Bergamot Oil

Scientific Name(S): Citrus bergamia Risso et Poit. Synonymous with C. aurantium L. subspecies bergamia. Family: Rutaceae

Common Name(S): Bergamot, oleum bergamotte. The plant should not be confused with Monarda didyma L. also known as scarlet bergamot or more commonly as oswego tea.

Bergamot Oil is taken from the Bergamot Tree ( Citrus bergamia ), which is named after the Italian city of Bergamot where it was first grown. The oil from Bergamot has been used for many years as a supplement and treatment for a wide range of conditions such as fevers, skin and mouth problems, respiratory conditions and other illnesses.

Botany: The bergamot is a small tree native to tropical Asia, which is cultivated extensively on the southern coasts of Italy. The peel of the fresh, nearly ripe fruit is the source of bergamot oil. The oil is obtained by cold expression. Further purification by vacuum distillation solvent extraction or chromatography yields terpeneless (rectified) bergamot oil. The oil is now used as a citrus flavor and is often added to perfumes and cosmetics.

Uses of Bergamot Oil

• Bergamot oil is widely used as a flavoring and scenting agent.
• Some of its components are useful in therapy for psoriasis and vitiligo.
• Bergamot Oil can be added to mouthwash to get rid of halitosis.
• Bergamot Oil can also work well to remove acne and varicose veins.

Side Effects of Bergamot Oil

Photosensitizing components can induce rashes and pathologic cellular changes.

Bergamot oil can cause burns when used on a sensitive skin which is then exposed to sunlight, as the high content of bergaptene can cause photo-toxicity . I t is advisable to keep out of the sun if this oil is used on the skin.

Pharmacology/Toxicology:

Some furocoumarins (such as bergapten and xanthotoxin, known as 5-5-methoxypsoralen and 8-methoxypsoralen, respectively) have been shown to be phototoxic in humans. Bergamottin accounts for about two-thirds of the absorption of UVA and UVB light by bergamot oiLs Photosensitivity reaches its peak approximately two hours after topical administration of the oil. Hyperpigmentation of the face and other areas exposed to the sun is thought to be due to the photosensitizing effects of cosmetics that contain these compounds.

The furocoumarins can induce genetic changes in cells exposed to UV light even in concentrations as low as 5 ppm. These changes can be minimized by the application of a cinnamate-containing sunscreen, but sun­screens in low concentrations (up to 1%) added to perfumes cannot suppress the phototoxicity of bergamot oil on human skin. Studies suggest that many of the changes induced by bergamot oil and its components are malignant in nature.

The furocoumarins have been used therapeutically in conjunction with long-wave ultraviolet light therapy for the management of psoriasis and vitiligo.

Summary: Bergamot oil is a widely used material that imparts a citrus flavor to foods and beverages. Its odor has made it a component of perfumes and cosmetics. Unfortunately, bergamot oil contains photosensitizing compounds that can induce rashes and pathologic cellular changes when applied topically and exposed to sun­light or other sources of UV radiation.