Get to Know a Cannabis Terpene: Linalool
Linalool is a major contributor to many beauty products, but its well-known for anxiolytic effects.
My favorite cannabis experiences often include linalool. But, generally, my favorite aroma experiences include linalool as well — linalool is the main feature in lavender oil ( linalool can make up to 28% of garden / English lavender oil and nearly 50% of broad-leafed lavender oil!). Linalool is also a key aroma compound in some cultivars of camellia Sinensis, or tea, where linalool’s presence is prized for creating a sweet, floral aroma and flavor to the tea. Whenever I’m feeling too on the edge, anxious, or sleepless, I seek out a form of linalool.
Linalool features in many interesting patents, I’m sure you can imagine that a large bulk of them use linalool’s aroma and flavor properties. One such usage would be in an oral care / tooth-whitening product. Another interesting patent that includes linalool is for a self-cleaning toilet, where linalool could be dispatched post-cleansing (along with a host of other possible terpenes we’ve reviewed). Yet another patent includes linalool is an analgesic based on snake venom.
Linalool also has insect-repellent and insecticide uses — after all, that’s one of the reasons that plants produce terpenes. Thus, linalool has been used in some insecticides. It is this use of linalool that created a legal scandal for water-maker LaCroix. LaCroix was sued by an Illinois defendant in a class-action lawsuit disputing its 100% natural claims. The lawsuit alleged LaCroix’s water included an ingredient that “kills cockroaches.” Eventually, the plaintiff dropped the lawsuit, acknowledging that the laboratory she worked with was unable to determine if the linalool (and limonene!) were synthetic.
The FDA has approved linalool’s use in food, with the highest average amounts found in hard candies and gum.
In addition to these applications, like many other cannabis terpenes, linalool has a list of possible medical applications.
There is already a robust body of study around the anxiolytic effects of linalool that sprung from lavender’s many uses in folk medicine. This effect of linalool has been very, very well-documented! The scent of linalool is distinct and smells like the sweet side of lavender — woody, floral, and fresh. It also lasts for a long time on an odor strip. This makes linalool a frequent ingredient in beauty products for its delightful scent — it’s found in at least 60% of perfumed hygiene products, according to its Wikipedia entry.
Some preliminary studies examining linalool’s possible use in cancer therapy found linalool to help inhibit (but not kill) lung cancer cells.A study identified linalool as the major contributor to the ability of some essential oils to reduce inflammation.Pain and inflammation are linked to oxidative stress and neurodegeneration, and linalool’s neuroprotective abilities have been studied.Lavender oil, and specifically linalool, have been established to have anti-psoriatic effects.Linalool has been established as a promising candidate to help relieve uremia.
Linalool features in Sundae Driver (54 Green Acres won the G.O.A.T. Cup with theirs!), Purple Punch, Hindu Kush, and Jack Herer can all feature linalool. Whenever I’m looking for a strain to help me deal with anxiety or sleeplessness, I look for linalool.
Bonus — It’s also one of the more fun terpenes to say!
Boiling Point: 198 to 199 °C
Other Sources: Lavender oil, tea, neroli, coriander, bergamot, basil, anise seed oil, blood orange, lemon balm, orange, peppermint, oregano
Scents: Sweet, earthy, floral, fresh, citrus, waxy, rose, lily of the valley, coriander
Flavors: Citrus, sweet, woody, orange, floral, coriander seeds,
Article Sources:
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/6549
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linalool
https://www.perfumersworld.com/view.php?pro_id=4LL00277
www.thegoodscentscompany.com/data/rw1007872.html
Originally published at https://oregoncannabisgazette.com.