Therapeutic Effects of Citrus aurantium Components on Psychological States: A Systematic Review

Citrus aurantium L., frequently known as the sour or bitter orange, is native to Asia and, nowadays, is widely cultivated in different regions such as the Mediterranean. Different parts of C. aurantium are consumed as an alternative medicine in some areas to treat some diseases, and various recent studies have proven the potential of this medicinal plant. This review examined the therapeutic effects of C. aurantium components.

Tactful and progressive search strategies were developed to determine the studies. To this end, a large number of databases were evaluated, including Cochrane Library, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Google Scholar (2010 to April 2019). Finally, 12 clinical trial studies were selected for evaluation and analysis, and the JADAD scale was used to evaluate the quality of the papers.

Of 546 papers found in the preliminary search, 12 clinical trials (1132 participants), which were written in English, were selected for structured reviews. The researches consisted of those which evaluated the therapeutic role of the plants in anxiety, depression, sleep quality, premenstrual syndrome, and menopausal symptoms.

The review of clinical trials brings some evidence that different components of C. aurantium, especially its flower have therapeutic effects on particularly psychological states like anxiety, depression, and insomnia and aromatherapy by the essential oil is considered as the most used method of prescription. Therefore, C. aurantium can confidently be used in various disorders which have these psychological aspects among their symptoms.