Pulegone is a naturally occurring organic compound

Organic compound

An organic compound is any member of a large class of gaseous, liquid, or solid chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon. For historical reasons discussed below, a few types of carbon-containing compounds such as carbides, carbonates, simple oxides of carbon, and cyanides, as well as the...

 obtained from the essential oil

Essential oil

An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils or aetherolea, or simply as the "oil of" the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove...

s of a variety of plants such as Nepeta cataria

Nepeta cataria

Nepeta cataria is a plant in the Lamiaceae family. The common names can also be used to refer to the Nepeta genus as a whole.- Cultivation :...

(catnip), Mentha piperita, and pennyroyal

Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal refers to two plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. For the American species, see American pennyroyal. The European pennyroyal, Mentha pulegium, , is a plant in the mint genus, within the family Lamiaceae. Crushed Pennyroyal leaves exhibit a very strong fragrance similar to spearmint...

. It is classified as a monoterpene

Monoterpene

Monoterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of two isoprene units and have the molecular formula C10H16. Monoterpenes may be linear or contain rings...

.

Pulegone is a clear colorless oily liquid and has a pleasant odor similar to pennyroyal, peppermint

Peppermint

Peppermint is a hybrid mint, a cross between the watermint and spearmint . The plant, indigenous to Europe, is now widespread in cultivation throughout all regions of the world...

 and camphor

Camphor

Camphor is a waxy, white or transparent solid with a strong, aromatic odor. It is a terpenoid with the chemical formula C10H16O. It is found in wood of the camphor laurel , a large evergreen tree found in Asia and also of Dryobalanops aromatica, a giant of the Bornean forests...

. It is used in flavoring agents, in perfumery, and in aromatherapy

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person's mind, mood, cognitive function or health....

.

Toxicology

It was reported that the chemical is toxic to rats if a large quantity is consumed. Asekun et al. found that the chemical content of Mentha longifolia L was decreased by the treatments at high temperatures, suggesting that the herb should be oven dried or thoroughly cooked before consumption.

See also

• Cerebellum
  Cerebellum
  The cerebellum is a region of the brain that plays an important role in motor control. It may also be involved in some cognitive functions such as attention and language, and in regulating fear and pleasure responses, but its movement-related functions are the most solidly established...
  
  
• Creatinine
  Creatinine
  Creatinine is a break-down product of creatine phosphate in muscle, and is usually produced at a fairly constant rate by the body...
  
  
• Doebner-Miller reaction
  Doebner-Miller reaction
  The Doebner-Miller reaction is the organic reaction of an aniline with α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds to form quinolines.This reaction is also known as the Skraup-Doebner-Von Miller quinoline synthesis, and is named after the Czech chemist Zdenko Hans Skraup , and the Germans Oscar Döbner and...
  
  
• Isopulegone
• Menthofuran
• (+)-Menthofuran
• Menthol
  Menthol
  Menthol is an organic compound made synthetically or obtained from peppermint or other mint oils. It is a waxy, crystalline substance, clear or white in color, which is solid at room temperature and melts slightly above. The main form of menthol occurring in nature is -menthol, which is assigned...
  
  
• Pennyroyal
  Pennyroyal
  Pennyroyal refers to two plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. For the American species, see American pennyroyal. The European pennyroyal, Mentha pulegium, , is a plant in the mint genus, within the family Lamiaceae. Crushed Pennyroyal leaves exhibit a very strong fragrance similar to spearmint...
  
  
• (−)-Pulegone