Citron (Citrusmedica) is considered one of the ancestors of the familiar, cultivated citrus fruits; the other two ancestors are pomelo (C. maxina) and mandarin (C.reticulata). As the “etrog” (its Hebrew name), the citron takes a featuresin the millennia-old Jewish festival of Sukkot. Already in ancient times, its fame as a sweet-scented cosmetic and medicinal ingredient spread across Asia.
The strange-looking finger citron (see illustration) is one species grown for its supposed medicinal properties and it goes by many names. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is called Fo Shou (佛手),which means Buddha’s hand. One problem with cultivating this particular variety(C. medica var. sarcodactylis) is that the trees producefruit for only a few seasons and must then be replaced. My friend @Josh Klein (https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-klein-8218051) recently asked if we could extract the same phytochemicals from citron wood as from the fruit, since supposedly they taste the same (Talmud, Sukkah 35a).
FoShou, in #traditionalchinesemedicine it is used for treating liver-stomach disorders and as an emetic. The distinctive “marker” phytochemical is a flavonone glycoside called hesperidin. This is actually a minor component, since the fruit contains much more naringin, a similar molecule that is prominent in all citrus fruits. It is because of naringin that eating grapefruit is alleged to interfere with normal metabolism of certain common medications (see Wikipedia article).
Citrus glycoflavonoids are reputed to have numerous therapeutic activities for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and many other disorders. Citrons specifically, not just the fingered variety, are reputed to have magical effects on the skin. They certainly have a heavenly fragrance.
SOURCES:
Fo Shou -TCM simple https://www.tcmsimple.com/chineseherbs/foshou.php.
KhanMK, Dangles O. A comprehensive review on flavanones, the major citruspolyphenols. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 2014 Feb 1;33(1):85-104.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2013.11.004
KleinJD. Citron cultivation, production and uses in the Mediterranean region. In Medicinaland Aromatic Plants of the Middle-East 2014 (pp. 199-214). Springer, Dordrecht.
MyersonR. The Etrog is Judaism’s Best Kept Wellness Secret. Heyalma September 20,2018, https://www.heyalma.com/this-super-citrus-is-judaisms-best-kept-wellness-secret/
Naringin,Wikipedia 20 January2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Naringin&oldid=1066804942
