Apparently, there’s more to bergamot (Citrus bergamia) than just its fragrance. This is according to a study carried out by an international team of scientists who found that bergamot fruit extracts have the potential to be used against both cancer and heart disease.

In a study published in the journal Bioenergetics, researchers found that bergamot extracts were able to reduce blood cholesterol as well as kill cancer stem cells during a series of laboratory tests — all without harming healthy cells.

The team said that these findings raise the possibility of using the extracts as a basis for new, non-toxic medication that can combat both cancer and cardiovascular disease.

The research team, which was composed of chemists from the University of Calabria and biologists from the University of Salford, built their research on the findings of an earlier study, which found that citrus extracts exhibited statin-like properties.

Statins are a class of drugs that are prescribed by doctors to help lower blood cholesterol levels in order to help prevent heart attacks and strokes.

But these drugs are known to have severe side effects, including cardiomyopathy and muscle cell damage.

The team noted that the compounds in bergamot – identified as Brutierdin and Melitidin – effectively inhibited cholesterol enzymes at a rate similar to commercially-available statins.

The compounds were also observed as having another ability: they can cause cancer stem cells to stop dividing and die.

According to the research team, the mechanism behind the compounds’ cancer-killing ability is akin to shutting down the cancer cells’ engine room.

“This combination — what we are calling BMF — is targeting mitochondria which are effectively the engine room of cancer cells, cutting off a cancer cell’s ability to generate energy, so it dies,” researcher Marco Fiorillo said, noting that this activity had no collateral damage, which makes their findings all the more exciting.

Aside from their apparent potency and non-toxicity, nutraceuticals — the name given to naturally-occurring compounds set to be used as medication such as bergamot extracts — are of particular interest since they are accessible to almost everyone and are relatively inexpensive, unlike synthetic drugs that often carry hefty price tags.

“The idea of natural products as effective drugs is not a surprising one, given the everyday microbial warfare that is waged in the natural world,” Michael Lisanti, the Professor and Chair of Translational Medicine at the University of Salford, said.

The Basics of Bergamot

Bergamot is a hybrid of the bitter orange and lemon plants that is endemic to the Calabria region in Italy.

It is primarily grown for its essential oil which is commonly used to add a fragrant, citrusy and spicy scent to perfumes, cosmetics, food and pastries. Also, it is well known for its role as the main flavoring in Earl Gray tea.

What else can I get from bergamot?

Most of bergamot’s healing properties stem from its composition, with the essential oil predominantly made up of bioactive compounds — all of which have since been linked to the following health benefits:

Bergamot can help reduce stress

There’s a reason why bergamot aromatherapy oil is a constant bestseller: According to a study conducted in Japan in the early 2000s, bergamot oil, when mixed with water vapor, helps reduce feelings of anxiety and fatigue.

This effect is likely due to the presence of the compounds alpha pinene and limonene. These chemicals are known for their ability to make one feel refreshed, energized, and happy. This makes bergamot the perfect scent for people who are experiencing extreme fatigue, as well as unexplained sadness, lack of appetite and lack of interest in their favorite activities.

Aside from that, bergamot oil — as well as a host of other aromatherapy oils — was also found to have the ability to trigger the brain into releasing dopamine and serotonin, two brain chemicals that are collectively known as “happy hormones.”

Bergamot is effective against microbes

Bergamot oil, according to experts, owes its ability to zap infections to the presence of linalool, a compound that is effective at destroying certain types of bacteria.

Apparently, this capability can even be applied to food as well.

Bergamot, for instance, was found to be effective at destroying several strains of food-borne pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, E. coli O157 and Campylobacter jejuni.

The exact mechanism behind bergamot’s ability to combat food-borne pathogens, however, still needs to be researched more thoroughly.

Bergamot can help reduce pain and inflammation

Aside from relieving one’s anxieties and uplifting one’s mood, bergamot has also been shown to be capable of relieving pain.

This, experts have said, is likely due to the compounds linalool and carvacrol in bergamot oil.

These compounds, according to experts, were found to possess analgesic, anticonvulsant, and anti-inflammatory capabilities that were made apparent when applied directly on the skin.

Want to add more bergamot into your daily routines? Here is a simple hand soap that you can make that’s infused with this potent essential oil:

Organic Bergamot and Earl Gray Soap

Ingredients:

• 20 oz. organic, extra-virgin coconut oil
• 10 oz. olive oil
• 9 oz. distilled water
• 4.78 oz. 100 percent pure lye
• Bergamot essential oil
• 1 teabag, Earl Grey Tea

Preparation:

1. Measure your ingredients and put on your safety gear. Set the slow cooker to low and add the coconut oil.
2. As the coconut oil melts, prepare the lye solution by slowly adding the lye to the water.
3. Using a spatula, carefully stir the solution as you add in the lye. You will notice the mixture becoming hot and releasing fumes — this is normal.
4. Set aside the finished lye solution, and let it cool for around 20 minutes.
5. Check the slow cooker. Once the coconut oil has completely melted, add the olive oil and stir well.
6. Measure the oil mixture’s temperature. Once the oils have reached 120 to 130°F (49 to 54°C), gently pour the lye into the mixture. Make sure to avoid splashing.
7. Stir the mixture using an immersion blender, making sure to move in circles. Keep the blender immersed to avoid air bubbles.
8. Continue blending and stirring for 15 minutes, or until the soap has reached the “trace” stage, i.e. the stage when the oils and lye solution have dully emulsified and look like soft pudding.
9. Cover the slow cooker, and cook on low for 50 minutes. Stir gently only when the mixture bubbles.
10. After 50 minutes, turn off the slow cooker.
11. Let the soap mixture cool, preferably to a temperature below 180°F (82°C).
12. Once the soap mixture reaches this temperature, add the bergamot essential oils and tea and mix well.
13. Pour the mixture into the soap mold. Smooth the top with a spatula and tap the mold onto your work surface to eliminate air bubbles. Top with more Earl Gray tea, if desired.

Bergamot essential oil does more than just trigger relaxation in our bodies — it is also a potential treatment option for chronic diseases and other serious health issues.

Sources:

Phys.org

ScienceDirect.com

Pubs.ACS.org

MayoClinic.org

SenchaTeaBar.com

FrontiersIn.org

Karger.com

EurekaSelect.com

PubMed.NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov