A Review on Chemical Composition and Pharmacological Effects and Research Progress of Bergamot Essential oil

Bergamot ( Citrus bergamia Rutaceae) is widely utilized in the food, traditional medicine, and health product industries. Bergamot, with an essential oil content of up to 1.6%, is a valuable high-end fragrance ingredient. Its essential oil (BEO), the most significant bioactive derivative, contains volatile components such as monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes accounting for 93%–96% of the total volume, along with non-volatile components such as coumarins. Given the limitations of synthetic drugs, natural products like BEO are increasingly regarded as valuable complementary and alternative therapeutic agents. Modern pharmacological research has demonstrated BEO's potential in managing a range of conditions, such as neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, inflammation, and diabetes. Notably, beyond its well-documented use in aromatherapy for anxiety relief, evidence suggests that BEO may serve as an adjunctive treatment for neurodegenerative disorders by modulating neurotransmitter activity. This review systematically evaluates the impact of botanical sources, extraction techniques, and processing methods on the chemical composition of BEO, highlighting its therapeutic promise and providing a scientific basis for its further development in pharmaceuticals, functional foods, and cosmetics.