What is Ocimene?
Ocimene (C₁₀H₁₆) is a terpene found in cannabis, basil, mint, parsley and orchids. In cannabis, it contributes to the characteristic aroma and may modulate pharmacological effects through the proposed entourage effect.
Aroma: Sweet, herbal, woody — often associated with fresh, green cannabis aroma.
Pharmacological Properties
Acyclic monoterpene with demonstrated antiviral, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties in preclinical studies. Effective insect repellent. Present in alpha, beta-cis and beta-trans isomeric forms with similar properties.
Relevance in Cannabis
Present in many cannabis cultivars at low to moderate concentrations (1–10% of total terpenes). More prevalent in tropical and equatorial cultivars. Volatile and degrades with heat and oxidation.
GMP and Manufacturing Relevance
Include in comprehensive cannabis terpene panels. Often near detection limits at low concentrations — validated methods with appropriate sensitivity required where ocimene specification is needed.
Analytical Measurement
Terpene profiling is performed by headspace GC-MS or GC-FID. Validated methods should achieve quantitative separation of key terpenes. Where terpene content is a product specification parameter, the analytical method must be validated under ICH Q2(R1).
See the Cannabis Glossary for definitions of related cultivation, extraction and quality terms.
References
- Pereira I et al. Cannabis terpene fraction pharmacology. Int J Mol Sci. 2021.
- Russo EB. Entourage Effect. Front Plant Sci. 2019.