It may be difficult to pronounce, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn about the many benefits of Nerolidol.
Nerolidol is a terpene known for its welcoming floral and woody aroma. Widely used in both personal care and non-cosmetic products, you will find Nerolidol as a featured ingredient in many perfumes.
Naturally sourced from various plants, including tea tree, lavender, rose, citronella, jasmine, and ginger, Nerolidol also appears in the cannabis plant. And just like other terpenes, Nerolidol contributes to the overall synergistic effect of cannabis.
The uses of Nerolidol are wide-ranging. For example, essential oils are effective as a natural insect repellent, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Nerolidol as a food flavoring agent.[1],[2]
But perhaps most importantly, Nerolidol delivers health benefits. This includes antioxidant support, sedative effects and sleep benefits, and antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.[3]
Main Keypoints:
Nerolidol, an FDA-approved food additive, delivers a floral scent with citrus, apple, and rose overtones
Sourced from various plants, including tea tree, lavender, rose, citronella, jasmine, and ginger, Nerolidol also appears in the cannabis plant.
Nerolidol delivers health benefits, including antioxidant support, as an anti-anxiety terpene, has sedative properties and sleep aid benefits, and antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties[4]
What Is Nerolidol Good For?
Widely used in everyday items, from insect repellents, shampoos, and perfumes to detergents and cleaners, Nerolidol provides cannabis with an intense aroma of blooming flowers.
Nerolidol makes the list as an FDA-approved food additive and food flavoring agent. You can find it used by food industry manufacturers in such items as candy and chewing gum. And since this terpene is also a component of ginger, it’s often a tasty component in recipes.
What Does it Smell Like?
This popular terpene possesses a delicate floral scent with citrus, apple, and rose overtones. So it is no wonder chemists frequently include Nerolidol as an ingredient in fragrances, personal care products, and cleaning formulas.
Perfumes that use Nerolidol are said to have an aroma similar to fresh floral tree bark.
Chemical Structure and The Difference Between Trans-Nerolidol and Nerolidol Terpene
Nerolidol, a noncyclic sesquiterpene alkene alcohol with the chemical formula C15H26O, occurs in many essential oils.
Sometimes called peruviol or penetrol, this terpene comes in two forms: trans-nerolidol and cis-nerolidol. They differ in their molecular formula, and a few studies suggest that cis-nerolidol has shorter retention times than trans-nerolidol.
However, the differences between the forms are insignificant, so they are used interchangeably.
How Can I Use this Terpene?
People commonly use this terpene as a natural way to calm the mind and body. You may find it appealing as a way to enhance the effects of your cannabis experience.
Therapeutic Benefits of Nerolidol
Although additional clinical trials are needed to understand the health benefits of this terpene, the essential oils of Nerolidol appear to offer medicinal qualities.
These are some of the most promising health advantages of this terpene:
Relaxation & Sleep
Nerolidol, perhaps best known for its relaxation and sedative effects, supports healthy sleep patterns. Published studies also reveal that it plays a role in reducing anxiety.[5]
Looking for more natural sleep remedies, learn how THC gummies work here.
Antifungal
Research supports Nerolidol for its antifungal effect. A landmark study using a guinea pig model determined Nerolidol helps control fungal activity.[6] Nerolidol essential oils applied to these guinea pigs confirmed Nerolidol as “clinically effective” in battling skin fungus when used as an antifungal topical agent.
Anti-inflammatory properties
Science leaves no doubt that inflammation in the body can lead to various health problems. Nerolidol exhibits the potential to suppress inflammatory responses under specific conditions.[7] It has also been useful with arthritic pain, offering hope that Nerolidol may become a therapeutic substance for the management of rheumatoid arthritis.[8]
Anti Parasitic
Parasitic diseases, common in specific tropical climates, can have deadly consequences. Nerolidol may act as an anti-parasitic compound against health issues like malaria, sleeping sickness, and snail fever.[9],[10]
Potent Antioxidant
Nerolidol exhibits antioxidant properties and protects cells against oxidative damage.[11] The data showed that Nerolidol as an antioxidant might be helpful in cases of neurological conditions and supporting brain health.[12]
Anti-Carcinogenic
Early studies with animals discovered Nerolidol could slow the growth while, at the same time, promoting the death of carcinogenic liver cells.[13],[14] However, whether this activity will translate to human studies requires more research.
Antibacterial and Antimicrobial Agent
Some antibiotics have become less successful in the medical world due to increasing antimicrobial resistance. But there is some good news with terpenes.
Preliminary studies show potential for Nerolidol “to combat multidrug resistance in bacterial infections.” [15] This research supports Nerolidol for use against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (a leading cause of skin and soft tissue infections) and in fighting E. Coli.[16]
New clinical studies are underway to explore Nerolidol for transdermal delivery of therapeutic and other drugs to fight various infections.[17]
Preliminary results demonstrated that Nerolidol has skin penetration properties and can enhance drug delivery without the use of pills.
Nerolidol For Lice: Is It True It Works?
If you have even known someone affected by head lice infestation, you know it can be a challenging experience.
Head lice are tiny insects that feed on blood from the human scalp leading to itching and irritation.[18]
Most common in children, head lice treatment usually involves medicated shampoos or lotions that take days (and days) to have an effect.
The good news is that researchers discovered Nerolidol, combined with tea tree oil, may begin to kill head lice within 30 minutes, helping to reduce the uncomfortable symptoms of this ailment.[19]
Does Nerolidol Make You High?
Consumed on its own, Nerolidol will not get you high. However, when combined with THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids, it has the potential to increase psychoactive effects.
Is Nerolidol Safe To Use?
Nerolidol, naturally present in many foods, is approved as a flavoring agent by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Designated as safe, this terpene showed no toxicity in animal tests, and no adverse effects were found or anticipated in the human population.
Is Nerolidol Legal?
Whether Nerolidol is legal or not depends on the restrictions and laws where you live.
In general, all terpenes are legal on their own. However, when terpenes come from marijuana, they may be illegal under federal law and local regulations in certain areas.
As a result, cannabis-derived terpenes operate in a legal gray area. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp, including hemp-derived CBD and terpenes.[20] And some states have legalized cannabis and its terpenes.
You will always want to check to understand the regulations in your state to assure you are using a legal substance.
Plants That Contain Nerolidol
Nerolidol’s origins come from several highly scented and commonly known plants. These include jasmine, ginger, lemongrass, lavender, and tea tree. Many cannabis strains also contain this terpene.
How Common Is Nerolidol In Cannabis?
Terpene profiles vary in cannabis plants depending on genetics and environmental factors. Nerolidol, considered a minor or secondary terpene present in cannabis, presents itself in low concentrations.
Nerolidol influences the smells and tastes of different cannabis strains. More importantly, as a terpene, it contributes to the beneficial health effects of THC and CBD.
It is well-documented that terpenes work hand in hand with cannabinoids to maximize the benefits of marijuana. This synergetic process is called the entourage effect. It occurs when terpenes and cannabinoids interact in particular ways to boost the effectiveness of one another and create more powerful therapeutic effects.
You might have heard of Eucalyptol. Another well-known terpene found in the cannabis plant offers many of the same health benefits. To learn more about Eucalyptol, click here.
Final Thoughts – What is Nerolidol
Nerolidol, a common component found in the essential oil of various medicinal plants, acts as a natural insect repellent and a common ingredient in personal care, cosmetics, and cleaning products.
Its origins in commonly known plants include jasmine, ginger, lemongrass, lavender, and tea tree. Cannabis strains also contain this unique terpene. It delivers a floral and woody welcoming scent to these products, as well as cannabis. Designated safe by the FDA as a food additive, Nerolidol has no known adverse effects.
Supported by impressive studies, Nerolidol possesses antimicrobial, anti-parasitic, anti-biofilm, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, skin penetrating, and other therapeutic properties.
At BioWellnessX, we recognize that terpenes like Nerolidol may offer health benefits with medical applications.
We invite you to visit our website to learn more about how our wide range of quality products can support your physical and mental health.
References:
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?FR=172.515
https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/aac.49.5.1679-1687.2005
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
By reading this legal information, you agree to release the author of any liability related to or arising from your use of this data. This post contains no legal advice. The legal status surrounding Hemp-derived products is new and constantly changing. We continuously work hard to do our best to give you the most updated information. We recommend checking your current state’s laws or federal hemp laws before purchasing any industrial hemp-derived products (CBD, THC). The data in this post is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or give any medical advice. Do your due diligence and seek your doctor’s advice, especially if you are in doubt or are currently taking any prescription medications. Safer than sorry is always a great idea when consuming new products.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Widely used in everyday items, from insect repellents, shampoos, and perfumes to detergents and cleaners, Nerolidol provides cannabis strains with an intense aroma of blooming flowers. Nerolidol makes the list as an FDA-approved food additive and food flavoring agent, but perhaps its most significant use is for medicinal purposes. Nerolidol delivers health benefits, including antioxidant support, sedative effects, sleep benefits, and antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Nerolidol’s origins come from several highly scented and commonly known plants. These include jasmine, ginger, lemongrass, lavender, and tea tree. Cannabis strains also contain this unique terpene.
Identified in the essential oils of many plants, Nerolidol is associated with jasmine, tea tree, lemongrass, ginger, and cannabis.
Nerolidol possesses antimicrobial, anti-parasitic, anti-biofilm, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, skin penetrating benefits, and many other scientifically supportive therapeutic properties.
