Linalool: This Terpene May Promote Pain Relief, Relaxation and Peaceful Sleep

By Gofire staff

Linalool: This Terpene May Promote Pain Relief, Relaxation and Peaceful Sleep

Here at Gofire, we’re unabashed fans of phytomedicine and the healing power of plants. As such, we talk a good deal in this space about terpenes, the aromatic organic compounds in plants that give them their flavor and scent. Scientific research indicates many terpenes possess powerful medicinal properties: some demonstrate analgesic (pain-relieving) effects, some display antifungal properties and others exert anti-inflammatory effects. We’ve done deep dives on varsity terpenes like myrcene, caryophyllene and limonene, and today the terpene linalool takes center stage.

You may not be able to define the word linalool, but we guarantee you’ve smelled it: it’s truly one of the most amazing scents in the plant kingdom. Linalool is found in high quantities in lavender, as well as orange, rose, rosewood and coriander. More than 200 different plants produce linalool, and its antimicrobial properties also serve to protect the health of plants that produce it.

Research indicates linalool may have sedative, anxiety-reducing, and pain-relieving benefits. In one remarkable study, 54 patients who had just undergone laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery inhaled either lavender or a placebo. While 82 percent of the patients in the placebo group required analgesics for postoperative pain, only 46 percent of the lavender oil group did. The lavender group also required significantly less postoperative morphine. Though researchers urged further study to confirm causation, they concluded the “results suggest that lavender aromatherapy can be used to reduce the demand for opioids in the immediate postoperative period.”

If you want more of linalool’s potential health benefits, look for lavender essential oil, which has been shown to promote relaxation and better sleep. One study even shows that lavender improves symptoms in adults with generalized anxiety disorder.

As with all emerging data around the health benefits of terpenes, we still need more in-depth scientific research to fully understand the modality of linalool. But these initial findings show great promise for a terpene that’s been a staple of folk medicine for centuries. Let’s not forget that nearly half of today’s pharmaceutical drugs were originally derived from natural sources!

At Gofire, we’re excited about the role that terpenes can play in improving our health. The Gofire Inhaler was designed to modernize plant medicine, including precision temperature settings to maximize the volatilization of terpenes at lower temperatures. You can learn more by downloading the Gofire App here.