Sabrina Adorisioa, Isabella Muscarib, Alessandra Fierabraccic, Trinh Thi Thuyd, Maria Cristina Marchettib, Emira Ayroldib & Domenico Vittorio Delfinob
aFoligno Nursing School, University of Perugia, Foligno, Italy;
bDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, Section of Pharmacology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy;
cBambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy;
dInstitute of Chemistry, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology Cau Giay, Graduate University of Science and Technology, Ha Noi, Vietnam
Bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso & Poit. [Rutaceae]), is a citrus fruit grown on a narrow coastal strip on Calabria, a region of Southern Italy, that contain various components with wide biological activities (Figure 1). Bergamot fruits are rich in polyphenols whereby the bergamot derived formulations are known to improve poor gastro-intestinal absorption. Additionally, formulations prepared with various foods and compounds such as artichoke, wild cardoon, or olive, and/or with pure compounds, such as vitamin K2, flavonoids, and pectins, promote positive interactions for further potential therapeutic applications.
Figure 1. Bergamots from Stefano Bonfa farm of the Samo village in the Reggio Calabria province.
The exact origin of bergamot remains uncertain, with theories ranging from the Canary Islands to China or Greece. However, it flourishes predominantly in the narrow coastal strip that extends from Reggio Calabria to Locri in the southernmost part of the Italian peninsula, where 95% of global bergamot production is concentrated. The word bergamot may have been derived from the Turkish word ‘beg-a-mudi’, meaning ‘Pears of the Prince’, based on its close resemblance to the bergamot pear, a fruit shown in a 1715 painting by B. Bimbi. Alternatively, it may have originated from the city of Bergamo, Italy, where bergamot oil was first sold. Bergamot cultivation is highly sensitive to pedoclimatic soil conditions, thriving primarily in the coastal regions of Calabria, where optimal conditions enhance both the yield and quality.
Due to its particular fragrance, bergamot was initially used primarily by the perfume industry to produce perfumed waters known as ‘bergamot water’ or ‘cologne water’. In addition, it has been utilized for flavouring by the food and confectionery industries including the pharmaceutical industry to improve the smell of ointments and medicines, as well as for making toothpaste, hair oils, and cosmetic products.
Since its introduction to Europe, bergamot essential oil (BEO) has been used in popular medicine, and various curative properties have been attributed to this substance. Bergamot oil was included in a list of medicines printed in 1688 that were available at a pharmacy in the small German town of Giessen.
Bergamot has a wide variety of uses in folk medicine such as for the treatment of wounds, burns, varicose veins, furunculosis, toothaches and as an antipyretic/anti-inflammatory agent. The first experimental observations on the medicinal and healing properties of bergamot essence were made by Doctor Francesco Calabrò, in the town of Reggio Calabria who, in his 1800 treatise, described its anti-infectious and healing properties. In the eighteenth century, bergamot oil was added in drops to tea as an antimalarial, and it was further administered to treat scabies, as a sedative, and in drops to prevent insomnia. In 1932, the surgeon Antonino Spinelli, head of the Ospedali Riuniti di Reggio Calabria, provided in vitro and in vivo evidence that bergamot may constitute a new antiseptic for surgery due to its strong bactericidal activity. More recently, in the province of Reggio Calabria, bergamot has become popular as a natural treatment for the control of cholesterol and triglycerides (TGs).
Bergamot, with its rich historical legacy and scientifically validated therapeutic properties, emerges as a compelling subject of study in modern medicine. From its traditional uses in folk medicine to its application in contemporary formulations, bergamot continues to captivate researchers and practitioners alike, offering a wealth of potential benefits for human health and well-being.
This is a small subscript of the main article that can be found at the following link:
https://doi.org/10.1080/13880209.2023.2197010
Further Reading:
Adorisio et al., 2023; Pharm Biol. 61(1):639-646. doi: 10.1080/13880209.2023.2197010.
Bonfigli et al., 2020; Trials. 21(1):616. doi: 10.1186/s13063-020-04551-4.
Capomolla et al., 2019. Nutrients. 4;11(6):1271. doi: 10.3390/nu11061271.
Ferlazzo et al., 2016; Life Sci. 146:81–91. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2015.12.040.
Ferro Y et al., 2020; Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 11:494. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00494.
Maruca et al., 2017; J. Environ. Health Sci A. 6:22–30. DOI:10.17265/2162-5298/2017.01.003
Mollace et al., 2019; 19(2):136-143. doi: 10.2174/1871530319666181203151513.
Navarra et al., 2015. Front Pharmacol. 6:3. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2015.00036.
Rapisarda and Germano, 2013. CRC Press. 1st Ed. Boca Raton: p. 9–22; ISBN9780429165887