Nerol

Nerol is an alcohol found in basil, helichrysum, rose, neroli, myrtle, lemon balm, and thyme.

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 Nerol

Petitgrain

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.

ANTIOXIDANT

• The most powerful scavenging compounds were neral/geranial, citronellal, isomenthone, menthone and E-caryophyllene. They had very strong inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The most effective antibacterial activity was against a multiresistant strain of Shigella sonei. A significant rate of antifungal activity was against a Trichophyton species.  From:  Mimica-Dukic, N., Bozin, B., Sokovic, M., & Simin, N. (2004). Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Melissa officinalis L.(Lamiaceae) essential oil. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 52(9), 2485-2489.

CARDIAC HEALTH

• The monoterpene, nerol, reduced the severity of arrhythmias in mammalian heart.  From:  Menezes-Filho, J. E. R. D., Souza, D. S. D., Santos-Miranda, A., Cabral, V. M., Santos, J. N. A., Cruz, J. D. S., … & Vasconcelos, C. M. L. D. (2019). Nerol Attenuates Ouabain-Induced Arrhythmias. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2019.

ANXIOLYTIC

• Nerol showed an anxiolytic effect in mice.  From:  Marques, T. H. C., Branco, M. L. B. G. C., dos Santos Lima, D., Siqueira, H. D. Á. S., Castelo, M. D. S. B. G., de Souza, A. A., & de Freitas, R. M. (2013). Evaluation of the neuropharmacological properties of nerol in mice.  Link:  http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=27903

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