CONSTITUENT REPORT
beta-Sesquiphellandrene
beta-Sesquiphellandrene is a sesquiterpene hydrocarbon strongly associated with ginger and related Zingiberaceae materials, and it already appears in multiple AromaForge ginger records plus plai. Compared with many minor hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes, its direct preclinical literature is relatively substantial: live sources support antirhinoviral in vitro activity, cancer-cell antiproliferative and apoptosis-linked findings, and clear occurrence in ginger oil profiles. Even so, the evidence remains experimental rather than clinical, so this constituent should be described as a well-documented ginger marker with early-stage bioactivity research, not as a medical ingredient.
Chemical identity and composition
PubChem lists beta-Sesquiphellandrene as C15H24 with InChIKey PHWISBHSBNDZDX-LSDHHAIUSA-N. In the local archive it is a defining ginger-oil constituent, including 8.0-17.0% in ginger, 10.4% in fresh ginger, 10-14% in China ginger profiles, and 0.95% in plai Thailand. One archive oil file uses CAS 20307-84-0, but the live PubChem synonym record supports 20307-83-9 for beta-Sesquiphellandrene.
Aroma and practical use
- Use the recorded warm, spicy, gingery, herbal, ginger-like, herbaceous descriptors to explore a blend's scent character; perceived strength also depends on the other ingredients.
- Read the route, preparation and experimental context before using a study finding to choose an oil.
Reported benefits and effects
Findings retain their study context. An animal or laboratory result describes that experiment.
A 1994 Journal of Natural Products paper isolated beta-Sesquiphellandrene from ginger and reported it as the most active antirhinoviral sesquiterpene in the study, with an IC50 of 0.44 microM against rhinovirus IB in vitro.
A 1994 Journal of Natural Products paper isolated beta-Sesquiphellandrene from ginger and reported it as the most active antirhinoviral sesquiterpene in the study, with an IC50 of 0.44 microM against rhinovirus IB in vitro.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
A 2015 Investigational New Drugs paper reported that beta-Sesquiphellandrene showed antiproliferative effects comparable to curcumin in leukemia, multiple myeloma, and colorectal cancer cell models and also induced apoptosis-linked signaling changes.
A 2015 Investigational New Drugs paper reported that beta-Sesquiphellandrene showed antiproliferative effects comparable to curcumin in leukemia, multiple myeloma, and colorectal cancer cell models and also induced apoptosis-linked signaling changes.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
The same 2015 study reported synergy with velcade, thalidomide, and capecitabine in experimental cancer-cell contexts, indicating exploratory combination potential rather than clinical efficacy.
The same 2015 study reported synergy with velcade, thalidomide, and capecitabine in experimental cancer-cell contexts, indicating exploratory combination potential rather than clinical efficacy.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
Use concerns and concentration limits
Sensitization concernNot flagged
Not flagged in the current model. This is not proof of absence or unrestricted safety.
Phototoxicity concernNot flagged
Not flagged in the current model. This is not proof of absence or unrestricted safety.
Oxidation concernNot flagged
Not flagged in the current model. This is not proof of absence or unrestricted safety.
Penetration enhancementNot flagged
Not flagged in the current model. This is not proof of absence or unrestricted safety.
No numeric constituent-specific use limit is available here. Missing is not an unrestricted-use clearance.
No verified human clinical safety monograph, dermal restriction, or constituent-specific inhalation toxicology source for isolated beta-Sesquiphellandrene was located in this pass.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
No direct public citation is attached to this entry.
Because the strongest direct studies are in vitro antiviral and cancer-cell experiments, consumer-facing copy should avoid implying antiviral or anticancer effects in people.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
No direct public citation is attached to this entry.
Constituents it may interact with
These are research candidates recorded in the interaction matrix. They do not add a proven-amplification bonus to the score.
beta-BisaboleneAmplification candidate
Candidate in the research matrix. A coefficient alone does not establish amplification at the dose, route or goal of your blend; no proven amplification is inferred from this row.
occurrence study · whole_oil
No source citation attached.
Read beta-Bisabolene report →gamma-TerpineneAmplification candidate
Candidate in the research matrix. A coefficient alone does not establish amplification at the dose, route or goal of your blend; no proven amplification is inferred from this row.
in vitro mechanistic · antioxidant
No source citation attached.
Read gamma-Terpinene report →ZingibereneAmplification candidate
Candidate in the research matrix. A coefficient alone does not establish amplification at the dose, route or goal of your blend; no proven amplification is inferred from this row.
research review · whole_oil
No source citation attached.
Read Zingiberene report →How the effects were investigated
apoptosis and caspase activation in cancer cells
The strongest direct mechanism paper reported cytochrome c release, caspase activation, PARP cleavage, and downregulation of survival proteins after beta-Sesquiphellandrene exposure in cancer-cell models.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
No direct public citation is attached to this entry.
What this report cannot establish
- A reported constituent percentage does not establish an effective human therapeutic dose or the amount absorbed into the body.
- The presence of a constituent does not guarantee a clinical benefit, rash treatment or sleep improvement from a custom blend.
- An unflagged concern or missing use limit does not establish safety for ingestion, inhalation, skin exposure or a particular person.
- A candidate constituent interaction does not establish that two oils amplify one another at the selected proportions.
- Constituent descriptors alone do not establish a precise top, heart or base lifetime in a finished blend.
Known data gaps (7)
- No human clinical studies for isolated beta-Sesquiphellandrene were located in this pass.
- Direct mechanism work is largely limited to cancer-cell systems and does not establish real-world therapeutic use.
- Constituent-specific dermal and inhalation safety data remain sparse in public sources.
- Safety-verification pass (2026-07-13, worker c5): no IFRA Standard, Tisserand monograph, or RIFM safety assessment specific to beta-Sesquiphellandrene (CAS 20307-83-9) was located; a RIFM assessment surfaced in search results (Food and Chemical Toxicology 183, 2024) is for a different CAS number (555-10-2, beta-Phellandrene) and was excluded as a mismatch rather than misapplied here. The prior uncited dermal_limit_pct of 25 and sensitizing:true have been corrected to null pending real citation.
- No constituent-specific numeric dermal reference is available here.
- Some findings do not record an explicit exposure route; consult the linked study before applying them to a use.
- Interaction candidates lack an attached source citation and remain unqualified.