α-Pinene
Identity
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Preferred name | α-Pinene |
| IUPAC name | (1S,5S)-2,6,6-trimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-ene |
| CAS number | 80-56-8 |
| PubChem CID | 6654 [^4] |
| Chemical family | Bicyclic Monoterpene |
| Molecular formula | C10H16 |
| Molecular mass | 136.23 g/mol |
| Stereochemistry | Chiral; both enantiomers occur in nature and carry distinct CAS numbers ((+)-α-pinene: 7785-70-8; (−)-α-pinene: 18172-67-3) |
Aroma and sensory character
Sharp, pine, resinous, fresh forest odor profile.
Occurrence outside cannabis
- Pine trees (Pinus species)
- Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
- Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)
Physical properties
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Standard boiling point | 156 °C |
| Reference pressure | 101.325 kPa |
| Data source | NIST Chemistry WebBook (SRD 69); mean of 14 determinations [^1] |
Thermal-extraction context
α-Pinene is one of the more volatile monoterpenes present in botanical matrix headspace.
Reported biological activity
Human evidence
No verified controlled human study of inhaled α-pinene as a bronchodilator was identified for this archive; that widely circulated claim remains unresolved [^2].
Animal or laboratory evidence
In vitro assays report acetylcholinesterase inhibition, antimicrobial activity, and suppression of inflammatory signaling in mouse peritoneal macrophages 1.
Traditional or anecdotal claims
Historically used in forest-bathing and herbal vapor treatments for respiratory clarity.
Cannabis laboratory results
Reported as the most abundant monoterpene in Finola hemp (HS-SPME-GC-MS) and among the dominant monoterpenes across cannabis chemotypes 2. Measured concentrations are batch- and method-dependent. Consult Lab Results for batch-level measurements.
Sources
Related pages
-
Kim D-S, Lee H-J, Jeon Y-D, et al. Alpha-Pinene Exhibits Anti-Inflammatory Activity Through the Suppression of MAPKs and the NF-κB Pathway in Mouse Peritoneal Macrophages. Am J Chin Med. 2015;43(4):731–742. doi:10.1142/S0192415X15500457. PMID 26119957. ↩
-
Booth JK, Page JE, Bohlmann J. Terpene synthases from Cannabis sativa. PLoS One. 2017;12(3):e0173911. PMID 28355238; Booth JK, et al. Terpene synthases and terpene variation in Cannabis sativa. Plant Physiol. 2020;184(1):130–147. PMID 32591428. ↩
Derived navigation generated from structured relationships. Links are labeled by edge class and evidence trace; derived links are navigation, not primary assertions.