Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) is a fruit that contains large amounts of vitamin C. People commonly eat its fruit and drink its juice.
Sweet orange contains large amounts of potassium, which might help prevent high blood pressure and stroke. The fruit and juice also contain large amounts of a chemical called citrate, which might help prevent kidney stones. Citrate tends to bind with calcium before it can form a stone.
People use sweet orange for asthma, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, the common cold, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support any of these uses.
Is It Effective?
There is interest in using sweet orange for a number of purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.
Is it Safe?
When taken by mouth: Sweet orange juice and fruit is likely safe for most adults when used in normal food amounts. There isn't enough reliable information to know if sweet orange peel is safe or what the side effects might be.
When inhaled: Sweet orange essential oil is possibly safe when used in aromatherapy.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Sweet orange is likely safe when used in food amounts. There isn't enough reliable information to know if sweet orange is safe to use as medicine when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick to amounts commonly consumed as food.
Children: Sweet orange juice or fruit is likely safe when consumed in normal food amounts. But taking large amounts of sweet orange peel is possibly unsafe. It can cause colic, convulsions, or death.
Antibiotics (Quinolone antibiotics)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Many sweet orange juice products contain added calcium (calcium-fortified). This added calcium can reduce the amount of quinolone antibiotics that the body absorbs from the stomach. This can reduce the effects of these antibiotics. Sweet orange juice without calcium is unlikely to affect quinolone antibiotics.
Celiprolol (Celicard)
Interaction Rating=Major Do not take this combination.
Consuming large amounts of sweet orange juice might decrease how much celiprolol the body absorbs. This might decrease how well celiprolol works. To avoid this interaction, separate taking this medication from consuming sweet orange by at least 4 hours.
Fexofenadine (Allegra)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Sweet orange might decrease how much fexofenadine the body absorbs. Taking sweet orange along with fexofenadine might decrease the effects of fexofenadine. To avoid this interaction, separate taking this medication from consuming sweet orange by at least 4 hours.
Ivermectin (Stromectol, others)
Interaction Rating=Major Do not take this combination.
Drinking sweet orange juice might decrease how much ivermectin the body absorbs. Taking sweet orange along with ivermectin might decrease the effects of ivermectin.
Medications moved by pumps in cells (Organic anion-transporting polypeptide substrates)
Interaction Rating=Major Do not take this combination.
Some medications are moved in and out of cells by pumps. Sweet orange might change how these pumps work and change how much medication stays in the body. In some cases, this might change the effects and side effects of a medication.
Medications moved by pumps in cells (P-glycoprotein substrates)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Some medications are moved in and out of cells by pumps. Sweet orange might change how these pumps work and change how much medication stays in the body. In some cases, this might change the effects and side effects of a medication.
Pravastatin (Pravachol)
Interaction Rating=Major Do not take this combination.
Drinking sweet orange juice might increase how much pravastatin the body absorbs. Taking pravastatin with sweet orange juice might increase drug levels in the body and possibly increase the chance of side effects.
Beta-glucans: Taking beta-glucans, a type of soluble fiber found in oats and other grains, might decrease the amount of sweet orange juice that the body absorbs. This might reduce the effects of sweet orange juice.
There are no known interactions with foods.
People commonly eat sweet orange fruit and drink sweet orange juice. Sweet orange essential oil from the peel is commonly inhaled in aromatherapy. There isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of sweet orange as a supplement might be. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult a healthcare professional before using.
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