Compound Monograph
Isopinocamphone
Isopinocamphone is a bicyclic monoterpene ketone, a major component of hyssop essential oil.
Classification
Isopinocamphone is a monoterpene ketone, part of the terpenoids class. The largest class of plant compounds, built from five-carbon isoprene units — the essential-oil aromatics, resins, bitter principles, saponins, and plant sterols.
Where Does It Come From? (1)
Isopinocamphone is a naturally occurring monoterpene ketone, found in Hyssop. It is flagged as moderately toxic.
Research & Evidence
Isopinocamphone is a bicyclic monoterpene ketone and, together with the related ketone pinocamphone, a principal constituent of hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) essential oil. It is the type of camphor-like ketone that gives hyssop oil much of its character.
Toxicity & Safety
Pinocamphone-type ketones are the components most often cited for the convulsant potential associated with high doses of hyssop essential oil, so hyssop oil is generally treated with caution and is not recommended in large amounts, during pregnancy, or for people prone to seizures. The detailed toxicology of isolated isopinocamphone is not fully established.