Synephrine is a protoalkaloid found in the Citrus aurantium (bitter orange) and other citrus species. Synephrine has been popular as a weight loss supplement because some evidence suggests that it might play a role in the oxidation of fat. Synephrine is sometimes called phenylephrine, and its structure is similar to that of ephedrine, but ephedrine is missing a methyl group and hydroxyl group that are found on synephrine. Synephrine has pharmacological properties similar to ephedrine but does not appear to have the same receptor affinities, which may explain its much less pronounced effect as a central nervous system stimulant. In this regard synephrine only has very weak affinity for the beta-1 and beta-2 adrenergic receptors. This may also explain why synephrine is not as useful as ephedrine at causing weight loss, and why generally despite its continued presence on the market as a dietary supplement, it has not achieved the legendary status attributed to ephedrine on account of its fat loss effects.
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