cis-alpha-Bergamotene is a sesquiterpene hydrocarbon that shows up in a narrower set of essential-oil and plant-volatile profiles than better-known fragrance terpenes. The strongest source-grounded evidence in this research pass is for identity, occurrence, and ecological function, especially as a herbivore-induced or scent-related plant volatile rather than a human-use active. That makes it useful in the AromaForge archive as a composition and plant-signaling marker, with clear evidence gaps around direct constituent-specific safety and wellness relevance.
Chemical identity and composition
PubChem and NIST identify cis-alpha-bergamotene as C15H24 with CAS 18252-46-5. In the archive it is currently verified in opopanax oil at 3.07%. The reviewed literature also places cis-alpha-bergamotene among notable volatiles in plant materials including Schisandra chinensis berry oil, Betula papyrifera inner bark, and herbivore-responsive Nicotiana attenuata emissions.
Aroma and practical use
- Use the recorded woody, warm, terpenic, balsamic 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.
plant indirect defense
A plant-defense study reported that fatty acid-amino acid conjugates from Manduca sexta oral secretions were sufficient to account for measured indirect cis-alpha-bergamotene defenses in Nicotiana attenuata.
Measured: indirect defense volatile output
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
floral scent biosynthesis
A 2014 floral-scent paper reported that recombinant HcTPS8 formed alpha-bergamotene, cis-alpha-bisabolene, beta-farnesene, and other sesquiterpenes from farnesyl diphosphate.
Measured: sesquiterpene product formation from farnesyl diphosphate
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
occurrence in berry and bark volatiles
Public abstracts report cis-alpha-bergamotene at 10.79% in Schisandra chinensis berry oil and 8% in Betula papyrifera inner bark volatiles, supporting its role as a recurring but niche sesquiterpene marker.
Measured: major-component occurrence
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 RIFM review, public IFRA limit, or human tolerability study was located for isolated cis-alpha-bergamotene in the reviewed 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 accessible literature is dominated by plant-volatiles, biosynthesis, and occurrence papers rather than direct human-use toxicology.
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.
Mixture-level antioxidant or antimicrobial findings in oils containing cis-alpha-bergamotene should not be translated into isolate-level performance claims for this constituent.
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
herbivore induced volatile signaling
Nicotiana attenuata studies describe cis-alpha-bergamotene as part of the plant's indirect defense response after recognition of caterpillar-associated elicitors, supporting a source-grounded ecological signaling mechanism.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
sesquiterpene formation from fpp
A characterized Hedychium coronarium terpene synthase converted farnesyl diphosphate to alpha-bergamotene, cis-alpha-bisabolene, beta-farnesene, and additional sesquiterpenes, providing biosynthetic context rather than isolate-level human-use evidence.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil 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)
- No human clinical evidence for isolated cis-alpha-bergamotene was located in the reviewed accessible literature.
- No constituent-specific public dermal-limit, sensitization, or phototoxicity threshold was verified for isolated cis-alpha-bergamotene.
- Most accessible evidence concerns ecological signaling and occurrence rather than direct fragrance-safety or wellness outcomes.
- A c6 verification search (2026-07-13) for bergamotene/bisabolene RIFM or IFRA data found only assessments for other CAS numbers, none matching cis-alpha-bergamotene (CAS 18252-46-5); the prior unsourced 25% dermal_limit_pct and sensitizing:true were corrected to null.
- 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.