Bergamot Byproducts: A Sustainable Source to Counteract Inflammation

Abstract

Chronic inflammation is the result of an acute inflammatory response that fails to eliminate the pathogenic agent or heal the tissue injury. The consequence of this failure lays the foundations to the onset of several chronic ailments, including skin disorders, respiratory and neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic syndrome, and, eventually, cancer. In this context, the long-term use of synthetic anti-inflammatory drugs to treat chronic illnesses cannot be tolerated by patients owing to the severe side effects. Based on this, the need for novel agents endowed with anti-inflammatory effects prompted to search potential candidates also within the plant kingdom, being recognized as a source of molecules currently employed in several therapeutical areas. Indeed, the ever-growing evidence on the anti-inflammatory properties of dietary polyphenols traced the route towards the study of flavonoid-rich sources, such as Citrus bergamia (bergamot) and its derivatives. Interestingly, the recent paradigm of the circular economy has promoted the valorization of Citrus fruit waste and, in regard to bergamot, it brought to light new evidence corroborating the anti-inflammatory potential of bergamot byproducts, thus increasing the scientific knowledge in this field. Therefore, this review aims to gather the latest literature supporting the beneficial role of both bergamot derivatives and waste products in different models of inflammatory-based diseases, thus highlighting the great potentiality of a waste re-evaluation perspective.

Valorization of Agro-Industrial Orange Peel By-Products through Fermentation Strategies

“…It is well known that Citrus by-products are a rich source of biologically active compounds, such as vitamins, dietary fiber, pectin, polyphenols and essential oils. These have positive health effects, including antioxidant [81], prebiotic [100], antimicrobial [101,102], anticancer [103], anti-inflammatory [104,105] and antidiabetic effects. Such features make these by-products usable in many biotechnological applications (health care, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food and textiles).…”

Bergamot Polyphenols: Promising Agents for Health and Wellness

“…Bergamot derivatives and byproducts have an impact on many chemokines, enzymes, and nuclear factors. The list below shows how many biochemical elements are affected by BPF [29].…”