James Geiger MD – Physician, Author and Wellness Specialist

Neuroprotection is very elusive. No definitive medical treatments exist except cold. Prescription steroids have been tried but they do not work emphatically well to prevent further brain injury and definitely are not natural.

So here is an alternative. Oil of BERGAMOT.
Of course this an intrapertoneal rat study not a human clinical trial but it did reduce the amount of dead brain tissue damaged by artificially induced ischemia. Who would have guessed, BERGAMOT?

Int Rev Neurobiol. 2009;85:389-405.
Prevention of Glutamate Accumulation and Upregulation of Phospho-Akt may Account for Neuroprotection Afforded by Bergamot Essential Oil against Brain In… Induced by Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Rat.
Amantea D, Fratto V, Maida S, Rotiroti D, Ragusa S, Nappi G, Bagetta G, Corasaniti MT.

Department of Pharmacobiology and Center of Neuropharmacology of Normal and Pathological Neuronal Plasticity, UCADH, University of Calabria, 87036 Cosenza, Italy.

The effects of bergamot essential oil (BEO; Citrus bergamia, Risso) on brain damage caused by permanent focal cerebral ischemia in rat were investigated. Administration of BEO (0.1-0.5 ml/kg but not 1 ml/kg, given intraperitoneally 1 h before occlusion of the middle cerebral artery, MCAo) significantly reduced infarct size after 24 h permanent MCAo. The most effective dose (0.5 ml/kg) resulted in a significant reduction of infarct extension throughout the brain, especially in the medial striatum and the motor cortex as revealed by TTC staining of tissue slices. Microdialysis experiments show that BEO (0.5 ml/kg) did not affect basal amino acid levels, whereas it significantly reduced excitatory amino acid, namely aspartate and glutamate, efflux in the frontoparietal cortex typically observed following MCAo. Western blotting experiments demonstrated that these early effects were associated, 24 h after permanent MCAo, to a significant increase in the phosphorylation and activity of the prosurvival kinase, Akt. Indeed, BEO significantly enhanced the phosphorylation of the deleterious downstream kinase, GSK-3beta, whose activity is negatively regulated via phosphorylation by Akt.

Perhaps drinking Earl Grey Tea (BERGAMOT) is a good idea. Ever notice the tiny droplets of oil in the tea cup after steeping the tea? Bergamot is also thought of as an antidepressant. Perhaps that is why the BRITS have gravitated towards it in their cultural tea drinking habits. Treats the Seasonal Affective Disorder S.A.D. from lack of sunshine endemic too their climate.

Just some thoughts which have not been investigated in clinical human trials either.
But I love to “extrapolate”.

James Tad Geiger MD

the oilMD