Bioactive Compounds of Wood Apple (Limonia acidissima L.)

Abstract

Limonia acidissima L. (common name: Wood apple) is a fruit-yielding tree that belongs to family Rutaceae, and it is native to Indian subcontinent. Wood apple is a nutrient rich fruit, and the pulp is eaten raw with or without sugar. Pulp is used to prepare juice, jam, jelly, and ice cream. Limonia acidissima L. fruits, leaves, stem and stem bark, and roots possess chemical constituents namely coumarins, lignans, flavonoids, phenolic acids, quinones, alkaloids, triterpenoids, sterols, and volatile oils. The solvent extracts and several isolated compounds from various organs of wood apple are reported to have antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, and larvicidal potentials. In this chapter we highlighted the phytochemicals isolated from various parts of Limonia acidissima L. and their biological activities.