Ocimene

Ocimene is a sweet, herbal monoterpene found in mint, basil, orchids, and many other aromatic plants, including cannabis and hemp.

It exists in several closely related forms, and laboratories usually report them together, sometimes as beta-ocimene. In cannabis it is typically a minor terpene, appearing at lower levels than myrcene or limonene, and it evaporates quickly because of its small size. Plants produce it partly as a defense and signaling compound.

Ocimene is not a cannabinoid and has no established activity at cannabinoid receptors; its relevance to hemp products is as an aroma component and a line on the terpene panel of a certificate of analysis. There is very little research on ocimene in humans or animals, and it is best treated as a chemistry and reference term rather than an active ingredient. It is common in ordinary garden plants that pets encounter.