Green mandarin extract
Summary
Green mandarin extract is made from unripe satsuma mandarins, which are rich in the flavonoids narirutin and hesperidin. One 12-week placebo-controlled trial in 80 women found 300 mg/day modestly reduced eye-area wrinkle depth and volume, but not skin moisture or elasticity (grade D). No adverse reactions were seen. No other human trials were found.
Key facts
- Extract of unripe satsuma mandarins (Citrus unshiu), grown widely on Jeju Island, Korea[1]
- Standardized to narirutin, about 40 mg per gram of extract in the trial product[1]
- One placebo-controlled trial: 80 women, 300 mg/day for 12 weeks[1]
- Average wrinkle depth, wrinkle volume and skin roughness; moisture, elasticity and gloss did not change[1]
- In a lab test, immature Citrus unshiu extract only weakly inhibited CYP enzymes, far less than grapefruit[2]
- 1 graded human outcome on this page
- October 13, 2026
How it works
ProposedUnripe mandarins contain about 30% more flavonoids such as narirutin and hesperidin than ripe fruit. Trial authors propose anti-inflammatory and anti-wrinkle effects through reduced inflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases; this comes from lab work and has not been confirmed in people.[1]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eye-area wrinkles in women (green mandarin extract) | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 80 · 2022 Women aged 40–59 with dry skin and periorbital wrinkles (Jeju, Korea) Form: Green mandarin (Putgyul) 50% ethanol extract standardized to narirutin (about 40 mg/g) · Dose: 300 mg/day · Duration: 12 weeks Average wrinkle depth, wrinkle volume and skin roughness improved more than with placebo (P=0.011, 0.009, 0.004). Deepest-wrinkle depth, wrinkle area and length, skin moisture, water loss, elasticity and gloss did not differ. No adverse reactions. | 35405965 (opens PubMed)Source [1] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green mandarin 50% ethanol extract (standardized to narirutin) | Varies[1] | No human absorption data found.[1] | No adverse reactions and no clinically significant changes in blood counts, blood chemistry or urinalysis over 12 weeks.[1] | Skin wrinkles (300 mg/day, 12 weeks) |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from a single tested dose of 300 mg/day of narirutin-standardized extract, given for 12 weeks.[1]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
None found in our sources.
Who should be careful
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding, men and younger adults
- The only trial enrolled women aged 40–59, so there are no data for other groups.[1]
- Citrus allergy
- The trial excluded people with irritation or allergy to related ingredients.[1]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
How to read the label
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Frequently asked questions
Does green mandarin extract reduce wrinkles?
One trial in 80 women found 300 mg/day for 12 weeks modestly reduced average eye-area wrinkle depth and volume versus placebo. Other wrinkle measures, moisture and elasticity did not change.[1]
Is green mandarin the same as ripe mandarin?
It is the same species (Citrus unshiu) picked unripe; unripe fruit has about 30% more flavonoids such as narirutin and hesperidin.[1]
Is green mandarin extract safe?
No adverse reactions or blood-test changes occurred over 12 weeks in the single trial. Long-term data are lacking.[1]
Does green mandarin interact with drugs like grapefruit?
In a lab study, immature Citrus unshiu extract only weakly inhibited the CYP enzymes that grapefruit blocks strongly. No human interaction study exists.[2]
Sources
- [1]Clinical Evidence of Effects of Green Mandarin (Putgyul) Extract on Skin Aging: A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.. Nutrients, 2022. RCT
- [2]Comparative evaluation of 12 immature citrus fruit extracts for the inhibition of cytochrome P450 isoform activities.. Biol Pharm Bull, 2008. animal-study
What changed
- Adversarial review pass: every evidence row's numbers re-checked against its abstract (Europe PMC for abstracts PubMed truncates, PMC full text where open), grades checked against the grading rubric, and safety and overclaim wording re-read. No changes needed.
- First draft. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (title and year taken from the record) and abstracts read for the cited rows.
- Strict second-pass self review (no separate reviewer agent was available for this batch): every PMID re-fetched via esummary and every evidence row, dose and safety line re-read against its abstract or fact sheet. Trial numbers (80 randomized, 76 completed, narirutin 40.07 mg/g, unaffected secondary endpoints) read from the open full text (PMC9002563). A 2026 trial of whole ripe Citrus unshiu fruit (PMID 42382031) was excluded because it tested a different form. Slug substituted from the queue (index 203) after skipping grape pomace (a by-product overlapping the grape page) and grapefruit (a food, not a supplement ingredient). Retraction and erratum flags checked on all PMIDs: none.