Alpha-bisabolol is a chamomile-linked sesquiterpene alcohol best known in aroma and cosmetic work for its soft floral-balsamic profile and frequent use in soothing skin-focused formulations. The literature base is much stronger here than for many niche constituents: public sources support solid identity data, repeated preclinical anti-inflammatory and wound-healing discussion, and a cosmetic safety review that judged bisabolol safe as used. The benefit-facing research is still mostly in vitro, animal, or formulation-context evidence rather than human therapeutic proof.
Chemical identity and composition
NIST and PubChem both describe alpha-bisabolol as a monocyclic sesquiterpene alcohol with formula C15H26O. In chamomile oils it can occur either as a primary constituent or as a lower-abundance companion to the bisabolol oxides, and public safety reviews note that the bisabolol name covers stereoisomeric forms while the natural cosmetic literature often centers on the (-)-alpha form.
Aroma and practical use
- Use the recorded sweet, floral, soft, balsamic, chamomile-like descriptors to explore a blend's scent character; perceived strength also depends on the other ingredients.
- Review the flagged use concerns across every contributing oil and the selected dilution.
- 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 2014 skin-inflammation study reported that alpha-bisabolol lowered pro-inflammatory cytokine production and reduced mouse ear edema markers after topical application.
Europe PMC's abstract reports significant inhibition of TNF-alpha and IL-6, plus lower TPA-induced ear thickness, ear weight, lipid peroxidation, and histopathologic damage in mice.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
Mouse visceral-pain and dermatitis models found anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive signals for (-)-alpha-bisabolol.
The abstract reports inhibition of Croton-oil, arachidonic-acid, and phenol dermatitis models, with significant antinociceptive effects in cyclophosphamide and mustard-oil visceral pain models.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
An older bioassay-guided mouse study identified alpha-bisabolol as one of the terpenoids with measurable wound-healing activity.
Europe PMC reports alpha-bisabolol showed wound-healing activity in vivo with an ED50 of 228 microg/g mouse in the compared terpenoid set.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
Use concerns and concentration limits
Sensitization concernFlagged
Flagged in the constituent reference; assess the source, route and finished-product concentration.
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.
A recorded constituent reference, not a recommended oil dilution. Product category, source applicability and all contributing oils must be checked before use.
recorded reference · IFRA Standard, alpha-Bisabolol (CAS 515-69-5, 23089-26-1, 23178-88-3, 78148-59-1, 76738-75-5, 72691-24-8), Amendment 49 (2020), https://d3t14p1xronwr0.cloudfront.net/docs/standards/IFRA_STD_192.pdf. Maximum acceptable finished-product concentration for Category 5A/5B/5C (leave-on body lotion / general dermal) is 0.60%; other categories range from 0.13% (Category 2, deodorant) to 17% (Category 10B); driving property is dermal sensitization and systemic toxicity. 0.60% is used here as the representative leave-on dermal ceiling.The Cosmetic Ingredient Review reaffirmed that bisabolol is safe as used in cosmetic products and cited reported use concentrations generally at or below 1%.
The source assessment applies to its specified exposure and preparation; this entry is not an unrestricted-use clearance.
No direct public citation is attached to this entry.
The same safety review notes bisabolol is well absorbed dermally and may increase penetration of co-formulated ingredients.
The source assessment applies to its specified exposure and preparation; this entry is not an unrestricted-use clearance.
No direct public citation is attached to this entry.
Publicly accessible efficacy research is largely preclinical, so consumer-facing copy should avoid turning inflammation, analgesia, or wound-healing findings into medical claims.
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.
(E)-CaryophylleneAmplification 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.
mechanistic · effect
No source citation attached.
Read (E)-Caryophyllene report →ChamazuleneAmplification 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.
review · effect
No source citation attached.
Read Chamazulene report →en-yn-dicycloetherAmplification 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 en-yn-dicycloether report →How the effects were investigated
reduction of TNF-alpha and IL-6 signaling in inflammatory models
Europe PMC abstract data describe lower TNF-alpha and IL-6 output in LPS- and TPA-linked inflammatory assays after alpha-bisabolol exposure.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
binding to pro-inflammatory protein targets in docking models
The 2014 skin-inflammation paper reported favorable docking to pro-inflammatory protein targets, but that target-level evidence remains supportive rather than definitive.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
penetration-enhancing behavior in dermal systems
The CIR safety review states that bisabolol is well absorbed after dermal application and that an in vitro study found penetration-enhancement activity, which is relevant to formulation behavior more than benefit claims.
The source assessment applies to its specified exposure and preparation; this entry is not an unrestricted-use clearance.
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 (5)
- Public registry sources disagree on which CAS best represents the specific alpha-bisabolol stereochemical form versus broader bisabolol naming, so this record uses 515-69-5 and flags the ambiguity instead of implying one universal CAS.
- Most constituent-level efficacy evidence is preclinical; this pass did not verify a high-quality human clinical trial on isolated alpha-bisabolol alone.
- No constituent-specific IFRA-style dermal maximum for isolated alpha-bisabolol was located in the reviewed public sources.
- 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.