Effectiveness of Citrus hystrix Extracts in Antibacterial Therapy: A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70672/zdav0d57Keywords:
Citrus hystrix, antibacterial activity, essential oilAbstract
Citrus hystrix is a tropical medicinal plant known for its rich essential oils and its potential as a natural antibacterial agent. In this systematic review, the antibacterial efficacy of Citrus hystrix extracts is critically evaluated in relation to its phytochemical composition, providing an integrated analysis that links bioactive constituents with antimicrobial activity using 12 eligible studies published between 2005 and 2025 from Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. Most studies investigated the essential oils of the peel or leaves and reported citronellal, limonene, and β-pinene as the main constituents. The extracts inhibited Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus mutans, and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), with MIC values ranging from 3.12 to 12.5 mg/mL. Synergistic effects with antibiotics were also observed. However, the heterogeneity of extraction methods, the limited number of phytochemical profiles, and the reliance on in vitro assays limits the comparison between studies. Future work should focus on standardized extraction, comprehensive phytochemical profiling, detailed cytotoxicity assessment, and robust in vivo and clinical validation to enable therapeutic application of Citrus hystrix extracts.
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