Limonene

(in 20,044 products)

1. Drug / Medicine - Treats, alleviates, cures, or prevents sickness. As officially declared by a governmental drug/medicine regulatory body

2. Flavor / Flavoring / Flavor Enhancer - Provides or enhances a particular taste or smell.

3. Fragrance / Fragrance Component - Provides or enhances a particular smell or odor.

Limonene is a naturally occurring compound found in the peels of citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons. It is commonly used in cosmetics and personal care products due to its pleasant citrus scent and its ability to dissolve oils and waxes. Limonene is also used as a flavoring agent in food and beverage products.

In cosmetics and personal care products, limonene is often used in products such as perfumes, lotions, and shampoos to provide a fresh, citrus scent. It is also used as a solvent to help dissolve other ingredients in these products.

In food and beverage products, limonene is used as a natural flavoring agent, providing a refreshing citrus taste to products such as soft drinks and food flavorings. It is also used as a fragrance in cleaning products, such as soaps and detergents.

While limonene is generally considered safe for use in cosmetics, personal care products, and food, individuals with sensitive skin may experience irritation or allergic reactions. It is always important to patch-test any new product before use and to follow the instructions on the product label.

Overall, limonene is a versatile and widely used ingredient in both the cosmetics and personal care industry and the food industry, providing a pleasant scent and flavor to a variety of products.

Limonene is a common ingredient found in the oils of citrus fruits.

Limonene has anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to reduce colonic inflammation in Wistar rats. [2] Strangely, limonene is more effective at 10 mg/kg than at 100 mg/kg, it is hypothesized that penetration of the intestinal epithelial barrier, and hence bioavailability, is reduced at higher doses. [2] Limonene also inhibits inflammatory cytokines, such as TNFα, nitric oxide, and prostaglandin E2. [3] [4] [5]

In a study conducted on 6 European dermatology clinics, around 63 out of 2411 patients (2.6%) had an allergic contact dermatitis reaction to limonene. [6] Another study claimed that the autooxidation of limonene may result in products that are strong contact allergens. [7] A purpuric rash may form and there is a case where a laboratory scientist developed contact dermatitis from limonene present in Parasolve(R). [8] [9]

Limonene also has "chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity against many rodent solid tumor types". [10] It is also able to inhibit angiogenesis, metastasis, and cell death in human colonic cells and in human gastric cancer by blocking vascular endothelial growth factor-1 (VEGF1), which when overexpressed, may lead to cancer. [11] [12] Limonene also disrupts the ERK pathway in prostate cancer and the caspase pathway in human leukemia. [13] [14]

Lastly, limonene is extremely effective in the prevention and treatment of human breast cancer. [15] [16] [17]

The exact anti-cancer mechanism of limonene is unclear, although "immune modulation and anti-proliferative effects are commonly reported". [15] Or through the inhibition of certain "small G-proteins". [16] Limonene also "showed no apparent toxicity at highly effective anticarcinogenic levels", with "the absence of acute toxicity in human subjects who were given 20 g of d-limonene in a single feeding". [17]

(EC) No 344/2013

III/168

Peroxide value less than 20 mmoles/L (see note 15)

0392/00 - An Initial List of Perfumery Materials which must not form part of Cosmetic products except subject to the restrictions and conditions laid down

1. PubChem: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/22311

2. Oral administration of d-Limonene controls inflammation in rat colitis and displays anti-inflammatory properties as diet supplementation in humans. (Life Sciences, 92(24-26), 1151–1156. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2013.04.013)

3. Evaluation of Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Citrus latifoliaTanaka Essential Oil and Limonene in Experimental Mouse Models. (Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 1–8. doi:10.1155/2013/859083)

4. Limonene Suppresses Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Production of Nitric Oxide, Prostaglandin E2, and Pro-inflammatory Cytokines in RAW 264.7 Macrophages. (Journal of Oleo Science, 59(8), 415–421. doi:10.5650/jos.59.415)

5. Anti-inflammatory Effects of Limonene from Yuzu (Citrus Junos Tanaka) Essential Oil on Eosinophils. (Journal of Food Science, 75(3), H87–H92. doi:10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01541.x)

6. Not only oxidized R-(+)- but also S-(-)-limonene is a common cause of contact allergy in dermatitis patients in Europe. (Contact Dermatitis, 55(5), 274–279. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.2006.00939.x)

7. Contact allergy to oxidized d-limonene among dermatitis patients. (Contact Dermatitis, 36(4), 201–206. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1997.tb00270.x)

8. Purpuric rash caused by dermal exposure to d-limonene. (Contact Dermatitis, 25(3), 198–199. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1991.tb01836.x)

9. Allergic contact dermatitis from d-limonene in a laboratory technician. (Contact Dermatitis, 38(3), 164–165. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1998.tb05686.x)

10. Chemoprevention and Therapy of Cancer by d-Limonene (Critical Reviews in Oncogenesis, 5(1), 1-22)

11. D-limonene rich volatile oil from blood oranges inhibits angiogenesis, metastasis and cell death in human colon cancer cells. (Life Sciences, 91(11-12), 429–439. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2012.08.016)

12. Inhibition of growth and metastasis of human gastric cancer implanted in nude mice byd-limonene. (World Journal of Gastroenterology, 10(14), 2140. doi:10.3748/wjg.v10.i14.2140)

13. The synthesis of l-carvone and limonene derivatives with increased antiproliferative effect and activation of ERK pathway in prostate cancer cells. (Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 14(19), 6539–6547. doi:10.1016/j.bmc.2006.06.013)

14. Induction of apoptosis by d-limonene is mediated by a caspase-dependent mitochondrial death pathway in human leukemia cells. (Leukemia & Lymphoma, 47(12), 2617–2624. doi:10.1080/00268970600909205)

15. d-Limonene: a bioactive food component from citrus and evidence for a potential role in breast cancer prevention and treatment (Oncology Reviews, 5(1), 31-42)

16. Limonene-induced Regression of Mammary Carcinomas (Cancer Res., 52(14), 4021-4026)

17. Inhibition of DMBA-induced mammary cancer by the monoterpene d-limonene. (Carcinogenesis, 5(5), 661–664. doi:10.1093/carcin/5.5.661)

1. South Korea - Ministry of Food and Drug Safety - Prohibited/Restricted Chemicals

- Ref: 730, 919

2. EU CosIng Annex III, SUBSTANCES WITH RESTRICTIONS IN COSMETIC PRODUCTS [2018]

- Ref: III/88, III/167, III/168

3. US FDA Food Additives Status List [2018]

- Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS)

- §182.60

4. International Fragrance Association Transparency List [2015]