Farnesol

Farnesol is an alcohol found in citronella, neroli, lemongrass, palmarosa, and rose.

Alcohols are the most therapeutically beneficial type of component in an essential oil, and have a low toxicity for safer use with fragile populations (like the elderly).  Alcohols can be sensitizing when oxidized, so proper storage is important.

Links to Plants Containing Farnesol

Rose

RESEARCH

The listings of research below represent a compilation of scientific articles found on the topic, with a very brief overview description of each article/study.  This compilation of research articles does not necessarily imply that there are adequate results to demonstrate safe and/or effective human use of any herb listed.

ANTICANCER

• Pancreatic carcinoma incidence was decreased by perillyl alcohol and farnesol consumption in animals.  From:  Burke, Y. D., Ayoubi, A. S., Werner, S. R., McFarland, B. C., Heilman, D. K., Ruggeri, B. A., & Crowell, P. L. (2001). Effects of the isoprenoids perillyl alcohol and farnesol on apoptosis biomarkers in pancreatic cancer chemoprevention. Anticancer research, 22(6A), 3127-3134.

INSECTICIDAL

• Farnesol from Stellera chamaejasme showed insecticidal activity against Aphis craccivora and Leucania separata.  From:  Tang, X., Chen, S., & Wang, L. (2011). Isolation and Insecticidal activity of farnesol from Stellera chamaejasme. Asian Journal of Chemistry, 23(3), 1233.

ANTIBACTERIAL

• These sesquiterpenoids sensitized bacteria to antibacterial drugs and may be useful as a combination treatment:  nerolidol, bisabolol, apritone, and farnesol.  From:  Brehm-Stecher, B. F., & Johnson, E. A. (2003). Sensitization of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli to antibiotics by the sesquiterpenoids nerolidol, farnesol, bisabolol, and apritone. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, 47(10), 3357-3360.

ANALGESIC

• Essential oil constituents with an analgesic activity are reviewed. Included are p-cymene, carvacrol, linalool, eugenol, menthol, alpha-bisabolol, cinnamaldehyde, citronellal, citronellol, citronellyl acetate, alpha-phelandrene, alpha-terpeneol, vanillin, borneol, myrtenol, pulegone, citral, thymol, limonene, nerol, anethole, nerolidol, carvone, farnesol, and beta-caryphyllene. From: Lima, T., da Nóbrega, F., de Brito, A., & de Sousa, D. (2017). Analgesic-like activity of essential oil constituents: an update. International journal of molecular sciences, 18(12), 2392.

By: Kathy Sadowski

Updated: 9/13/19