2-Undecanone is a methyl ketone with an unusually clear non-medical evidence trail compared with many aroma constituents: it is well established as a plant metabolite, an insect or tick repellent active, and a fragrance ingredient with a published RIFM safety assessment. In the AromaForge archive it also appears in sugandha kokila berry context and is better understood as a chemistry and repellent-use constituent than as an aromatherapy wellness active. Public literature is strongest for identity, arthropod repellency, and regulatory status, while broader human-benefit claims should be avoided.
Aroma and practical use
- Use the recorded fatty, green, fruity, waxy, rue-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 2008 BioUD study found that a 7.75% 2-undecanone product provided mosquito repellency comparable to 7% deet in arm-in-cage tests and performed similarly to or better than 25-30% deet in reported field comparisons.
A 2008 BioUD study found that a 7.75% 2-undecanone product provided mosquito repellency comparable to 7% deet in arm-in-cage tests and performed similarly to or better than 25-30% deet in reported field comparisons.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
A 2009 tick study reported that BioUD, whose active ingredient was 2-undecanone, was at least 2-4 times more active than deet against three ixodid tick species under the laboratory assay conditions used.
A 2009 tick study reported that BioUD, whose active ingredient was 2-undecanone, was at least 2-4 times more active than deet against three ixodid tick species under the laboratory assay conditions used.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
A 2011 comparison paper found that 2-undecanone showed measurable repellency in two-choice tick assays, though activity declined faster than 2-tridecanone in the specific room-temperature test design.
A 2011 comparison paper found that 2-undecanone showed measurable repellency in two-choice tick assays, though activity declined faster than 2-tridecanone in the specific room-temperature test design.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this 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.
A 2019 RIFM fragrance ingredient safety assessment exists for 2-undecanone, making it one of the better safety-reviewed ketones in archive scope.
The source assessment applies to its specified exposure and preparation; this entry is not an unrestricted-use clearance.
EPA currently lists 2-undecanone among skin-applied repellent ingredients and advises users to follow product-label directions and precautions for safe use.
The source assessment applies to its specified exposure and preparation; this entry is not an unrestricted-use clearance.
The strongest public literature here is repellent efficacy and ingredient review, not wellness-style human clinical benefit.
This reference does not establish a therapeutic result or a safe use level for a custom oil blend.
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
arthropod_repellency
The most defensible mechanism framing is straightforward repellency: 2-undecanone alters arthropod behavior in mosquito and tick assays and has been developed into EPA-registered repellent products.
This experimental finding does not establish benefit, dose or safety in people using this blend.
plant_secondary_metabolite_defense
Wild-tomato literature supports 2-undecanone as a glandular-trichome secondary metabolite involved in plant defense against herbivores.
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 (5)
- No evidence was verified in this pass for aromatherapy-specific clinical outcomes attributable to isolated 2-undecanone.
- The literature is strong for repellent use and regulatory review but thinner for broader fragrance-topical endpoint detail in open public sources.
- The 2019 RIFM safety assessment record for 2-undecanone was located but its dermal-sensitization/phototoxicity conclusions and any numeric MAC were not accessible in this or a repeat 2026-07-13 pass; dermal_limit_pct is corrected to null pending full-text access to the RIFM assessment.
- 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.