Bergamot Juice
Scientific Name(s): Citrus bergamia Risso et Poiteau
Common Name(s): Bergamot juice, Bergamot juice extract
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Dec 22, 2021.
Clinical Overview
Use
Limited clinical studies have evaluated the effects of bergamot juice on dyslipidemia and cognitive function. Experiments have identified antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the bergamot flavonoids, while applications in cancer and antimicrobial activity are being investigated. See also Bergamot Oil monograph.
Dosing
Cognitive dysfunction: An open-label pilot study examined the effect of bergamot-derived polyphenolic fraction (500 mg twice daily for 8 weeks as adjunctive therapy), on cognitive dysfunction in patients being treated for schizophrenia.
Dyslipidemia: Effects of bergamot-derived polyphenolic fraction on dyslipidemia have been studied at dosages of 500 mg/day and 1,000 mg/day for treatment durations of 1 month or 6 months. In a study of patients with moderate hypercholesterolemia, a standardized bergamot-derived extract (Bergavit) was given at a fixed daily dose (150 mg of flavonoids) for 6 months.
Contraindications
Contraindications have not been identified.
Pregnancy/Lactation
Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.
Interactions
Case reports are lacking. The potential for interactions, similar to the enzyme-inhibiting mechanism of grapefruit, exists.
Adverse Reactions
Limited clinical studies in hyperlipidemia suggest bergamot juice is safe and well tolerated, although heartburn has been reported. The juice itself is bitter and unpalatable.
Toxicology
No data.
Scientific Family
- Rutaceae (rue or citrus); subfamily Esperidea
Botany
The bergamot, a small tree native to tropical Asia, is cultivated extensively in Reggio Calabria, a coastal city in southern Italy, and is cultivated on a smaller scale on the Ivory Coast and in Argentina and Brazil. The trees have star-shaped white flowers with round, yellow fruits and large, dark-green, oval-shaped leaves similar to those of lemon trees. The peel of the fresh, nearly ripe fruit is the source of bergamot oil,Navarra 2015 while bergamot juice is derived from the membranous endo and mesocarp of the fruit.Giglio 2016, Mannucci 2017
Bergamot is related to bitter orange (Citrus aurantium); a synonym of C. bergamia is C. aurantium L. subspecies bergamia.Khan 2009, USDA 2017 C. bergamia should not be confused with scarlet bergamot (Monarda didyma L.) or wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa L.), which belong to the mint family.
History
Bergamot oil is used as a citrus flavor and is often added to perfumes and cosmetics. Bergamot oil is used to flavor Earl Grey teaVerzera 2003 and halva, a Middle Eastern sesame paste confection.
Bergamot juice has recently come into scientific favor, with bergamot-derived flavonoid extract being used in clinical studies. The fresh juice itself is bitter and largely unpalatable, but is available as a liqueur. Ethnobotanical reports suggest bergamot juice may have been used traditionally to treat malaria.Tagarelli 2010
Chemistry
Bergamot juice and bergamot-derived standardized preparations are characterized by the flavonoids and flavonoid glycoside content, which are distinct from other citrus fruits. Flavonoids neoeriocitrin, naringin, and neohesperidin have been identified, as well as C-glucosides, flavone and flavonone glycosides (rutin, neodiosmin,...
