Efficacy and effects of Citrus aurantium

Citrus aurantium is bitter; pungent; cold.　It belongs to the spleen meridian; stomach meridian; liver meridian; heart meridian. It has the efficacy of breaking down Qi and eliminating stagnation; resolving phlegm and removing lumpiness, let's take a look at the specific efficacy and effects of Citrus aurantium and its contraindications.

Treatment of gastrointestinal Qi stagnation

Citrus aurantium is pungent, bitter, and enters the spleen and stomach meridians. It can not only break down qi and remove lumpiness, but also eliminate stagnation, so it can be used to treat stagnation in the stomach and intestines, and those who have poor qi flow. It can be used together with Hawthorn, malt and Shen Qu to treat food stagnation and gas stagnation.

Removing fullness and relieving pain

Citrus aurantium can move qi and resolve stasis to relieve lumpiness, and break qi to remove fullness and relieve pain. For the treatment of chest paralysis caused by phlegm obstruction and lack of vitality in the chest, fullness and pain in the chest, it can be used together with Allium sativum and Cinnamomum cassia; for the treatment of phlegm-heat knotted chest, it can be used together with Huang Lian, Gua Gua Pou and Han Xia; for the treatment of subcardiac fullness and loss of appetite, it can be used together with Han Xia and Hou Pu.

Bi-directional regulation of gastrointestinal smooth muscle function

It presents a dual function on the smooth muscle of the stomach and intestines, which can both excite the stomach and intestines to enhance peristalsis and reduce the tension and antispasmodic effect of intestinal smooth muscle. Its aqueous decoction by gavage can excite the gastric smooth muscle, and inhibit the isolated intestinal smooth muscle, obviously reducing its tension and inhibiting contraction. At high concentrations, it has an inhibitory effect on intestinal smooth muscle, while at low concentrations, it has a transient inhibitory effect on intestinal smooth muscle, followed by an excitatory effect.

Excitation of uterus

Its aqueous decoction has a significant excitatory effect on rabbits' isolated or in vivo uterus, pregnant or non-pregnant uterus. Contractile force and tension were enhanced, and even tonic contractions were observed. Its alkaloids have a contractile effect on the rabbit's uterus, and the removal of these alkaloids relaxes the uterus.

Antihypertensive and cardiotonic

Hovenia its injection can constrict the peripheral blood vessels, and has obvious effect of raising blood pressure, which can increase both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Its elevating effect is rapid, with a long maintenance time, and no rapid tolerance phenomenon is seen. The active ingredients are p-hydroxyforin and N-methyltyramine. N-methyltyrosine excites α and β receptors by releasing norepinephrine, which enhances myocardial contractility.

Sedative and analgesic

Hovenia extract has obvious sedative effect and can make mice quiet and less active. It has no hypnotic effect, but has a synergistic effect with pentobarbital hypnotism. Citrus aurantium extract can reduce the pain response caused by acetic acid in mice. It can reduce the increase of body temperature caused by typhoid vaccine in rabbits. It has also been reported that d-limonene has a central inhibitory effect.

Sodium removal and diuretic

Both Citrus aurantium and N-methyltyramine administered intravenously to dogs showed a significant increase in urine output, and a significant increase in blood pressure and renal vascular resistance. The diuretic effect may be produced by other effects such as inhibition of renal tubular reabsorption, and is not related to changes in renal blood flow and renal filtration. It has also been reported that Citrus aurantium exerts its sodium-removal diuretic effect by cardiotonicity, constriction of renal blood vessels and increase of filtration pressure.

Anti-allergic reaction

The aqueous extract of Citrus aurantium 100mg/kg by static pulse injection has inhibited the passive skin allergic reaction (PCA) in rats, and 50μg/ml has inhibited the release of histamine from rat abdominal mast cells.

Contraindications to the use of Citrus aurantium

1, weak spleen and stomach and pregnant women should be cautioned to take Citrus aurantium. This herb is contraindicated for pregnant women and people with qi deficiency. 2. Do not take it by mistake if you are weak and have been ill for a long time. Introduction to Medicine: Do not take it by mistake if you are weak and have been sick for a long time. 3. Do not misuse it if it is not a real evil. The "De-supporting Materia Medica": It should not be used by mistake if it is a great loss of true essence and not a real evil.