Bitter Orange: Herbs At A Glance 

Bitter Orange:  The bitter orange tree is native to eastern Africa and tropical Asia. Today, it is grown throughout the Mediterranean region and elsewhere, including California and Florida. Bitter orange oil is used in foods, cosmetics, and aromatherapy products. Bitter orange oil from the tree's leaves is called petitgrain, and oil from the flowers is called neroli.

The oil extracted from the peel of the bitter orange gives a strong odor and flavor. The bitter orange oil is used a remedy for a variety of health problems. Only the peel of the bitter orange has medicinal value. Mostly used for digestive problems. The oil from the flower of the bitter orange (neroli) is also used as medicine to treat gastrointestinal disorders. 

Common Names--bitter  orange, Seville orange, sour orange, Zhi shi

Latin Names--Citrus  aurantium

What Bitter Orange  Is Used For

• Bitter orange has been used in traditional Chinese medicine and by indigenous people of the Amazon rain forest for nausea, indigestion, and constipation.
• Current uses of bitter orange are for heartburn, loss of appetite, nasal congestion, and weight loss. It is also applied to the skin for fungal infections such as ringworm and athlete's foot.
• Try our Herbal Remedy: 

Use Triple Complex Digestion Tonic to: 

• Ensure balance of biochemic tissue salts in the digestive system 
• Maintain healthy, trouble-free digestion 
• Support health and functioning in the entire digestive tract 
• Promote healthy metabolism 
• Soothe the digestive tract and support routine systemic cleansing and detox through liver support 
• Optimize the therapeutic effects of other remedies by improvig systemic functioning and metabolism 

How Bitter Orange  Is Used

The dried fruit and peel (and sometimes flowers and leaves) are taken by mouth in extracts, tablets, and capsules. Bitter orange oil can be applied to the skin.

What the Science Says about Bitter Orange 

• There is not enough scientific evidence to support the use of bitter orange for health purposes.
• Many herbal weight-loss products now use bitter orange peel in place of ephedra. However, bitter orange contains the chemical synephrine, which is similar to the main chemical in ephedra. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned ephedra because it raises blood pressure and is linked to heart attacks and strokes; it is unclear whether bitter orange has similar effects. There is currently little evidence that bitter orange is safer to use than ephedra.

Side Effects and Cautions about Bitter Orange 

• Because bitter orange contains chemicals that may speed up the heart rate and raise blood pressure, it may not be safe to use as a dietary supplement. There have been reports of fainting, heart attack, and stroke in healthy people after taking bitter orange supplements alone or combined with caffeine. People should avoid taking bitter orange if they have a heart condition or high blood pressure, or if they are taking medications (such as MAO inhibitors), caffeine, or other herbs/supplements that speed up the heart rate. 
• Due to lack of safety evidence, pregnant women should avoid products that contain bitter orange. 
• Bitter orange oil used on the skin may increase the risk of sunburn, particularly in light-skinned people. 
• Tell your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care. 
• An herb is a plant or part of a plant used for its flavor, scent, or potential therapeutic properties. Includes flowers, leaves, bark, fruit, seeds, stems, and roots. Herbal medicine products are dietary supplements that people take to improve their health. Many herbs have been used for a long time for claimed health benefits. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts and fresh or dried plants. However, some can cause health problems, some are not effective and some may interact with other drugs you are taking.Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs. 

To use an herbal product as safely as possible: 

• Consult your doctor first 
• Do not take a bigger dose than the label recommends 
• Take it under the guidance of a trained medical professional 
• Be especially cautious if you are pregnant or nursing