MOLECULE

(-)-gamma-Cadinene

gamma-Cadinene or (-)-gamma-Cadinene is formally classified as a cyclic hydrocarbon. The name is derived from the Cade juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus L.) where cadinene isomers were first isolated. There are four known Cadinene isomers: α-, β-, γ-, and δ-Cadinene. gamma-Cadinene is possibly neutral. Although it is classified as a cyclic hydrocarbon, gamma-Cadinene is biochemically a bicyclic sesquiterpene as it synthesized from isoprene units. Sesquiterpenoides are terpenes that contain 15 carbon atoms and are comprised of three isoprene units. The biosynthesis of sesquiterpenes is known to occur mainly through the mevalonic acid pathway (MVA; PMID:17467679), in the cytosol. However, recent studies have found evidence of pathway crosstalk with the methyl-eritritol-phosphate (MEP) pathway in the cytosol (PMID: 23746261). Farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) is a key intermediate in the biosynthesis of cyclic sesquiterpenes. FPP undergoes several cyclization reactions to yield a diverse number of cyclic arrangements. Gamma-Cadinene is one of the many sesquiterpenes found in cannabis plants and their essential oils (PMID:6991645). It is found in allspice fruit, allspice leaf, angelica seed oil, armoise oil from Morocco, ayou wood oil, basil leaf oil, basil oil, carrot seed oil from Spain, cascarilla bark oil, cedrela wood oil, ceylon cinnamon, cinnamon leaf and leaf oil, ceylon citronella oil, sweet orange peel oil, oregano oil from Mexico, oregano plant and shoot and oregano shoot oil ( http://www.thegoodscentscompany.com/data/rw1595501.html#tooccur).