ABSTRACT
C.citratus has been usedin many countries with a long history.Traditionally,it is applied as a food seasoning in cooking.It is also used in tea beverage and folk medicine as well.Modern application of C.citratus is focused on the development of citronella oil,which can be used for food additives,disinfectants,cosmetics,drugs and etc.C.citratus is also a potential plant in landscaping.Its special lemony flavor contains chemical constituents,mainly including citral,myrcene,linalool,geraniol,nerol,citronellol,and etc.The modern research showed that C.citratus had the main effects of anti-microbial,anti-inflammation,analgesia,anti-oxidation,anti-tumor,anti-anxiety,anti-hypertension,antihyperglycemia,and etc.With further studies,some new pharmacological properties of C.citrates are going to be discovered gradually.It is worthy of further research and development to meet the needs of the health industry.