Essential Oil from Citrus aurantifolia prevents ketotifen‐induced weight‐gain in mice

Abstract

Obesity is a major health problem world-wide. Medical intervention is often needed to tackle this problem, and accordingly the need for developing more effective, safer and cheaper weight reducing drugs has become paramount in recent years. In the present study, the effects of lime (Citrus aurantifolia) essential oils in reducing body weight, individually and in co-administration with ketotifen, an antihistaminic drug that causes weight gain, has been investigated using a mouse model. During the 45 days experimental period, the mice that received ketotifen demonstrated an enhancement both in the amount of food intake and body weight compared with the control group. Groups treated with lime essential oil displayed a reduction in body weight and food consumption in mice, possibly through promoting anorexia which might have played a role in weight loss. Interestingly, co-administration of the lime essential oil and ketotifen caused significant suppression in gaining weight, as well as decreased body weights of mice. The data obtained in this study suggested that lime essential oil plays an important role in weight loss and could be useful in the treatment of drug-induced obesity and related diseases. The GC-MS analysis of the essential oils of C. aurantifolia was also performed and approximately 22 main components, with limonene (28.27%) being the principal one, were identified and quantified.

Evaluation of Citrus aurantifolia peel and leaves extracts for their chemical composition, antioxidant and anti‐cholinesterase activities

“…In comparison with other Calabrian Citrus oils ( C. bergamia and C. aurantium ) C. aurantifolia essential oil showed a high content of β‐pinene, β‐myrcene and β‐bisabolene and was the only one in which bornyl acetate was identified. Limonene (28.3%) was the principal component followed by α‐terpineol (19.61%), p ‐cymene (8.6%) and β‐pinene (5.7%) of C. aurantifolia peel essential oil from Iran 9. Although the identified components were similar to those in previously published data, the differences are probably due to the variations in growing conditions and the extraction technique 9, 10, 30…”

“…C. aurantifolia is also medicinally known as a remedy that relieves fevers, sore throat, coughs, common cold and indigestion 8. The findings of a recent study suggest that C. aurantifolia essential oil could play a role for the treatment of drug‐induced obesity, since it affects food intake as well as a diverse array of processes involved in energy expenditure and fuel utilisation, all of which suppress weight gain 9. Moreover, C. aurantifolia peel essential oil, juice and extract were studied in order to evaluate their antioxidant capacity through different methods10, 11 and their potential acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activity 10…”

Microcapsule of Sweet Orange Essential Oil Encapsulated in Beta‐Cyclodextrin Improves the Release Behaviors In Vitro and In Vivo

“…The supernatant was used for GC‐MS analysis. The GC‐MS conditions, modified from reported literatures, were as follows:…”

Nutraceutical Supplements for Weight Loss

“…Limited human studies have been conducted with this compound with conflicting results regarding effectiveness for weight control 161 – 163 . In animal studies, the essential oil of Citrus aurantifolia led to a decrease in body weight and food consumption in mice 164 . There are some safety concerns, similar to the concerns with ephedra; bitter orange has been listed by Consumer Reports 165 as being possibly unsafe and a dietary supplement “to avoid.”…”