alpha-Patchoulene is a sesquiterpene hydrocarbon strongly associated with patchouli oil chemistry and quality profiling. The strongest live evidence supports it as a recurrent patchouli marker constituent and biosynthetic product of patchoulol synthase rather than as a well-characterized isolated active. Public sources repeatedly place alpha-patchoulene among major patchouli sesquiterpenes, and enzyme studies show it can be formed alongside patchoulol and related hydrocarbons from farnesyl diphosphate. Direct human safety or clinical evidence for the isolated constituent was not located.
Chemical identity and composition
PubChem resolves alpha-patchoulene to CID 521710 with formula C15H24 and IUPAC name 4,10,11,11-tetramethyltricyclo[5.3.1.01,5]undec-9-ene. Within the archive, patchouli-light reports alpha-patchoulene at 4.97%, and other patchouli records also include it, consistent with the literature describing alpha-patchoulene as one of the major hydrocarbons used in patchouli oil evaluation and quality control.
Aroma and practical use
- Use the recorded woody, earthy, patchouli-like 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 1990 Arch Biochem Biophys paper reported that purified patchoulol synthase from Pogostemon cablin transformed farnesyl pyrophosphate into cyclic olefins including alpha- and beta-patchoulene, alpha-bulnesene, and alpha-guiaene.
A 1990 Arch Biochem Biophys paper reported that purified patchoulol synthase from Pogostemon cablin transformed farnesyl pyrophosphate into cyclic olefins including alpha- and beta-patchoulene, alpha-bulnesene, and alpha-guiaene.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
A 2006 patchouli synthase paper found that one patchoulol synthase cDNA produced patchoulol plus at least 13 additional sesquiterpene products, and the product distribution resembled the sesquiterpene profile of patchouli oil.
A 2006 patchouli synthase paper found that one patchoulol synthase cDNA produced patchoulol plus at least 13 additional sesquiterpene products, and the product distribution resembled the sesquiterpene profile of patchouli oil.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
A 2012 quantitative study of patchouli oils from multiple sources reported alpha-patchoulene among the major compounds present alongside patchouli alcohol, delta-guaiene, alpha-guaiene, pogostol, and seychellene.
A 2012 quantitative study of patchouli oils from multiple sources reported alpha-patchoulene among the major compounds present alongside patchouli alcohol, delta-guaiene, alpha-guaiene, pogostol, and seychellene.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil 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 constituent-specific IFRA limit, phototoxicity warning, or isolated human tolerability study was located for alpha-patchoulene 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.
Because the public evidence is centered on composition and terpene biosynthesis rather than direct toxicology, safety claims for isolated alpha-patchoulene should remain minimal.
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.
PatchoulolAmplification 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 · whole_oil
No source citation attached.
Read Patchoulol report →How the effects were investigated
fpp cyclization by patchoulol synthase
Patchoulol synthase from Pogostemon cablin converts farnesyl pyrophosphate into patchoulol and multiple cyclic sesquiterpenes, including alpha-patchoulene, indicating alpha-patchoulene is part of a multiproduct sesquiterpene cyclase pathway.
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.
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 (9)
- No human clinical evidence for isolated alpha-patchoulene was verified in this pass.
- The strongest located evidence concerns patchouli composition and biosynthesis, not direct isolated-compound pharmacology.
- Public constituent-specific dermal and inhalation toxicology data remain sparse.
- 2026-07-13 re-verification (worker c3): targeted searches for IFRA/Tisserand dermal limits and sensitization/phototoxicity data for alpha-patchoulene returned no authoritative constituent-specific numeric limit; dermal_limit_verified remains false.
- Uncited placeholder values (dermal_limit_pct:25, sensitizing:true) removed on QA re-check 2026-07; no authoritative source found.
- 2026-07-13 second re-verification pass: The Good Scents Company (CAS 560-32-7) categorizes alpha-patchoulene under 'natural substances and extractives' (not 'flavor and fragrance agents') and states 'Recommendation for alpha-patchoulene usage levels up to: not for fragrance use' / 'not for flavor use', with GHS hazard classification 'None found.' This appears to reflect that the isolate is not registered/assessed as a standalone fragrance material (it occurs within patchouli oil) rather than an affirmative safety restriction, so dermal_limit_pct is left null rather than guessed at 0%; ECHA C&L inventory and alternate-name searches again returned no substance-specific entry.
- 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.