28/02/2024
Tangerine Essential Oil Benefits
Tangerines are one of the most cherished among the 17 plant varieties within the Citrus fruit family. Across time, tangerines have remained a sought-after delicacy as a result of their exceptional flavor and aroma.
Currently, tangerines are grown commercially in the Middle East, Spain, Italy, and parts of the United States. After the commercial success of the fruit, it became the subject of scientific research for its chemical, pharmacological, and cosmetic properties. Many of the biological activities associated with tangerines closely paralleled the traditional applications of the fruit.
Scientific studies have linked tangerines to a wide range of potential biological effects including anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-fungal to even anti-cancer effects. Consequently, the essential oil derived from tangerines has many applications in cosmetics and therapeutics. This piece will discuss how tangerine essential oil can best be used to harness these properties.
Tangerine essential oil is derived from the Citrus reticulata plant belonging to the Rutaceae or Rue family. Plants in the Rue family are known for their strong aroma and five-petalled flowers. The essential oil in the plant is present in the leaves, rind, and flowers.
The most widely used tangerine essential oil is derived from the rind or peel as it has the highest flavonoid and phenol content, antioxidant chemical components that are medicinally important. It also contains other chemical components including terpenes, sesquiterpenes, sterols, and aldehydes.
The essential oil derived from tangerine peels should preferentially be extracted via the cold pressing method. Cold pressing has advantages regarding the preservation of active chemical compounds.
Health Benefits of Tangerine Essential Oil
Tangerines held a significant position as herbal medicine in ancient China. The tangerine peel known as ‘Chen Pi’ was used to treat neurological disorders such as depression and anxiety, and to calm stress. Tangerine peels were also used for issues such as indigestion, vomiting, congestion, and coughs. The following sections expand on the use of tangerine essential oils for various medicinal benefits.
Tangerine Essential Oil for Radiant, Youthful Skin
Packed with several antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, tangerine essential oil promises anti-aging effects when used for skincare. At the core of these benefits lies limonene, the compound present most abundantly in the essential oil. Limonene is known for its ability to repair the skin and reverse sun damage.
A study conducted in 2014 investigated how d-limonene improved the skin’s healing capacity. Researchers applied limonene to two types of skin injuries: physical and chemical. Results demonstrated that physical injuries healed more efficiently with limonene, with fewer new blood vessels forming. As for the chemical injuries where the skin was irritated, limonene reduced the severity of inflammation. In addition to limonene, myrcene, and a-pinene also add to the anti-inflammatory potential of tangerine essential oil.
Moreover, tangerine essential oil may reduce skin damage caused by sun exposure. Sun damage usually manifests in the form of dark spots, fine lines, and wrinkles, giving the skin a prematurely aged appearance.
A lab study on human skin cells provides evidence that limonene protects the skin from UVB rays. Application of the compound seemed to trigger a defense system in the skin through the activation of skin-protecting proteins. Another notable change that the researchers noticed after the application of limonene was the reduction of hyperpigmentation and dark spots. This is because the compound reduces the production of a hormone that is linked to dark spots, known as a-MSH.
You can incorporate tangerine essential oil into your skincare routine to potentially protect from sun damage and brighten the skin, and for possible regenerative effects. Apply topically after diluting in creams or in carrier oils.
Tangerine Essential Oil for Calming Anxiety
Anxiety disorders have become a common health concern that many people deal with in their daily lives. Most patients are treated with benzodiazepines, drugs that affect nerve signals to calm anxiousness. These drugs have both short-term and long-term effects on cardiovascular health and nervous system health. As a natural alternative to benzodiazepines, researchers investigated the effect of tangerine essential oil on anxiety and anxiety disorders.
The study compared inhaling tangerine essential oil with diazepam, a benzodiazepine medication used commonly by anxiety patients. Test results analyzed how the two drugs affected electrical brain waves or EEG patterns. The EEG patterns altered by inhalation of tangerine essential oil were similar to the changes seen with diazepam.
Another research, published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology provided support for the use of tangerine essential oil to potentially improve outcomes of anxiety disorders. It can also be used to reduce feelings of anxiousness and to relax in stressful environments.
Diffuse tangerine essential oil before bed or in your workroom to calm your nerves and reduce any feelings of stress and anxiety. You can also create your own essential oil blend for anxiety by combining tangerine with lavender, ylang-ylang, and clary sage essential oils.
Tangerine Essential Oil for Promoting Restful Sleep
These days, a good night’s sleep is hard to come by owing to busy routines and 12-hour screen times. Not only is the duration of sleep declining, but the quality of sleep suffers as well. Many people rely on hormones such as melatonin to treat disorders related to the circadian rhythm. Some people avoid these entirely for fear of side effects such as daytime sleepiness and headaches.
There is some promise that tangerine essential oil can be used to induce sleep and even improve sleep quality. A study analyzed the brain states and sleep-wake cycles in subjects w inhaled tangerine essential oil.
It was found that subjects entered the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep cycle stage more rapidly after inhaling tangerine essential oil. Additionally, they spent more time in the REM stage than in the non-REM and wakefulness stages. The REM sleep stage is the most important because it restores the mind and body, preparing it for the next day.
In order to use tangerine essential oil for promoting restful sleep, use an ultrasonic diffuser that can fit on your nightstand and has sufficient capacity to diffuse essential oils throughout the night. Our raindrop essential oil diffuser is a good option as it can diffuse essential oils for 12 hours and does not take up too much space.
Tangerine Essential Oil Potential for Anti-Cancer Activity
Tangerine essential oil is an important source of antioxidant compounds and carotenoids. Both of these plant compounds have demonstrated the ability to reduce cancer metastasis. As a result, researchers linked tangerine essential oil to cancer studies and investigated its effect on cancer development.
A 2018 research paper published in the journal Food and Function found that tangerine peel essential oil stopped the growth of lung cancer cells in a lab dish. The study also concluded that tangerine essential oil would not affect the liver or other organs when used in the potential treatment of cancer.
This highlights a potential avenue for the application of tangerine essential oil as an alternative therapy for cancer. It is important to note that essential oil cannot be used in place of cancer treatments, but it may be used in conjunction with modern cancer treatments to enhance the anti-cancer effects.
To use, diffuse tangerine essential oil in your surroundings and enjoy a calming experience as you breathe in the dispersed essential oil.
