trans-Thujone is the trans-configured thujone isomer generally aligned in public chemistry databases with beta-thujone or isothujone, a safety-relevant monoterpene ketone found in mugwort and other thujone-bearing oils. The strongest live evidence is toxicological and mechanistic rather than benefit-facing: accessible sources support its identity, its occurrence as a mugwort chemotype marker, and thujone-class neuroactivity linked to GABA(A)-related signaling and convulsant risk at higher exposures. For AromaForge, trans-thujone is best handled as a compositional and safety profile, not as a wellness-active ingredient.
Chemical identity and composition
NIST's iso-3-thujone page explicitly groups beta-thujone, isothujone, and trans-thujone as the same stereochemical entry, while PubChem's trans-thujone lookup resolves to a beta-thujone record. In the local archive, mugwort / armoise cites trans-thujone at 0-20.2% across seven North Lithuania oils, reinforcing that this constituent is most useful as a chemotype marker and exposure flag rather than a broad occurrence material.
Aroma and practical use
- Use the recorded camphoraceous, herbal, sharp, sage-like, thujone-like descriptors to explore a blend's scent character; perceived strength also depends on the other ingredients.
- Compare the recorded goal signals with the intended purpose, while keeping model assumptions separate from observed study outcomes.
- 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 neonatal-chick study found that centrally administered beta-thujone produced anxiogenic-like behavioral effects at 78 nmol, while higher doses were convulsant.
The PubMed abstract reports increased latency to ambulate and reduced locomotor activity for beta-thujone, with the authors noting behavioral similarity to alpha-thujone but possible involvement of different neurotransmitter systems.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
A 2001 metabolism study concluded that cytochrome P450 oxidation detoxifies both alpha- and beta-thujone and that P450 inhibition strongly increased thujone toxicity in Drosophila.
The abstract identifies 4-hydroxy-beta-thujone and other oxidation products and states that assayed metabolites were less potent than parent thujones at the GABA(A) receptor and as insect toxicants.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
The National Toxicology Program's two-year alpha,beta-thujone gavage study reported dose-related seizures in rats and mice, with early deaths at the highest doses and evidence of carcinogenicity in male rats only.
Although this study used an alpha,beta-thujone mixture rather than isolated trans-thujone alone, it is one of the strongest accessible long-term safety references for the isomer class.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
How it contributes to goal calculations
Model markers guide the formulation score. They are separate from the source findings above.
Use concerns and concentration limits
Sensitization concernNot assessed
Not assessed in the available record.
Phototoxicity concernNot flagged
Not flagged in the current model. This is not proof of absence or unrestricted safety.
Oxidation concernNot assessed
Not assessed in the available record.
Penetration enhancementNot assessed
Not assessed in the available record.
A recorded constituent reference, not a recommended oil dilution. Product category, source applicability and all contributing oils must be checked before use.
unverified reference · No source provenance attachedtrans-Thujone should be framed primarily as a safety-sensitive constituent because the best accessible literature emphasizes neurotoxicity and seizure risk at excessive exposure.
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.
Long-term animal data discussed here come from mixed alpha,beta-thujone exposure, so they strengthen class-level caution but do not isolate a unique chronic-risk profile for trans-thujone alone.
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.
This research pass did not verify a public constituent-specific IFRA dermal standard or human dose-response study for isolated trans-thujone.
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.
cis-ThujoneAmplification 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.
animal · effect
No source citation attached.
Read cis-Thujone report →cis-ThujoneAmplification 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.
toxicology · effect
No source citation attached.
Read cis-Thujone report →How the effects were investigated
noncompetitive inhibition of the GABA(A)-gated chloride channel
The thujone toxicology literature cited in the reviewed beta-thujone metabolism paper describes alpha- and beta-thujones as convulsants with insecticidal activity acting as noncompetitive blockers of the GABA-gated chloride channel.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
oxidative detoxification by cytochrome P450 systems
The detoxification study reports multiple hydroxylated and dehydro metabolites from beta-thujone in mouse, rat, and human-relevant systems, supporting metabolism as a major modifier of toxicity.
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 (6)
- Public databases map trans-thujone through beta-thujone and isothujone entries, so stereochemical normalization is workable but still somewhat registry-dependent.
- Most accessible safety evidence is thujone-class or alpha,beta-mixture based rather than isolated long-term trans-thujone-only data.
- No convincing human clinical literature for isolated trans-thujone was located in this research pass.
- The numeric dermal reference lacks source provenance; a verified flag alone is insufficient.
- 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.