Carveol is a natural unsaturated, monocyclic mono

terpenoid The terpenoids, also known as isoprenoids, are a class of naturally occurring organic compound, organic chemicals derived from the 5-carbon compound isoprene and its derivatives called terpenes, diterpenes, etc. While sometimes used interchangeabl ...

alcohol Alcohol may refer to: Common uses * Alcohol (chemistry), a class of compounds * Ethanol, one of several alcohols, commonly known as alcohol in everyday life ** Alcohol (drug), intoxicant found in alcoholic beverages ** Alcoholic beverage, an alco ...

that is a constituent of

spearmint Spearmint (''Mentha spicata''), also known as garden mint, common mint, lamb mint and mackerel mint, is native to Europe and southern temperate Asia, extending from Ireland in the west to southern China in the east. It is naturalized in many othe ...

essential oil in the form of ''cis''-(−)-carveol. It is a colorless fluid soluble in oils, but insoluble in water and has an odor and flavor that resemble those of spearmint and

caraway Caraway, also known as meridian fennel and Persian cumin (''Carum carvi''), is a biennial plant in the family Apiaceae, native to western Asia, Europe, and North Africa. Etymology The etymology of "caraway" is unclear. Caraway has been ...

. Consequently, it is used as a fragrance in cosmetics and as a flavor additive in the food industry. It has been found to exhibit chemoprevention of mammary carcinogenesis (prevents

breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...

). An ''alpha''-''trans''-dihydroxy

derivative In mathematics, the derivative is a fundamental tool that quantifies the sensitivity to change of a function's output with respect to its input. The derivative of a function of a single variable at a chosen input value, when it exists, is t ...

, (1''R'',2''R'',6''S'')-3-methyl-6-(prop-1-en-2-yl)cyclohex-3-ene-1,2-diol, possesses potent antiparkinsonian activity in animal models.

References

{{Reflist Monoterpenes Cyclohexenols