Citrus Aurantium amara

Preparation. - Tinctura Aurantii Amara. Tincture of Bitter Orange Peel. Dose, 1/2 to 2 fluidrachms.

Therapy. - Stimulant, carminative and tonic, but used chiefly as a flavoring agent. This preparation is contained in both Compound Tincture of Cinchona and Compound Tincture of Gentian.

The Eclectic Materia Medica, Pharmacology and Therapeutics by Harvey Wickes Felter, M.D. (1922)

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.