Ocimene is the bright, sweet-herbal terpene that gives basil much of its character. It is often the counterpoint to earthy myrcene: where myrcene is heavy and grounding, ocimene is light and lifting. It usually appears as a minor terpene, but in the right profile it defines the whole aroma, adding a fresh, almost tropical sweetness.

Where you find it in nature

Basil, mint, parsley, orchids, kumquats, and pepper. Its wide spread through culinary herbs is why ocimene reads as fresh and green, the smell of a herb garden on a warm day.

Aroma and flavor

Sweet, herbal, and woody, with tropical and citrus hints. It is fresh and uplifting rather than heavy, and it is often one of the first notes you catch from a bright, sativa-leaning strain before the deeper terpenes come through.

What the research says

• Ocimene is one of the less-studied terpenes, and most of the work looks at essential oils that happen to be rich in it. Valente and colleagues in 2013, in Food and Chemical Toxicology, studied an ocimene-containing essential oil and reported antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal activity in the lab.
• Loizzo and colleagues in 2008, in Chemistry & Biodiversity, examined an oil high in beta-ocimene and reported antiviral activity in a laboratory model.

These are in vitro studies of oils, not of the isolated terpene in people, and certainly not of a chew. The most reliable thing to say about ocimene is that it is a beautiful, bright aroma compound that adds lift to a flavor.

Strains rich in ocimene

Ocimene brightens uplifting, daytime strains. Read more about Sour Diesel and Pineapple Express, where it adds a fresh top note.

Frequently asked questions

Does ocimene get you high?

No. Ocimene is the sweet, herbal aroma compound of basil and mint, not a cannabinoid, and it does not produce a high. See do terpenes get you high.

What is the difference between ocimene and myrcene?

They are often opposites in a profile. Ocimene is light, sweet, and uplifting, while myrcene is heavy, earthy, and grounding. Many strains contain both, balanced against each other.

What does ocimene smell like?

Sweet and herbal with woody, tropical, and citrus hints.

Ocimene in MONDAYS

Look for it in Go-Go Bananas (Sour Diesel) and Wild Things (Animal Mints).

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References

1. Valente J, et al. Antifungal, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Oenanthe crocata essential oil. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2013;62:349-354.
2. Loizzo MR, et al. Phytochemical analysis and in vitro antiviral activities of the essential oils of seven Lebanon species. Chemistry & Biodiversity. 2008;5(3):461-470.
3. Russo EB. Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects. British Journal of Pharmacology. 2011;163(7):1344-1364.