Alfa Humulene

• CAS: 6753-98-6
• Catalog Number: ALC-FP-6753986
• Category: Featured Products
• Appearance: COLORLESS TO PALE YELLOW LIQUID
• Content: HUMULENE:55.00-65.00%
• Odor: GREEN, SWEET, WOODY, SPICE, CLOVE
• Refractive Index: 1.4850 - 1.5050 (20ºC)
• Sample Lot No.: A24GN06171
• Specific Gravity: 0.8950 - 0.9150 @ 25°C

Case Study

α-Humulene for Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation via Dark Ozonolysis

Sippial DJ, et al. Environmental Science: Atmospheres, 2023, 3(6), 1025-1033.

α-Humulene was applied as a representative sesquiterpene precursor to investigate secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation under dark ozonolysis conditions. Experiments were conducted in a large atmospheric simulation chamber, where α-humulene was reacted with ozone in the absence of light to exclude photochemical pathways. SOA mass yields were quantified gravimetrically over aerosol concentrations of 10-100 μg m⁻³. An aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) was used to monitor real-time chemical composition and aging behavior of the formed particles. Volatility distributions were derived using temperature-dependent measurements, enabling estimation of effective vaporization enthalpy. The experimental results demonstrated that α-humulene efficiently generates low-volatility SOA, highlighting its practical use as a model compound for studying sesquiterpene-driven aerosol formation mechanisms.

α-Humulene Biosynthesis from Methane via the MEP Pathway

Nguyen AD, et al. Metabolic Engineering, 2020, 61, 69-78.

α-Humulene was employed as a model sesquiterpenoid to establish methane-based biosynthesis using engineered methanotrophic bacteria. Methylotuvimicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z was genetically modified to express a codon-optimized α-humulene synthase, enabling direct conversion of methane-derived carbon into α-humulene. Experimental optimization focused on metabolic engineering of the native methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway through targeted overexpression of key enzymes, including Dxs, IspA, and IspG. Carbon flux redistribution via central metabolic pathway modulation further enhanced product formation. α-Humulene production was quantified relative to dry cell weight, validating its application as an experimental probe for evaluating pathway efficiency and biocatalytic methane valorization strategies.

α-Humulene for Synergistic Anticancer Activity in Pancreatic Cancer Models

Kang Y, et al. Journal of Functional Foods, 89, 104958.

α-Humulene was experimentally applied to evaluate its anticancer efficacy in combination with sclareol against human pancreatic cancer. In vitro assays involved treating cultured pancreatic cancer cells with α-humulene alone or in combination, followed by quantitative analysis of cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. Molecular mechanisms were investigated using Western blotting to assess NF-κB, Akt phosphorylation, and apoptosis-related proteins, complemented by siRNA-mediated gene knockdown. For in vivo validation, α-humulene was administered in combination therapy to Panc-1 xenograft tumor models in immunodeficient mice, with tumor growth monitored longitudinally. These experimental approaches demonstrate α-humulene's application as a bioactive compound for mechanistic and therapeutic cancer research.