 GQ248746
 EF590435
atpF-atpH
  GQ247927
atpB
  EF118842
 EF118843
atpB-rbcL
  EF126512
 EF126513
rps16
  EF126580
 EF126581
rps4-trnT
  EF134644
 EF134645
psbM-trnD
  EF164824
 EF164825
trnS-trnG
  EF176508
 EF176509
ycf5
  EF590805
accD
  EF590861
ndhJ
  EF590930
 

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