Jan
Linalool
You don’t have to be an aromatherapy expert to know that lavender has calming sedative effects, aids sleep and can even help with depression. That’s probably because it contains the terpene Linalool. Legend goes that lavender’s healing properties were discovered when a perfumier plunged his severely burned hand into a vat of lavender oil, only to discover that the essential oil speeded up the healing process, most probably because of Linalool’s anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
A further intriguing aspect of Linalool is that it appears to have anti-seizure capacities, which according to Fundación Canna “inhibit glutamatergic activity and is also able to decrease the release of neurotransmitters of the neurons under glutamate stimulation. In this way, we could argue that the sedative, anxiolytic and anti-seizure effects have their mechanism of action based on the modulation of the glutamate and GABA neurotransmitters, similarly to the way the cannabinoides act.”
Linalool Chemistry
Linalool is a lineal monoterpene alcohol resulting from the main substances of the essential oil of lavender, but it is also found in many other plants.
The essential oil of lavender eases skin burns and can even reduce the morphine intake needed, when inhaled by patients with post-operative treatment. These effects are attributed to linalool for being the main component of the essential oil of lavender, as after its ingestion, other substances for example the monoterpene linalyl acetate, hydrolyses into linalool. Linalool in itself has shown to have anxiolytic effects on a comparable level to local anaesthetics such as lidocaine or menthol. It also demonstrates analgesic effects in laboratory animals when mediated by adenosine A2A and glutamate receptors, as well as sedative effects by inhalation.
The sedative, anxiolytic and anti-seizure effects have their mechanism of action based on the modulation of the glutamate and GABA neurotransmitters, similarly to the way the cannabinoides act. Thus, a Cannabis plant with both THC and linalool will probably produce a significant sedative and analgesic effect, due to the synergy between the two compounds. However, a Cannabis plant with CBD and/or THCV and/or CBDV and linalool will probably produce a synergistic effect as an anti-seizure medication, which would be useful in cases of epilepsy, even as a preventive measure.
Commercials Uses of Linalool
Commercially, it’s used in the majority of perfumed products; it’s also used in many types of cleaning products like soap, detergent, lotion, and shampoos. It’s an insect repellent as well, used to ward off fleas, fruit flies, and cockroaches. Though some mosquito repellants contain it too, there’s controversy surrounding its efficiency.
Benefits of Linalool
- Analgesic, making it helpful for people with chronic or acute pain. Some people use it as an alternative to prescription painkillers.
- Anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it helpful in people who have everything from asthma to Crohn’s disease, from Lupus to fibromyalgia.
- Anti-convulsant – anti-seizure properties that inhibit glutamatergic activity and is also able to decrease the release of neurotransmitters of the neurons under glutamate stimulation.
- Sedative – may benefit and improve your sleep.
- Speed up the healing of burns.
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This is actually useful, thanks.