| Abstract: | Fortunella margarita(Lour.) Swingle, commonly known as kumquat, is the smallest citrus fruit. It thrives in southeastern China and is widely cultivated and consumed in the world due to its multiple health benefits. It has been used as an important herbal medicine in traditional Chinese medicine and also as one of the most popular fruits. There are various kinds of bioactive compounds in F. margarita, such as polysaccharides, limonoids, essential oils, flavonoids, phenolic acids, vitamins, dietary fiber, etc. In addition, many studies have reported that these bioactive compounds can be used as antioxidant, antimicrobial, hypolipidemic, drosophila lure components in functional foods, pharmaceuticals and daily chemical products due to their biological activities. This review focuses on the structural features and biological activities of polysaccharides, limonoids, essential oils and flavonoids and other bioactive substances from F. margarita and their potential applications in food, daily chemical and pharmaceutical industries. |
