ABSTRACT

Limonoids are a group of chemically related tetracyclic triterpenoids present in the plants of the Rutaceae and Meliaceae. As the bitter constituents in citrus juices, excessive limonoid levels lower the quality and value of citrus juices and have a significant negative economic impact on the citrus industry worldwide (1). However, limonoids have been shown to have anticarcinogenic activity in laboratory animals (2-5) and in cultured human breast cancer cells (6). Limonoids also have been shown to possess antifeedant activity against insects (7) and are excellent chemotaxonomic markers in the Rutaceae family plants (8). Hence, limonoids are important functional chemicals in the agriculture and food industries.