Synephrine is the active component in citrus aurantium, a tree that belongs to the Rutacaea family of plants. Common names for Citrus aurantium include bitter orange, seville orange, sour orange, green orange, zhi shi and kijitsu. Other species of citrus also contain synephrine. The unripe fruits contain high amounts of synephrine in their peels. Synephrine is present as a number of similar chemicals m-synephrine and p-synephrine. Chemically, synephrine has an aromatic ring with an ethylamine substituted side chain. These chemicals have their biological effects because they activate noradrenaline receptors. This explains the ability of synephrine to cause weight loss through its ability to activate noradrenaline receptors which in turn increase lipolysis. This ability to stimulate noradrenaline receptors is quite broad and there is no specific receptor subtype that is targeted. In animal models, synephrine shows anti-depressant effects which is consistent with noradrenaline stimulation. Animal studies also show that synephrine can activate serotonergic receptors, which may also confer anti-depressant effects.
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