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Lime

The lime is a citrus fruit. The fruit, juice, peel and oil are used to make medicine. The oil pressed from the crushed fruit is known as distilled lime oil. The oil pressed from the unripe peel is known as pressed lime oil. Lime juice is used to treat severe diarrhea (dysentery). Some people apply lime oil directly to the skin to kill germs, treat nausea and as a stimulant. In cosmetics, lime oil is used as a fragrance and as a fixative.

How does lime work?

There is not enough information available to say how lime might work as a medicine.

How effective is lime?

There is not enough scientific data to say how effective lime is for severe diarrhea (dysentery) and nausea, or when used to kill germs on the skin. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of lime in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Lime is safe and harmless for most adults in the amounts found in food. Lime peel may be safe and harmless when used in medicinal quantities.

Some people are sensitive to lime oil when it is applied directly to the skin. Lime oil may increase the skin's sensitivity to sun exposure and may not be safe when applied directly to the skin. If used on the skin, especially if you have a fair skin type, you should use sun protection and wear protective clothing when outdoors.

Interactions

Care should be taken when combining lime with the following medications:

Medications that are broken down by the liver (cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) substrates) Some medications are broken down by the liver. Lime juice can reduce the rate at which the liver breaks down certain drugs. Consuming lime juice in conjunction with medications that are broken down by the liver may increase the effects and side effects of some medications. For this reason, you should consult your doctor before drinking lime juice if you are taking medication that is broken down by the liver.

Medications that increase sensitivity to sunlight

Some medications can increase sensitivity to sunlight. Lime oil can also increase sensitivity to sunlight. Using lime oil in conjunction with medications that can increase sensitivity to sunlight could increase the risk of sunburn, blistering of the skin or rashes on areas of skin exposed to the sun. For this reason, use a sunblock and wear protective clothing when spending time in the sun.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of lime depends on various factors such as age, health and others. At this time, there is insufficient scientific data to determine appropriate dosage ranges for lime. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

  1. Bailey DG, Dresser GK, Bend JR. Bergamottin, lime juice, and red wine as inhibitors of cytochrome P450 3A4 activity: comparison with grapefruit juice. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2003;73:529-37.
  2. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21. Part 182 -- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe. Available at: http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid= 786bafc6f6343634fbf79fcdca7061e1&rgn=div5&view= text&node=21:3.0.1.1.13&idno=21
  3. Naganuma M, Hirose S, Nakayama Y, et al. A study of the phototoxicity of lemon oil. Arch Dermatol Res 1985;278:31-6.
  4. Roesyanto-Mahadi ID, Geursen-Reitsma AM, van Joost T, et al. Sensitization to fragrance materials in Indonesian cosmetics. Contact Dermatitis 1990;22:212-7.