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Citral
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<h2 id="natural-occurrence">Natural Occurrence</h2> <p>Citral is present in the <a href="/facts/Volatile_oil/cq8V5ocP">volatile oils</a> of several plants:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Lemon_myrtle/JVBjq76x">lemon myrtle</a> (90–98%)</li><li><i>Litsea citrata</i> (90%)</li><li><i><a href="/facts/Litsea_cubeba/SeITr8Vx">Litsea cubeba</a></i> (70–85%)</li><li><a href="/facts/Lemongrass/hNPzy8qu">lemongrass</a> (65–85%)</li><li><a href="/facts/Leptospermum_liversidgei/69tbX65F">lemon tea-tree</a> (70–80%)</li><li><i><a href="/facts/Ocimum_gratissimum/1l3BaA9P">Ocimum gratissimum</a></i> (66.5%)</li><li><i>Lindera citriodora</i> (about 65%)</li><li><i>Calypranthes parriculata</i> (about 62%)</li><li><a href="/facts/Petitgrain/6qHaS5PH">petitgrain</a> (36%)</li><li><a href="/facts/Lemon_verbena/7t4qPzuy">lemon verbena</a> (30–35%)</li><li><a href="/facts/Eucalyptus_staigeriana/L0S2lx6s">lemon ironbark</a> (26%)</li><li><a href="/facts/Lemon_balm/DAa1Nbch">lemon balm</a> (11%)</li><li><a href="/facts/Lime_(fruit)/C59o9rYc">lime</a> (6–9%)</li><li><a href="/facts/Lemon/dYYzVCVq">lemon</a> (2–5%)</li><li><a href="/facts/Orange_(fruit)/qQdDNeL4">orange</a></li></ul> <p>Further, in the lipid fraction (essential oil) of Australian ginger (51–71%)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> Of the many sources of citral, the Australian myrtaceous tree, lemon myrtle, <i><a href="/facts/Backhousia_citriodora/JVBjq76x">Backhousia citriodora</a></i> F. Muell. (of the family <a href="/facts/Myrtaceae/s1QMCFTj">Myrtaceae</a>), is considered superior.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="uses">Uses</h2> <p>Citral is a precursor in the industrial production of <a href="/facts/Vitamin_A/5ewDf9LF">vitamin A</a>, <a href="/facts/Vitamin_E/UcL1ghae">vitamin E</a>, <a href="/facts/Vitamin_K/dpTFSa4J">vitamin K</a>. </p><p>Citral is also precursor to <a href="/facts/Lycopene/MJdhl8nX">lycopene</a>, <a href="/facts/Ionone/tKmNVX3t">ionone</a> and methylionone. </p> <h3>Fragrances</h3> <p>Citral has a strong lemon (citrus) scent and is used as an <a href="/facts/Aroma_compound/h3MF95yb">aroma compound</a> in perfumery. It is used to fortify lemon oil. (Nerol, another perfumery compound, has a less intense but sweeter lemon note.) The aldehydes citronellal and citral are considered key components responsible for the lemon note with citral preferred.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p><p>It also has pheromonal effects in <a href="/facts/Acari/XCs0r7gN">acari</a> and <a href="/facts/Insects/IgDNvnUL">insects</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> </p><p>The herb <i><a href="/facts/Cymbopogon_citratus/Pv0s53l3">Cymbopogon citratus</a></i> has shown promising insecticidal and antifungal activity against storage pests.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> </p> <h3>Food additive</h3> <p>Citral is commonly used as a food additive ingredient.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p><p>It has been tested (2016) in vitro against the food-borne pathogen <i><a href="/facts/Cronobacter_sakazakii/Ah1nXqmn">Cronobacter sakazakii</a></i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Citronellal/sGJYHs5D">Citronellal</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Geraniol/q8rCfvGQ">Geraniol</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Limonene/8qBaxvyv">Limonene</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Nerol/2UxwEYYp">Nerol</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Alcohol_without_liquid/R6hmQ55K">Vaporizer</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="http://physchem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS/CI/citral.html">MSDS</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070818041949/http://physchem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS/CI/citral.html">Archived</a> 18 August 2007 at the <a href="/facts/Wayback_Machine/nmQ3a6JC">Wayback Machine</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Waghulde, S.; Parmar, P.; Mule, J.; Pashte, D.; Patil, B.; Modhale, N.; Gorde, N.; Kharche, A.; Kale, M. (2020). "Lead Finding from Plant Cymbopogon Citratus with Immunomodulator Potentials through in Silico Methods". Chemistry Proceedings. 3 (1): 77. doi:10.3390/ecsoc-24-08302. ISSN 2673-4583. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fecsoc-24-08302" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fecsoc-24-08302</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Waghulde, S.; Parmar, P.; Mule, J.; Pashte, D.; Patil, B.; Modhale, N.; Gorde, N.; Kharche, A.; Kale, M. (2020). "Lead Finding from Plant Cymbopogon Citratus with Immunomodulator Potentials through in Silico Methods". Chemistry Proceedings. 3 (1): 77. doi:10.3390/ecsoc-24-08302. ISSN 2673-4583. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fecsoc-24-08302" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fecsoc-24-08302</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Zachariah, T. J.; Parthasarathy, V. A.; Chempakam, B. (2008). Chemistry of spices. Wallingford: CABI. p. 76. ISBN 9781845934057. OCLC 1120264204. <a href="9781845934057" target="_blank">9781845934057</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Fenaroli, G.; Furia, T.E.; Bellanca, N. Handbook of Flavor Ingredients. ISBN 0-87819-532-7. <a href="0-87819-532-7" target="_blank">0-87819-532-7</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Lawless, J. (2 November 1995). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils. Element. ISBN 1-85230-661-0. <a href="1-85230-661-0" target="_blank">1-85230-661-0</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"The Aromatic Plant Project". Archived from the original on 24 November 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2008. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20191124031814/http://www.aromaticplantproject.com/articles_archive/lemon_citrus_scented_oils.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20191124031814/http://www.aromaticplantproject.com/articles_archive/lemon_citrus_scented_oils.html</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Zachariah, T. J.; Parthasarathy, V. A.; Chempakam, B. (2008). Chemistry of spices. Wallingford: CABI. p. 76. ISBN 9781845934057. OCLC 1120264204. <a href="9781845934057" target="_blank">9781845934057</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Southwell, Ian (9 July 2021). "Backhousia citriodora F. Muell. (Lemon Myrtle), an Unrivalled Source of Citral". Foods. 10 (7): 1596. doi:10.3390/foods10071596. PMC 8305781. PMID 34359465. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8305781" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8305781</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Southwell, Ian (9 July 2021). "Backhousia citriodora F. Muell. (Lemon Myrtle), an Unrivalled Source of Citral". Foods. 10 (7): 1596. doi:10.3390/foods10071596. PMC 8305781. PMID 34359465. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8305781" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8305781</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Kuwahara, Yasumasa; Suzuki, Hiroshi; Matsumoto, Katsuhiko; Wada, Yoshitake (1983). "Pheromone Study on Acarid Mites. XI. Function of Mite Body as Geometrical Isomerization and Reduction of Citral (the Alarm Pheromone)". Applied Entomology and Zoology. 18 (1): 30–39. doi:10.1303/aez.18.30. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1303%2Faez.18.30" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1303%2Faez.18.30</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Robacker, D.C.; Hendry, L.B. (1977). "Neral and geranial: components of the sex pheromone of the parasitic wasp, Itoplectis conquisitor". Journal of Chemical Ecology. 3 (5): 563–577. doi:10.1007/BF00989077. S2CID 11568355. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Dubey, N. K.; Takeya, Koichi; Itokawa, Hideji (1997). "Citral: A cytotoxic principle isolated from the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus against P388 leukaemia cells". Current Science. 73 (1): 22–24. JSTOR 24098141. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Liao, Pei-Chun; Yang, Tsung-Shi; Chou, Ju-Ching; Chen, Jie; Lee, Shu-Ching; Kuo, Yueh-Hsiung; Ho, Chen-Lung; Chao, Louis Kuo-Ping (1 December 2015). "Anti-inflammatory activity of neral and geranial isolated from fruits of Litsea cubeba Lour". Journal of Functional Foods. 19: 248–258. doi:10.1016/j.jff.2015.09.034. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jff.2015.09.034" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jff.2015.09.034</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Shi, Chao; Song, Kaikuo; Zhang, Xiaorong; Sun, Yi; Sui, Yue; Chen, Yifei; Jia, Zhenyu; Sun, Huihui; Sun, Zheng; Xia, Xiaodong (14 July 2016). "Antimicrobial Activity and Possible Mechanism of Action of Citral against Cronobacter sakazakii". PLOS ONE. 11 (7): e0159006. Bibcode:2016PLoSO..1159006S. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0159006. PMC 4945043. PMID 27415761. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4945043" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4945043</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>