Bitter Orange

© Steven Foster

This fact sheet provides basic information about bitter orange—

common names, what the science says, potential side effects and 

cautions, and resources for more information.

Common Names—bitter orange, Seville orange, sour orange, zhi shi

Latin Name—Citrus aurantium

The bitter orange tree is native to eastern Africa and tropical Asia. Today, 

it is grown throughout the Mediterranean region and elsewhere, including 

California and Florida. Bitter orange oil is used in foods, cosmetics, and 

aromatherapy products. Bitter orange oil from the tree’s leaves is called 

petitgrain, and oil from the flowers is called neroli. Bitter orange has been 

used in traditional Chinese medicine and by indigenous people of the 

Amazon rainforest for nausea, indigestion, and constipation. Current folk 

or traditional uses of bitter orange are for heartburn, loss of appetite, nasal 

congestion, and weight loss. It is also applied to the skin for fungal 

infections such as ringworm and athlete’s foot.

The dried fruit and peel (and sometimes flowers and leaves) are taken 

by mouth in extracts, tablets, and capsules. Bitter orange oil can be 

applied to the skin.

What the Science Says 

• There is not enough scientific evidence to support the use of bitter 

orange for health purposes.

• Many herbal weight-loss products now use concentrated extracts of 

bitter orange peel in place of ephedra. However, bitter orange 

contains the chemical synephrine, which is similar to the main 

chemical in ephedra. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration 

banned ephedra because it raises blood pressure and is linked to 

heart attacks and strokes; it is unclear whether bitter orange has 

similar effects. There is currently little evidence that bitter orange is 

safer to use than ephedra.
Side Effects and Cautions 

• Because bitter orange contains chemicals that may speed up the heart rate and raise blood 

pressure, it may not be safe to use as a dietary supplement. There have been reports of fainting, 

heart attack, and stroke in healthy people after taking bitter orange supplements alone or 

combined with caffeine. People should avoid taking bitter orange supplements if they have a 

heart condition or high blood pressure, or if they are taking medications (such as MAO 

inhibitors), caffeine, or other herbs/supplements that speed up the heart rate.

• Due to lack of safety evidence, pregnant women or nursing mothers should avoid products that 

contain bitter orange.

• Bitter orange oil used on the skin may increase the risk of sunburn, particularly in lightskinned people.

• Tell all your health care providers about any complementary health practices you use. Give 

them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated 

and safe care. For tips about talking with your health care providers about complementary and 

alternative medicine, see NCCAM’s Time to Talk campaign at nccam.nih.gov/timetotalk/. 

Sources

Bent S, Padula A, Neuhaus J. Safety and efficacy of Citrus aurantium for weight loss. American Journal of Cardiology. 

2004;94(10):1359-1361.

Bitter orange. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Web site. Accessed at www.naturaldatabase.com on May 5, 2009.

Bitter orange (Citrus aurantium). Natural Standard Database Web site. Accessed at www.naturalstandard.com on May 5, 2009.

Orange peel, bitter. In: Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckman J, eds. Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. 

Newton, MA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2000:287-289.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Requests Seizure of More Dietary Supplements Containing Ephedrine Alkaloids. U.S. Food 

and Drug Administration Web site. Accessed at www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/

2006/ucm108606.htm on June 2, 2010.

For More Information

Visit the NCCAM Web site at nccam.nih.gov and view Using Dietary Supplements Wisely 

(nccam.nih.gov/health/supplements/wiseuse.htm).

NCCAM Clearinghouse

Toll-free in the U.S.: 1-888-644-6226

TTY (for deaf and hard-of-hearing callers): 1-866-464-3615

E-mail: info@nccam.nih.gov

PubMed®

Web site: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez

NIH Office of Dietary Supplements

Web site: www.ods.od.nih.gov

This publication is not copyrighted and is in the public domain. Duplication is encouraged.

NCCAM has provided this material for your information. It is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice 

of your primary health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with your health 

care provider. The mention of any product, service, or therapy is not an endorsement by NCCAM.

National Institutes of Health

♦♦♦

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

D390

Created August 2007

Updated April 2012