I was told that there are studies that show that the liquid extracts of bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso) are more potent than the dried powder and crystalline forms of of bergamot. While searching for that I stumbled upon another one that I thought was interesting.
The title of the study is:
Bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso) fruit extracts and identified components alter expression of interleukin 8 gene in cystic fibrosis bronchial epithelial cell lines.
The plain English form of that statement is that some of the components of bergamot fruit extract may be able to reduce the inflammation in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients.
From Wikipedia, cystic fibrosis is named from the cysts and scarring that occurs in the pancreas of people who have the condition and is caused by a mutation in a gene that regulates the components of sweat, digestive juices, and mucus. The mucus is what causes the problems in the lungs, to the point that lung transplants are often needed as the condition worsens.
While the study, which you can see the abstract of on PubMed here, doesn’t claim that Citrus bergamia Risso could cure cystic fibrosis, if it can in fact reduce the inflammation in the lungs of sufferers then it could go a ways toward giving them a better quality of life.
You can find one source for Bergamot juice extract here.
Wayne Woodworth
