cis-alpha-Bisabolene is a sesquiterpene hydrocarbon found in a limited but credible set of aromatic and biological sources, including the opopanax profile already cataloged in the AromaForge archive. The current evidence base is strongest for identity, natural occurrence, biosynthesis, and insect semiochemical context rather than for direct isolate-level human wellness use. For archive purposes, it is best framed as a composition marker with interesting ecological chemistry and explicit evidence gaps around standalone safety and therapeutic relevance.
Chemical identity and composition
PubChem and NIST identify cis-alpha-bisabolene as C15H24 with CAS 29837-07-8. In the archive it is currently verified in opopanax oil at 20.30%. Reviewed public literature also treats (Z)-alpha-bisabolene as a terpene-synthase product and as the precursor of cis/trans alpha-bisabolene epoxide pheromone systems in stink bugs.
Aroma and practical use
- Use the recorded woody, green, spicy, resinous, resin 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.
insect biosynthesis
A 2019 study reported that an IDS-type terpene synthase from the southern green stink bug produced the putative pheromone precursor (+)-(S,Z)-alpha-bisabolene in vitro and in protein lysates.
Measured: conversion of farnesyl diphosphate to (Z)-alpha-bisabolene
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
field pheromone detection
A two-year field study reported that Nezara viridula could be trapped with its reported pheromone, a 3:1 trans- to cis-(Z)-alpha-bisabolene epoxide blend, linking the bisabolene scaffold to applied semiochemical detection.
Measured: trap attraction to alpha-bisabolene-epoxide pheromone blends
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
plant floral scent biosynthesis
A floral-scent study reported that recombinant HcTPS8 generated cis-alpha-bisabolene along with alpha-bergamotene, beta-farnesene, and other sesquiterpenes from farnesyl diphosphate.
Measured: sesquiterpene product profile from farnesyl diphosphate
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 monograph, public IFRA limit, or human tolerability study was located for isolated cis-alpha-bisabolene in this pass.
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 most accessible direct literature centers on biosynthesis and insect chemical ecology rather than human exposure studies.
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 activity literature is not isolate-level human evidence, archive copy should avoid attributing therapeutic effects directly to cis-alpha-bisabolene.
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
ids type tps production of z alpha bisabolene
An insect IDS-type terpene synthase from Nezara viridula was shown to convert (E,E)-farnesyl diphosphate to the putative pheromone precursor (+)-(S,Z)-alpha-bisabolene, giving a direct constituent-level biosynthetic mechanism.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
field attraction via bisabolene epoxide blend
Field trapping work showed attraction of Nezara viridula to blends built from trans- and cis-(Z)-alpha-bisabolene epoxides, supporting semiochemical relevance downstream of the cis-alpha-bisabolene precursor rather than a human-use mechanism.
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-bisabolene was located in the reviewed accessible sources.
- No constituent-specific public dermal-limit, sensitization, or phototoxicity threshold was verified for isolated cis-alpha-bisabolene.
- The direct source base is narrow and weighted toward chemical ecology and biosynthesis rather than human safety or benefit studies.
- A c6 verification search (2026-07-13) found a RIFM assessment for bisabolene (CAS 495-62-5, a different stereoisomer/CAS than this record's 29837-07-8); since the CAS does not match, it was not applied here, and 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.