Abstract
Background: Statins are the most common used lipid lowering drugs but they may cause adverse effects and despite their well-established therapeutic benefits residual cardiovascular (CV) risk remains. The use of other lipid lowering drugs and nutraceuticals alone or as add-on lipid-modifying therapy can be an option in such cases. Several studies have reported health-related properties of the Citrus fruits, among which bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso) differs from others by particularly high content of certain compounds. Purpose: This narrative review summarizes the current evidence on the effects of bergamot on lipid parameters based on studies involving animals and humans. Main evidence: This natural supplement may lead to effective lipid-lowering treatment. Its lipid-lowering activity is attributed to different flavonoids. However, the exact mechanisms involved remain unclear. Conclusion: It is expected that ongoing and future studies will confirm the benefit of bergamot in dyslipidemic and other cardiometabolic disorders, potentially leading to reduced overall CV risk.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Phytomedicine |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Accepted/In press - Sept 29 2015 |
Keywords
- Bergamot
- Cardiovascular risk
- Dyslipidemia
- LDL cholesterol
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Drug Discovery
- Pharmacology
- Pharmaceutical Science
- Complementary and alternative medicine
- Molecular Medicine