Khusimone is a zizaane-derived sesquiterpene ketone long discussed as one of the classic odor-impact constituents of vetiver oil. The current evidence base is strongest for identity, occurrence, and perfumery-focused odor research rather than for pharmacology or human safety testing. In AromaForge it is best handled as a fragrance-signature vetiver molecule with strong composition and olfactory context, but very limited standalone biomedical evidence.
Chemical identity and composition
PubChem resolves khusimone as CID 14166207 with formula C14H20O and CAS 30557-76-7. Synonym mapping also supports 12-nor-Zizaen-2-one as an alias family. In local oil data khusimone is consistently minor-to-supporting rather than dominant, usually around sub-1% to low-2% levels, which fits the literature describing it as highly odor-relevant despite modest abundance.
Aroma and practical use
- Use the recorded woody, ambery, earthy, vetiver-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 2012 PubMed-indexed composition study listed khusimone among the compounds important to characteristic vetiver odor and quantified it at 1.5-2.1% across four south Indian root oils.
A 2012 PubMed-indexed composition study listed khusimone among the compounds important to characteristic vetiver odor and quantified it at 1.5-2.1% across four south Indian root oils.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
A 2014 Chem Biodiversity olfactometry study stated that khusimone had almost unanimously been recognized as the most characteristic vetiver odorant, even while the authors identified additional contributors with even stronger odor impact.
A 2014 Chem Biodiversity olfactometry study stated that khusimone had almost unanimously been recognized as the most characteristic vetiver odorant, even while the authors identified additional contributors with even stronger odor impact.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
A 2021 Angewandte Chemie full-text synthesis paper reported khusimone at about 2% in vetiver oil, described its typical woody-ambery vetiver profile, and argued that its odor threshold is too high for it to be the sole smelling principle.
A 2021 Angewandte Chemie full-text synthesis paper reported khusimone at about 2% in vetiver oil, described its typical woody-ambery vetiver profile, and argued that its odor threshold is too high for it to be the sole smelling principle.
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 human clinical safety, dermal restriction, or inhalation toxicology study for isolated khusimone was verified 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 accessible evidence base is mostly perfumery and odor-analysis work, archive copy should avoid implying khusimone has established wellness or 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
odor structure relationship signal
Review and synthesis papers use khusimone as a model tricyclic woody odorant and discuss spatial relationships between a carbonyl group and bulky hydrocarbon framework as part of vetiver odor structure-activity reasoning.
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.
odor threshold limitation
A 2021 full-text synthesis paper notes that khusimone has the typical woody-ambery vetiver profile but a threshold too high to be the single smelling principle of vetiver oil, so it is important but not sufficient by itself.
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 (6)
- No strong constituent-specific pharmacology literature for isolated khusimone was verified in this pass.
- Safety data remain much thinner than the perfumery and composition literature.
- Khusimone is odor-important but not the sole vetiver smelling principle, so SEO copy should avoid oversimplifying the aroma science.
- Targeted web search for an IFRA/Tisserand/EU Annex III dermal limit and sensitization/phototoxicity data specific to khusimone (CAS 30557-76-7) returned no authoritative results (2026-07-13). The previously stored dermal_limit_pct (2) had no supporting citation and has been corrected to null; no authoritative dermal limit located.
- 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.