Bitter Orange Extract  

used in herbal medicine as a stimulant and appetite suppressant,in many herbal weight-loss products

Brief introduction

bitter orange, also known as Seville orange, sour orange, bigarade orange, and marmalade orange, refers to a citrus tree (Citrus aurantium) and its fruit. Many varieties of bitter oranges are used for their essential oil, which is used in perfume and as a flavoring. Bitter orange is also used in herbal medicine as a stimulant and appetite suppressant, and has replaced ephedra, that was banned in USA, in many herbal weight-loss products, despite similar concerns about potential serious side effects and lack of effectiveness.

Application

1.       The extract of bitter orange (and bitter orange peel) has been used in dietary supplements as an aid to fat loss and as an appetite suppressant, although in traditional Chinese medicine it is always prescribed in concert with other support herbs, not in isolation. Bitter orange contains synephrine, a substance similar to ephedrine, which acts on the α1 adrenergic receptor to constrict blood vessels and increase blood pressure and heart rate.

2.       bitter orange has been substituted into "ephedra-free" herbal weight-loss products by dietary supplement manufacturers.While bitter orange has not undergone formal safety testing, it can cause the same spectrum of adverse events as ephedra.Case reports have linked bitter orange supplements to strokes,angina, and ischemic colitis.