苦橙又叫做酸橙或賽維亞橙(Seville orange),它原生於東南亞地區,目前在地中海一帶廣為栽種,尤其西班牙,這也是賽維亞橙名稱的由來。人類栽種苦橙樹(Citrus aurantium var. amara)已經有相當多年歷史,公元10世紀左右,阿拉伯人開始於地中海沿岸栽種苦橙樹,主要是取其香。香氣迷人的苦橙花可以製成橙花精油,而苦橙葉片及嫩枝則可以萃出純正的苦橙葉精油(Citrus aurantium bigarade)。
苦橙葉(Petitgrain) 的名字源自提煉精油的過程,因採收時仍是小顆、未成熟的綠色果實;也被稱為窮人的橙花,其帶有橙花淡淡的香味、橙果的鮮美與橙葉細緻的氣味,尤其以巴拉圭苦橙葉氣味更強烈。苦橙葉精油主要產地在歐洲和北非,在調和多種香氣時,由於可以襯託整體香氣,也稱為香水核心,常被用於調製個人香氛或中性古龍水不可或缺的中前調精油。
苦橙葉精油具有平衡自主神經系統、抗痙攣、消炎、抗感染、抗菌等特質。在許多研究中提到苦橙葉可以用來處理風溼(神經性引起)、呼吸道感染和青春痘感染等症狀,並且苦橙葉精油相當的安全。
在研究文獻,芳香療法使用的精油:系統概述(Essential oils used in aromatherapy: A systemic review)中,篩選了許多精油來研究其各種藥理潛力,如表述,總結精油的重要作用。其中就有討論到苦橙葉精油,對焦慮、激動、壓力,具有挑戰性的行為等有作用。
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