Linalool
Linalool is a simple terpene that offers a floral, lavender-like scent with a hint of spiciness. Silexan is an over-the-counter lavender preparation high in linalool with supporting studies for anxiety.
Linalool can act on many receptors and pathways, thus displays a vast array of potential effects including anticancer, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, anti-dementia, anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, antidepressant, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-obesity, antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic, anti-stress, chemo-synergistic, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, renal protective, and lung protective activities.
Description of Linalool and Cautions
The isolated terpene is a colorless liquid and may cause skin, eye, and respiratory irritation, and allergic reactions.
–Source: PubChem
Scent Description
Lavender, floral, rose, lemon, coriander
Natural Sources
Lavender, coriander, cinnamon, mint, bergamot oranges, frankincense
Summary of Linalool Effects
Anticonvulsant, neuroprotective, Anti-alzheimer’s effects and anti-Parkinsonian in animal models (via GABAergic transmission, suppressing ROS, antioxidant activity, anticholinesterase activity, reducing Aβ42-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions, reversing the histopathological hallmarks of AD and restoring cognitive and emotional functions, reducing dementia-associated symptoms such as agitation, aggression, and restlessness, mitochondrial activity and regulation by gas-1, nuo-1, and mev-1, increased seizure latency period, reducing the frequency and intensity of convulsions, protective against clonic and tonic convulsion)
Anxiolytic, antidepressant, anti-stress, sedative (via benzodiazepine-responsive GABAA receptors, inhibiting voltage-dependent calcium channels, may increase serotonin levels and and decrease cortisol levels)
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant (via COX-2 inhibition, free radical scavenging, reduces oxidative stress)
Antibacterial against G. vaginalis, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae including uropathogenic, carbapenemase-producing, and metallo-β-lactamase-1-producing strains, as well as sensitive and drug-resistant S. aureus, MRSA, and E. Coli, anti-microbial, anti-candidal, anti-parasitic (leishmania), acaricidal (ticks), nematocidal, and anthelmintic (via inhibiting bacterial growth and biofilm formation, disruption of bacterial cell membranes, drug resistance-reversing effect against resistant and sensitive E. coli, moderate efflux pump inhibition on MRSA strains, inhibiting H+ extrusion through ATPase, synergistic action with azoles, inhibitory effect on fungal mycelial growth, and antifungal mechanisms yet to be determined)
Antihyperlipidemic, cardioprotective, may be antihypertensive (via reducing total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, reducing LDL cholesterol levels while increasing HDL levels, improving lipid metabolism, reducing systolic blood pressure, reducing pulse rates, suppressing atherogenic index and cardiac risk factors in mice)
Anti-obesity agent, reduces the weight of white adipose tissue in mice (via PPARα binding, modulating fatty acid uptake, fatty acid oxidation, promoting lipolysis, managing leptin, upregulating energy metabolism, decreasing oxidative stress, and inhibiting the occurrence of obesity in mice, decreasing body weight, fat accumulation, and reducing the average body weight of mice)
Various organ and cell-protective effects such as hepatoprotective, renal protective, lymphocyte protective, and lung protective activity in the setting of respiratory disorders, may protect against IBS-related spasticity, may protect against gastric ulcers, may be suitable for use as an adjunct to intravesical therapy of interstitial cystitis (via antiinflammatory actions, inhibiting ACE2 activity, inhibiting cholinergic- and non cholinergic-mediated gut contractions in mice, decreasing triglyceride levels, decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression and decreasing IL-8 secretion in T24 human bladder cells)
Antinociceptive and analgesic, may produce synergistic analgesic effects with opioids, may reduce need for opioids in post-op period (via acting on voltage-dependent Na+ channels, inhibiting nociceptive stimulus-induced inflammatory infiltrates, GABA- and glycine-mimetic effects, activity of adenosine A1 and A2A receptors, blocking nitric oxide synthesis, suggested involvement of opioid receptors, dopaminergic transmission via D2 receptors, muscarinic M2 receptors, downstream potassium channel opening, and COX-2 overexpression)
Anticarcinogenic and antiproliferative effects against certain cancer cell lines, may protect against certain cancers such as kidney, breast, lymphoma, leukemia, lung, oral, colon, skin, sarcoma, cervical and liver (via inducing of cell cycle arrest and oxidative stress, inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis with the involvement of Ras, MAPKs, Akt/mTOR, and JAK2/STAT3 pathways plus facilitating the expression of p53, p21, p27, p16, and p18, inducing of apoptosis with a decrease in the expression of p-PI3K, p-AKT, and Bcl-2, rise in the expression of Bax, and lipid peroxidation, causing extensive necrosis and reduced viable tissue mass in vivo, endoplasmic reticulum stress and ribosome biogenesis impairment in AGS cells)
May produce synergistic effects with certain chemotherapy drugs, may improve drug delivery (via selective cytotoxicity towards tumor cells, protection and sparing of normal cells, modulating oxidative stress, protects against doxorubicin-induced kidney injuries, may reverse doxorubicin resistance, reducing tumor cell viability, tumor volume, tumor weight, and tumor cell count, nanoemulsification of chemo drugs, antiinflammatory protective effects, and low toxicity)
Last reviewed by Dr. Abraham Benavides M.D., 07-21-2022
Cannabis Strains High in Linalool
Fire OG, Diamond Girl, Trainwreck, LA Confidential, Purple Kush, White Cookies, Valley Fire, Conspiracy Kush, Jilly Bean, Jack Cleaner 2, Jack Skellington, Nordle and Nurse Jackie