Investigation of the effect of essential oil from Citrus aurantium L. flowers on liver health parameters in a laboratory animal model

In Persian food culture, Citrus aurantium L. (bitter orange) flowers and essential oil are consumed as jams or plant distillate in high doses. Some concerns were mentioned in Persian traditional literature about their effects on the liver. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the essential oil from C. aurantium L. flowers on liver health parameters in a laboratory animal model.

The essential oil was extracted by Clevenger-type apparatus and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Six groups of rats (n=5) received intraperitoneal or oral essential oil with the doses of (0.5, 1 or 2 g/kg) for 3 days. The two control groups received olive oil (the vehicle). Forty-eight hours after the last administration, serum and liver samples were prepared and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and glutathione (GSH) were determined. The liver histopathological changes was investigated.

The main ingredients of the essential oils were linalyl acetate, terpinene-4-ol, linalool and phenethyl alcohol. The intraperitoneal administration of essential oil at doses higher than (1 g/kg) caused a significant increase in AST, ALT and LDH levels. Inflammation of the liver tissue was observed at oral and intraperitoneal doses higher than (1 g/kg).

The changes in AST, ALT and LDH levels showed that at high doses of the essential oil had a mild liver toxicity and the histopathologic data confirmed this. These complication were probably due to direct and non-oxidant toxicity and it was not due to the oxidative stress.