The bisabolol terpene, known formally as alpha-bisabolol, is a mild-scented compound best known from German chamomile. Cannabis makes it too, in small amounts, and it's a common skin-care ingredient. Here's what it is, where it comes from, what research does and doesn't show, and how to spot it on a lab report.
What are terpenes? A one-paragraph primer
Terpenes are the aromatic compounds plants make for scent, flavor and defense. In cannabis, they form in the same resin glands as cannabinoids, and they give each strain its smell. Familiar ones such as limonene and myrcene are small and evaporate easily. Bisabolol belongs to a heavier family, the sesquiterpenes, alongside caryophyllene. Our guide to cannabis terpenes covers the basics.
What is alpha-bisabolol?
Alpha-bisabolol is a sesquiterpene alcohol, a clear, colorless liquid that was first identified in and extracted from German chamomile. The natural form found in chamomile and in the candeia tree also goes by the name levomenol. It appears on international food-flavoring lists and is used as a fragrance ingredient, and it isn't known to be intoxicating.
Aroma and flavor
Pure bisabolol has a light scent. Food-additive references describe it as fruity and nutty, with a hint of coconut. Cannabis menus sometimes call it floral or chamomile-like, a nod to where it was first found, but in a strain it's usually a background note behind louder terpenes.
Where bisabolol comes from: chamomile, candeia and cannabis
- German chamomile. Bisabolol was first extracted from it, and chamomile oils can carry a large share of it; one review lists 29% to 81%.
- The candeia tree. This Brazilian tree's essential oil is 66% to 91% bisabolol by the same review's count. Large-scale harvesting of wild candeia for bisabolol has put the species at risk.
- Cannabis. Usually a minor terpene. One lab tested 233 flower samples from a California dispensary. Samples sold as Master Kush, Bubba Kush and Sour Diesel stood out for slightly more bisabolol, around 1 milligram per gram, or about 0.1% by weight. Online lists of strains high in bisabolol rarely show lab data like this.
What research has looked at, mostly in lab and animal studies
Search for bisabolol benefits or bisabolol effects and you'll find big promises, but the research behind them comes mostly from lab dishes and animals. A 2022 review of that work describes anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, among other effects, and notes that most of the studies used cell lines or animal models. The same review says more research is needed before clinical or nutritional use in people.
Researchers have also tested bisabolol as a helper that might carry other ingredients into skin and tissue. Results depend on the formula: in a 2024 lab test, it slowed rather than sped the passage of two numbing drugs through a model of the lining of the mouth.
None of this shows that bisabolol does anything for a health condition in people, and the amounts in cannabis are small.
Why skin-care makers use it
Bisabolol shows up in many lotions, creams and lip products. A 2022 review says formulators use it as a skin-conditioning ingredient partly because it's well tolerated, with documented absorption into skin and no reported irritation or light sensitivity. Well tolerated isn't the same as right for everyone, though: some people react to it, so patch-test new skin products.
Finding the bisabolol terpene on a lab report
Michigan labels must show THC and CBD content and the testing lab and test date, but terpenes aren't a required item. If a producer shares a full lab report, often called a certificate of analysis, here's how to read the terpene section:
- Look for "alpha-bisabolol" or "bisabolol" in the terpene panel.
- Check the units. Results are usually listed as a percentage or in milligrams per gram, and 1% equals 10 milligrams per gram.
- Read the codes. "ND" means not detected, and a result listed as below the LOQ, the limit of quantitation, means the lab found too little to measure reliably.
- Match the batch. The test date should match your package, since results vary from harvest to harvest.
Our guide to reading a cannabis label covers the rest of the package. Have questions in store? Our budtenders are happy to help, and you can find your nearest High Society location.
What we still don't know
Plenty. No one has shown that the small amount of bisabolol in cannabis changes how a strain feels. Whether it interacts with THC is part of the broader, still-unproven entourage effect idea. We also know little about what inhaled bisabolol does in people, so read online claims with healthy skepticism.
If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medications or managing a health condition, talk to your doctor before using any cannabis product. 21+ only. Please consume responsibly.
