geraniol

Geraniol is a naturally occurring monoterpene alcohol found in the essential oils of many aromatic plants such as rose, citronella, lemongrass, and lavender. It is widely used in the food, fragrance, and cosmetic industries due to its pleasant rose-like aroma[1][3][4]. Pharmacologically, geraniol exhibits a broad spectrum of biological activities including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, neuroprotective and anti-ulcer effects[1][3][5][8]. Mechanistically, geraniol can disrupt cell membranes of microorganisms leading to antimicrobial effects; it also induces apoptosis in cancer cells by increasing proapoptotic protein expression and inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase activity—potentially reducing prenylation of small G-proteins like Ras or RhoA[6][8]. Geraniol has been shown to sensitize tumor cells to chemotherapeutic agents such as fluorouracil and docetaxel. It is considered generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use in foods by regulatory agencies[5][8].

Other names

3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dien-1-ol