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Thujene (or α-thujene) is a natural 
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organic compound
In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. The ...
classified as a monoterpene
Monoterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of two isoprene units and have the molecular formula C10H16. Monoterpenes may be linear (acyclic) or contain rings (monocyclic and bicyclic). Modified terpenes, such as those containing oxygen funct ...
. It is found in the essential oil
An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the o ...
s of a variety of plants, and contributes pungency to the flavor of some herb
In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...
s such as Summer savory
Summer savory (''Satureja hortensis'') is among the best known of the savory genus. It is an annual, but otherwise is similar in use and flavor to the perennial winter savory. It is used more often than winter savory, which has a slightly more ...
.''PDR for Herbal Medicines'', Third Edition, Joerg Gruenwald (Editor), page 802.
The term ''thujene'' usually refers to α-thujene. A less common chemically related double-bond isomer
In chemistry, isomers are molecules or polyatomic ions with identical molecular formulae – that is, same number of atoms of each element – but distinct arrangements of atoms in space. Isomerism is existence or possibility of isomers.
Iso ...
is known as β-thujene (or 2-thujene). Another double-bond isomer is known as sabinene
Sabinene is a natural bicyclic monoterpene with the molecular formula C10H16. It is isolated from the essential oils of a variety of plants including Marjoram, holm oak (''Quercus ilex'') and Norway spruce (''Picea abies''). It has a strained ...
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See also
*Thujone
Thujone () is a ketone and a monoterpene that occurs predominantly in two diastereomeric (epimeric) forms: (−)-α-thujone and (+)-β-thujone.
Though it is best known as a chemical compound in the spirit absinthe, it is unlikely to be responsib ...
* Umbellulone
Umbellulone is a headache-inducing monoterpene ketone found in the leaves of the tree ''Umbellularia californica'', sometimes known as the "headache tree".
It is hypothesized to cause headaches by influencing the trigeminovascular system via TRPA ...
, a thujene derivative
References