Bergamot

Bergamot is a compound that is extracted from the rind of the fruit of a specific variety of the Seville orange tree which grows in Italy. Bergamot is different from other citrus extracts. Bergamot contains polyphenols, flavonoids and pectins that can have a beneficial effect on health. Specifically flavonoids such as brutieridin and melitidin as well as flavonoid O-glucosides and C-glucosides. It is the distinctive flavoring used in Earl Grey tea, and is also used as an essential oil for aromatherapy to relieve anxiety. Bergamot as an oral supplement has been used extensively and has good evidence for treating elevated blood lipid levels. It may also reduce inflammation, treat joint pain, and lower blood glucose levels. The flavonoids and other phytochemicals in bergamot promote immune response and heart health. The mechanisms that are related to bergamot’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects include chelation of metal ions, inhibition of enzymes producing reactive oxygen species, upregulation of endogenous antioxidant proteins, stimulation of autophagy of hepatic lipid droplets, reduction of DNA oxidative damage, inhibition of proinflammatory cytokine production, and reduction of lipid peroxidation. [References 1,2, 3, 4].