Bitter Orange ~ Aurantii pericarpium/Citrus aurantium

Bitter Orange

Latin name: Aurantii pericarpium/Citrus aurantium

Family: Rutaceae

Part used: outer peel

Habitat:China

Main constituents: synephrine, monoterpenes (limonene, perillyl alcohol, geraniol), flavonoid glycosides (neohesperidin and naringin), flavonoids (hesperidin, rutoside, sinensetin, nobiletin, tangeretin), pectins, furanocoumarins, phenols

Energetics: bitter, pungent

Main herbal actions: chemopreventive

Minor herbal actions:

Main medicinal uses: dyspepsia, loss of appetite, hypochlorhydria

Minor medicinal uses: abnormal growths (skin, breast, colon, etc.)

Preparations: pwd: 4-6 g qd; tincture: 2-3 g qd; infusion: 1 tsp/cup water tid

Contraindications: may cause photosensitization in fair-skinned people

Toxicity: none known

Sources: http://www.herbalgram.org/iherb/commissione/Monographs/Monograph_0023.html; http://wwwsoc.nii.ac.jp/jsac/analsci/pdfs/a15_1017.pdf; http://www.florahealth.com/flora/home/canada/healthinformation/encyclopedias/OrangePeel.asp; http://www.senhealth.com/vsite/vcontent/page/xmlcontent/0,11740,4822-129303-130611-19324-68830-xmlcontent-item,00.html