alpha-Cedrene is a cedarwood-associated sesquiterpene hydrocarbon found prominently in Juniperus-derived oils and other coniferous aroma materials. Compared with many minor sesquiterpenes, it has a more developed preclinical literature: current source-backed studies describe receptor-mediated effects on hepatic lipid handling, adipocyte metabolism, and skeletal muscle models, but those findings remain preclinical and should not be presented as human treatment claims. For archive use, alpha-cedrene is best described as a chemically well-defined cedarwood marker with interesting but still nonclinical mechanistic research.
Chemical identity and composition
PubChem lists alpha-cedrene as the stereodefined compound (1S,2R,5S,7S)-2,6,6,8-tetramethyltricyclo[5.3.1.01,5]undec-8-ene with molecular formula C15H24. In the archive, alpha-cedrene is a major component of Virginia and Texas cedarwood records, where reviewed GC-MS data place it around 21.2-28.04% depending on source and species profile.
Aroma and practical use
- Use the recorded woody, cedarwood, dry, cedar-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.
hepatic steatosis related research
A PubMed abstract and open summary report described alpha-cedrene as a novel agonist of OR10J5 and stated that it reduced triglyceride accumulation in human hepatocytes while alleviating hepatic steatosis endpoints in high-fat-diet-fed mice through a cAMP-PKA-linked pathway.
Measured: triglyceride accumulation, liver weight, steatosis-related signaling
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
skeletal muscle related research
A Europe PMC abstract reported that alpha-cedrene stimulated hypertrophy, attenuated free-fatty-acid-induced atrophy in cultured myotubes, and increased muscle mass and strength in mice, with MOR23 knockdown blunting the reported effects.
Measured: myotube diameter, muscle mass, myofiber cross-sectional area, strength
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
occurrence in cedarwood oils
Archive-linked GC-MS sources place alpha-cedrene among the dominant constituents of Virginia and Texas cedarwood oils, with reviewed values around 21.2-28.04%.
Measured: relative abundance
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil 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, Cedrene (covers CAS 11028-42-5, 469-61-4 [alpha-cedrene], 546-28-1 [beta-cedrene]), Amendment 49 (2020), https://d3t14p1xronwr0.cloudfront.net/docs/standards/IFRA_STD_197.pdf. Maximum acceptable finished-product concentration for Category 5A/5B/5C/5D (leave-on body lotion / general dermal) is 0.38%; other categories range from 0.080% (Category 2, deodorant) to 11% (Category 10A/10B); driving property is dermal sensitization. 0.38% is used here as the representative leave-on dermal ceiling.No constituent-specific dermal limit or phototoxicity restriction for isolated alpha-cedrene was located in the reviewed public sources.
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.
The reviewed efficacy-style literature for alpha-cedrene is preclinical and includes receptor-signaling and metabolic-model work, so consumer-facing summaries should avoid implying established human therapeutic effects.
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
No constituent-pair interaction is recorded for this identity. The report does not assume either amplification or incompatibility.
How the effects were investigated
OR10J5 MOR23 cAMP PKA signaling
Human hepatocyte and mouse-cell papers reported that alpha-cedrene acts as an agonist at OR10J5 or MOR23-associated pathways and engages cAMP-PKA signaling linked to reduced lipid accumulation.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
MOR23 cAMP PKA CREB in myotubes
A skeletal muscle study reported that alpha-cedrene increased MOR23 expression and enhanced downstream cAMP-PKA-CREB signaling together with hypertrophy-related effects in myotubes and mice.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
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 (4)
- No human clinical trials specific to isolated alpha-cedrene were located in the reviewed public sources.
- Most bioactivity evidence centers on cell and rodent metabolic models rather than replicated human-use data.
- Constituent-specific sensitization, dermal-limit, and phototoxicity data were not 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.