Bergamot (Citrus bergamiaRisso et Poiteau) essential oil: Biological properties, cosmetic and medical use. A review

Bergapten mediated inflammatory and apoptosis through AMPK/eNOS/AKT signaling pathway of isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in Wistar rats

Bergapten (BeG) is explored for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Myocardial infarction (MI) is reported to be one of the leading cardiovascular diseases characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis. The main purpose of this study is to assess the cardiopreventive effects of BeG (50 mg/kg) in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced MI in Wistar rats. The increased infarct size after ISO induction was reduced simultaneously on treatment with BeG. Similarly, augmented levels of cardiac biomarkers, namely cardiac troponin T, creatine kinase (CK), cardiac troponin I, and CK-MB were also suppressed by BeG. The increased rate of lipid hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances owing to the oxidative stress caused by free radical generation in ISO-induced rats were also inhibited by BeG. Antioxidants reduce oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals. ISO induction reduces these antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione, and levels causing oxidative cardiac damage to the heart tissue. BeG supplementation improved these enzymes synthesis preventing potential damage to the myocardium. Inflammation caused by ISO pretreatment increased the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in ISO-induced rats. Pretreatment with BeG suppressed these inflammatory cytokines to a normal level in ISO + BeG-treated rats. The histopathological examination of the morphological characteristics showed that the intensity of cardiac damage caused by ISO induction was less in BeG pretreated rats with less inflammatory cells and no necrosis. BeG also showed promising results in the molecular alteration of AMP-activated protein kinase/endothelial nitric oxide synthase/protein kinase B signaling molecules. These observations emphasize the cardioprotective effects of BeG and its potential use as a drug in the near future.

Ammonium Glycyrrhizinate and Bergamot Essential Oil Co-Loaded Ultradeformable Nanocarriers: An Effective Natural Nanomedicine for In Vivo Anti-Inflammatory Topical Therapies

Bergamot essential oil (BEO) and Ammonium glycyrrhizinate (AG), naturally derived compounds, have remarkable anti-inflammatory properties, thus making them suitable candidates for the treatment of skin disorders. Despite this, their inadequate physicochemical properties strongly compromise their topical application. Ultradeformable nanocarriers containing both BEO and AG were used to allow their passage through the skin, thus maximizing their therapeutic activity. Physicochemical characterization studies were performed using Zetasizer Nano ZS and Turbiscan Lab^®. The dialysis method was used to investigate the release profile of the active compounds. In vivo studies were performed on human healthy volunteers through the X-Rite spectrophotometer. The nanosystems showed suitable features for topical cutaneous administration in terms of mean size, surface charge, size distribution, and long-term stability/storability. The co-delivery of BEO and AG in the deformable systems improved both the release profile kinetic of ammonium glycyrrhizinate and deformability properties of the resulting nanosystems. The topical cutaneous administration on human volunteers confirmed the efficacy of the nanosystems. In detail, BEO and AG-co-loaded ultradeformable vesicles showed a superior activity compared to that recorded from the ones containing AG as a single agent. These results are promising and strongly encourage a potential topical application of AG/BEO co-loaded nanocarriers for anti-inflammatory therapies.

Pharmacological Properties of Bergapten: Mechanistic and Therapeutic Aspects

Bergapten (BP) or 5-methoxypsoralen (5-MOP) is a furocoumarin compound mainly found in bergamot essential oil but also in other citrus essential oils and grapefruit juice. This compound presents antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, hypolipemic, and anticancer effects and is successfully used as a photosensitizing agent. The present review focuses on the research evidence related to the therapeutic properties of bergapten collected in recent years. Many preclinical and in vitro studies have been evidenced the therapeutic action of BP; however, few clinical trials have been carried out to evaluate its efficacy. These clinical trials with BP are mainly focused on patients suffering from skin disorders such as psoriasis or vitiligo. In these trials, the administration of BP (oral or topical) combined with UV irradiation induces relevant lesion clearance rates. In addition, beneficial effects of bergamot extract were also observed in patients with altered serum lipid profiles and in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver. On the contrary, there are no clinical trials that investigate the possible effects on cancer. Although the bioavailability of BP is lower than that of its 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) isomer, it has fewer side effects allowing higher concentrations to be administered. In conclusion, although the use of BP has therapeutic applications on skin disorders as a sensitizing agent and as components of bergamot extract as hypolipemic therapy, more trials are necessary to define the doses and treatment guidelines and its usefulness against other pathologies such as cancer or bacterial infections.

The Effect of Bergamot Essential Oil Aromatherapy on Improving Depressive Mood and Sleep Quality in Postpartum Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

The postpartum period is a physiologically and psychologically crucial transition phase for every woman who gives birth. Aromatherapy may improve mood and alleviate sleep challenges. However, few randomized controlled clinical trials have focused on the effect of aromatherapy in postpartum women.

PURPOSE

This study was designed to explore the effect of a bergamot essential oil aromatherapy intervention on depressive mood and sleep quality in postpartum women.

METHODS

This randomized controlled trial used consecutive sampling. The participants were all women in a postpartum care center in eastern Taiwan and were randomly assigned to either the experimental (n = 29) or control (n = 31) group. Bergamot essential oil aroma was used in the experimental group, and pure water aroma was used in the control group. The experimental and control interventions were both performed while the participants were residents at the postpartum care center in the afternoon for 15 minutes each day. Before the aroma intervention, pretests were conducted using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Postpartum Sleep Quality Scale. The first and second posttests were conducted using the same two scales at 2 and 4 weeks after the intervention, respectively.

RESULTS

At both the first and second posttests, depressive mood was significantly lower (p < .001) in the experimental group than in the control group, supporting the positive effect of the bergamot essential oil aroma intervention on depressive mood in postpartum women. No significant intergroup difference in sleep quality (p > .05) was observed at either the first or second posttest, indicating an uncertain effect of the bergamot essential oil aroma intervention on sleep quality.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The results of this study support the effectiveness of bergamot essential oil aromatherapy in alleviating depressive mood in postpartum women. In addition, the results provide a practical reference for clinical postpartum nursing care.

Relationship between Immune Cells, Depression, Stress, and Psoriasis: Could the Use of Natural Products Be Helpful?

Psoriasis is one of the most widespread chronic inflammatory skin diseases, affecting about 2%-3% of the worldwide adult population. The pathogenesis of this disease is quite complex, but an interaction between genetic and environmental factors has been recognized with an essential modulation of inflammatory and immune responses in affected patients. Psoriatic plaques generally represent the clinical psoriatic feature resulting from an abnormal proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes, which cause dermal hyperplasia, skin infiltration of immune cells, and increased capillarity. Some scientific pieces of evidence have reported that psychological stress may play a key role in psoriasis, and the disease itself may cause stress conditions in patients, thus reproducing a vicious cycle. The present review aims at examining immune cell involvement in psoriasis and the relationship of depression and stress in its pathogenesis and development. In addition, this review contains a focus on the possible use of natural products, thus pointing out their mechanism of action in order to counteract clinical and psychological symptoms.

Bergapten Attenuates Nitroglycerin-Induced Migraine Headaches through Inhibition of Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Mediators

The present study intended to examine the effect of bergapten and possible mechanisms involved in the treatment of migraine-associated symptoms in the rat model. Five doses of nitroglycerin (10 mg/kg) were injected intraperitoneal to induce migraine headaches in rats with a one-day break between each dose. Treatment groups received nitroglycerin followed after 1 day by bergapten (50 or 100 mg/kg), saline (10 mL/kg), or sumatriptan (50 mg/kg) once daily for 10 days. Behavioral observations were analyzed 2 h after nitroglycerin injections and 1 h 40 min after treatment. The animals were sacrificed 24 h after the last treatment dose. Samples of trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC) and cerebral cortex were collected and analyzed for antioxidant activity and expression of inflammatory markers by immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Our findings revealed that bergapten notably decreases headache by altering mechanical allodynia, thermal allodynia, light phobicity, and the number of head-scratching incidence in rats. In the cortex and TNC regions, antioxidant factors were restored, and lipid peroxidation was significantly reduced. Furthermore, bergapten decreased the expression of inflammatory markers, such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-Kb) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), as evidenced by immunohistochemistry and ELISA. These results suggest that bergapten exhibits headache-relieving activity, possibly mediated through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pathways.

Bergapten Ameliorates Vincristine-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy by Inhibition of Inflammatory Cytokines and NFκB Signaling

Bergapten, a furanocoumarin derivative found in a variety of medicinal plants, is documented to possess anti-inflammatory activity. However, whether bergapten is useful in alleviating the symptoms as well as the progress of peripheral neuropathy is not yet studied. The current investigation has been designed to explore the effect of bergapten on vincristine-induced neuropathic pain. Rats were grouped as normal, neuropathic control (vincristine), gabapentin, and bergapten treated groups with five animals in each group. Vincristine (100 μg/kg, i.p.) was administered for 10 days with 2 days break. Gabapentin (60 mg/kg, i.p.) and bergapten (10 mg/kg i.p.) treatments were given once daily for 14 days. The animals were assessed for hyperalgesia and allodynia. After 14 days, animals were sacrificed to detect plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF α, IL-1β), spinal cord, and sciatic nerve oxidative stress and expression of iNOS, COX-2, and NFkB in the spinal cord. There was a marked reduction in pain behaviors in the bergapten group as compared to the vincristine group. Bergapten also attenuated pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNFα and IL-1β), oxidative stress, and expression of NFkB, COX-2, and iNOS. Overall the current study concludes that bergapten could serve as a potential lead to drug development for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Commercial Essential Oils as Potential Antimicrobials to Treat Skin Diseases

Essential oils are one of the most notorious natural products used for medical purposes. Combined with their popular use in dermatology, their availability, and the development of antimicrobial resistance, commercial essential oils are often an option for therapy. At least 90 essential oils can be identified as being recommended for dermatological use, with at least 1500 combinations. This review explores the fundamental knowledge available on the antimicrobial properties against pathogens responsible for dermatological infections and compares the scientific evidence to what is recommended for use in common layman's literature. Also included is a review of combinations with other essential oils and antimicrobials. The minimum inhibitory concentration dilution method is the preferred means of determining antimicrobial activity. While dermatological skin pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus have been well studied, other pathogens such as Streptococcus pyogenes, Propionibacterium acnes, Haemophilus influenzae, and Brevibacterium species have been sorely neglected. Combination studies incorporating oil blends, as well as interactions with conventional antimicrobials, have shown that mostly synergy is reported. Very few viral studies of relevance to the skin have been made. Encouragement is made for further research into essential oil combinations with other essential oils, antimicrobials, and carrier oils.