Bitter orange

Research corpus coverage

Chemistry notes

• CHEMISTRY: Relevant reported constituents include p-synephrine; flavanones; volatile oils; constituent presence alone does not establish clinical efficacy.

Traditional / historical use

Documented traditional use — not a claim of established efficacy.

• TRADITIONAL: Bitter orange has been used for digestive complaints; appetite/weight products; this records historical/traditional use and does not establish efficacy.

  MODERATE · evidence synthesis/fact sheet · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance

Modern evidence

• EVIDENCE: For the major use set (digestive complaints; appetite/weight products), the evidence assessment is insufficient: Insufficient for weight loss; cardiovascular risk signals and confounding by caffeine are important.

  LOW · regulatory monograph and mixed scientific literature · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance

Forms used traditionally

A listed form does not imply it suits every plant part, or that one preparation is interchangeable with another — see the plant’s own notes below.

Dogs

• Caution

  Bergamot orange / bergamot is listed with the scientific name Citrus Aurantium under “Plants Toxic to Dogs.” No cat-specific evidence, toxic constituents, clinical signs, or preparation distinctions are provided.

  Intrinsic toxicity · UNKNOWN · Not stated; whole plant or plant group listing only · MODERATE · poison_control_database · Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List — Dogs - ASPCA

Additional safety notes (general, unstructured)

Free-text safety notes carried from their source — not broken out by species, route, or hazard type, and not equivalent to the structured records above. Each note names the kind of source it came from.

• SAFETY: Major issues include Tachycardia, hypertension, anxiety; photosensitivity with peel oil. Contraindications/cautions include Cardiovascular disease; uncontrolled hypertension.

  MODERATE · evidence synthesis/fact sheet · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance

• SAFETY: Clinically relevant interaction concerns include Additive with stimulants/MAOIs; possible CYP3A4 interactions depending on product.

  MODERATE · evidence synthesis/fact sheet · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance

  Some interactions are theoretical or based on case reports/pharmacokinetics rather than outcome trials.

• SAFETY: Pregnancy/lactation reference: Avoid concentrated products in pregnancy/lactation.

  MODERATE · regulatory monograph or evidence synthesis · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance

  Absence of evidence is not evidence of safety.

• Bergamot orange / bergamot is listed with the scientific name Citrus Aurantium under “Plants Toxic to Dogs.” No cat-specific evidence, toxic constituents, clinical signs, or preparation distinctions are provided.

  MODERATE · poison_control_database · Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List — Dogs - ASPCA

  The common name is bergamot orange and the page also gives Citrus bergamia; its Citrus Aurantium identification is ambiguous relative to the canonical Citrus × aurantium.

Taxonomic identity note

• Bitter orange is treated here as Citrus × aurantium L. in the family Rutaceae; recorded older names include Citrus aurantium var. amara Engl..