Citrus Aurantium – BITTER ORANGE

PARTS USED:

• Whole fruit
• Leaves and Flowers

USES:

This is one of the botanicals that works best as aromatherapy and/or inhalation therapy. There are many studies that have shown the positive effects of Neroli oil (from the flower buds; expensive) on mood, blood pressure, GI symptoms, pain, and inflammation. For many of its uses, the essential oil is a key component for this plant, so if you need the oil component it is important to ensure it makes it into your remedy – as a tincture, as a steeped tea (covered), as a steam distillation, or via an essential oil diffuser. Pettigrain oil is extracted from leaves and young shoots.

Antispasmodic/Anodyne

Antioxidant

• Often higher in peel than pulp
• Peel constituents higher in tincture than tea; pulp is higher in tea than tincture

Anti-inflammatory – high Vitamin C content

Antiseptic (Essential oil)

Pesticide – for mosquitos and small flies

Neuro – Most of the neuro benefits are from the essential oils, either captured with steam, or via aromatherapy

• Insomnia, fatigue
• Relaxing nervine
• Sedative
• Antidepressant
• Anticonvulsant
• Headaches
• Anxiety – great for pre-op anxiety

Cardiovascular – Neroli oil works best here

• Decreases palpitations
• Negative chronotrope
• Positive inotrope and vasoconstrictor
  • Increases blood pressure
  • Good for cardiogenic shock and CHF
• Astringent
  • Stops bleeding
  • Preserves fluid volume – good for hypovolemic shock, dehydration
• Controls cholesterol

Respiratory

• Relaxes bronchial smooth muscle – asthma, bronchitis, cough

GI

• Carminative
• Promotes gastric mucus production and supports integrity of gastric mucosa
• Laxative
• Astringent – reduces diarrhea
• Anti-obesity agent
  • Thermogenic – increases metabolic rate
  • Reduces fat accumulation
• Reduced liver fibrosis (animal studies)
• Hepatoprotective against chemically-induced liver necrosis (ie Tylenol overuse, alcohol)
• Bitter
• Appetite suppressant, but can also stimulate the appetite

MS

• Improves athletic performance
  • Increased reps/weights/distance – allows you to train harder
  • Note: Considered a stimulant – banned in most sports
• Aromatherapy has a calming effect on muscle contractions post-workout

Integumentary

• High vitamin C content – good for wound healing, collagen formation
• Pimples, acne, bacterial and fungal infections

Endocrine

• May help lower blood glucose levels
• Fruit and juice may be useful in hypothyroidism (animal studies)

Reproductive

• Antispasmodic
  • Dysmenorrhea
  • PMS
    • Aromatherapy used over two cycles reduced PMS in young girls, particularly the mental symptoms, such as irritability, anxiety, depression (studies)
  • Labour pains (tea compress placed on back of neck – study)

Immune

• Antibacterial – all Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (tincture and tea forms of leaves, plus essential oil of leaves and fruit)
  • Staph aureus, Listeria, Klebsiella, Salmonella, E.coli
• Antiviral – notably Rotavirus
• Antifungal

Oncology

• Promotes production of Interleukins and Tumor Necrosis Factor
  • Helps with cell cycle arrest
  • Prevents cell infiltration
  • Best on lung carcinomas
• Apoptosis of colon cancer cells and leukemia cells