NIMBU (Fresh Fruit)
Nimbhu consists of fresh fruit of Citrus limon (Linn.) Burm. f. Syn. C. medica var. limonum (Fam. Rutaceae); a straggling bush or small tree, 3 to 4 m high with thorny branches, cultivated in many parts of the country in orchards.
SYNONYMS
Sanskrit : Jambira, Maha Nimbu
Assamese : —
Bengali : Patinebu, Kagghinebu, Baranebu
English : The lemon of India, Lemon
Gujrati : Limbu
Hindi : Nimbu, Bara Nimbu, Pakari Nimbu
Kannada : Nimbe, Lime hannu, Nimbe hannu
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Cherunakaram, Vadukappulinarakam
Marathi : Nimbu
Oriya : —
Punjabi : Nimbu
Tamil : Elumichai, Elumichangai, Elumicchai, Cherunaranka
Telugu : Pedda Nimma, Jambira, Nimmu, Bijapuram
Urdu : Limu, Neebu
DESCRIPTION
a) Macroscopic
Fruit a berry, hesperidium, yellow when ripe, ovoid or globose, 5 to 10 cm long; external surface even or rugged showing openings of oil glands; usually with 9 mammillate extremity and thin rind; transversely cut surface shows thin rind and an inwardly grown endocarp forming 10 to 12 segments, each containing 2 or 3 seeds with pulp formed by succulent hairs; juice acidic.
PROPERTIES AND ACTION
Rasa : Amla
Guna : Laghu
Virya : Ushna
Vipaka : Amla
Karma : Dipana, Kaphahara, Pittakara, Vatahara, Pacana
IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS – Varisoshana Rasa, Vasanta Malati Rasa, Vanga Bhasma,Kasisa Bhasma, Gandhaka Vati, sankha Vati, Ajirnakanaka Rasa, Kalakhuta Rasa, Mahasankha Vati,Nasika Churna
THERAPEUTIC USES – Agnimandya, Aruci, Chhardi(vomiting), Krimi, Trisha, Vibandha, Vatika shula, Udara Roga, Vishucika
DOSE – 6-12 gm of the drug in juice form.
