Monoterpenes
Carvone – Terpene Profile
Primarily produced in the essential oils of caraway seeds and spearmint, Carvone has two forms: enantiomers d-carvone and l-carvone. d-Carvone takes on the aromatic properties of caraway, while l-carvone has spearmint’s characteristically minty smell. Both enantiomers are used as aromatic and flavoring agents, each figuring prominently in both savory and sweet foods. Documented health benefits of Carvone include easing digestion in adults and children and soothing young babies, while traditional medicine attributes menstrual blood flow stimulation and expectorant properties to the terpene as well
Found in
Spearmint
Boiling Point
224℃
435℉
Medicinal qualities:
In vivo
Antispasmodic
(−)-Carvone: Antispasmodic effect and mode of action.
Souza, F. V. M., Barbosada Rocha, M., de Souza, D. P., & Marçal, R. M. (2013)
Relaxation, antinociceptive, anticonvulsant
Influence of the chirality of (R)‐(−)‐ and (S)‐(+)‐carvone in the central nervous system: A comparative study.
De Sousa, D. P., De Farias nóbrega, F. F., & Nóbrega De Almeida, R. (2007)
Sedative and relaxing
R‐(+)‐ and S‐(−)‐carvone: influence of chirality on locomotion activity in mice.
Buchbauer, G., Jäger, W., Gruber, A., & Dietrich, H. (2005)
Anticarcinogenic, chemopreventive
Effects of carvone compounds on glutathione S-transferase activity in A/J mice.
Zheng, G. Q., Kenney, P. M., & Lam, L. K. T. (1992)
Block obesity and metabolism disorders
BITC and S-Carvone Restrain High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity and Ameliorate Hepatic Steatosis and Insulin Resistance
Alsanea, S., & Liu, D. (2017)
In vitro
Antimicrobial, antifungal
Antimicrobial activity profiles of the two enantiomers of limonene and carvone isolated from the oils of Mentha spicata and Anethum sowa.
Aggarwal, K. K., Khanuja, S. P. S., Ateeque, A., Santha Kumar, T. R., Gupta, V. K., & Kumar, S. (2001)
In Vitro Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activity of Lippia alba Essential Oil, Citral, and Carvone against Staphylococcus aureus.
Porfírio EM, Melo HM, Pereira AMG, Cavalcante TTA, Gomes GA, de Carvalho MG, Costa RA, Júnior FEAC. (2017)
Anti-Cancer
Anticancer effects of Carvone in myeloma cells is mediated through the inhibition of p38 MAPK signalling pathway, apoptosis induction and inhibition of cell invasion.
Ding X, Chen H. (2018)
Antifungal (Anti C. albicans)
Carvone and perillaldehyde interfere with the serum-induced formation of filamentous structures in Candida albicans at substantially lower concentrations than those causing significant inhibition of growth.
McGeady, P., Wansley, D. L., & Logan, D. A. (2002)