Tinh dầu hoa quế thơm / mộc tê / quế hoa

CAS number: 8024-63-9 (osmanthus absolute, fragrance industry CAS) / β-ionone CAS 14901-07-6

Key constituents (Lawrence 1989 p.188–190; Anonis 1993 — via B216):

Total identified ≈ 47–98% (variable depending on absolute batch + extraction conditions). The C₁₃ norisoprenoid ionone class combined ≈ 14–49% (β-ionone + dihydro-β-ionone + α-ionone + dihydro-β-ionol) is the dominant chemotaxonomic signature.

Chemotaxonomic class: C₁₃ norisoprenoid-ketone-DOMINANT floral absolute. Norisoprenoids are degradation products of C₄₀ tetraterpenoid carotenoid pigments — biosynthetically distinct from C₁₅ sesquiterpenes or C₁₀ monoterpenes. The same biochemical pathway that produces yellow-orange carotenoids in Osmanthus fragrans petals also produces β-ionone + α-ionone via enzymatic cleavage at the 9,10-double-bond of β-carotene (β-ionone) or α-carotene (α-ionone).

Class-rail C₁₃ norisoprenoid ionone-class cluster (rare in commercial EO portfolio):

• osmanthus EO781 (this oil): β-ionone 7.6–33.8% MAJOR-DOMINANT — primary commercial source
• [[boronia]] EO693 15a: β-ionone 14.9% — Tasmanian absolute peer
• champaca-absolute-orange (B216 cited): α-ionone 0.1–1.6% trace
• violet absolute (B216-cited but not yet ingested): α-ionone + β-ionone class signature
• raspberry-leaf (food chemistry): trace ionones (carotenoid degradation in fruit)

Class-distinct from norsesquiterpene-ketone C₁₄ irones of [[orris]] EO780 27a — orris irones are biosynthesized from C₃₀ iridal triterpenoids via 3-year aging cleavage, NOT from carotenoid degradation. Both are "rare-class ketone floral signatures" but biosynthetically unrelated.

γ-Decalactone class-rail: γ-Decalactone is the peach/coconut-fruity-creamy macrocyclic-aliphatic γ-lactone — same molecule responsible for the lactonic-fruity character of peach + apricot fragrance accords in modern perfumery. Its 4.7–12.7% content in osmanthus is one of the highest natural occurrences in commercial EO portfolio + drives the apricot-leather-suede facet of osmanthus's distinctive olfactory profile.

Anticarcinogenic class-rail (positive signal): B216 EXPLICIT verbatim "β-Ionone is not mutagenic and demonstrates anticarcinogenic activity (see Constituent profiles, Chapter 14)" — β-ionone is a well-studied chemoprotective compound in cancer pharmacology research literature (mevalonate-pathway-modulator class with limonene + farnesol + geraniol). Combined with linalool + 2-phenylethanol clean signals, osmanthus has a uniformly positive constituent safety profile.

Olfactory / fine perfumery: Cornerstone classical absolute — features as base anchor in chypre + oriental + gourmand fragrance compositions. Represents one of the most-recognized + highest-prestige Chinese-origin natural fragrance materials globally.

B216 EXPLICIT "produced in China, mostly used in fine perfumery" — signature use case is exclusively perfumery; aromatherapy use is secondary niche application.

Aromatherapy emotional rail: Modern aromatherapy practitioners (post-Schnaubelt) describe osmanthus as emotionally uplifting + calming + heart-opening — chemistry-derived heuristic via β-ionone (warming-violet-emotional-anchor) + γ-decalactone (gourmand-comfort-creamy) + 2-phenylethanol (rose-honey-soft) profile. Used in emotional support blends + heart-opening compositions + autumn-themed seasonal blends + Mid-Autumn Festival aromatic rituals.

EO-vs-plant-vs-tea rail:

• Osmanthus fragrans PLANT (fresh + dried whole flowers) is consumed extensively in Chinese culture as fragrant tea + wine flavoring + mooncake garnish + herbal preparation — "Mộc tê trà" (osmanthus tea / 桂花茶) is a specific tea category typically pairing dried flowers with green tea or oolong base
• The CONCENTRATED ABSOLUTE is a separate use category; do not extrapolate culinary plant uses to absolute aromatherapy
• Classical Chinese herbal medicine (TCM) does NOT specifically use osmanthus absolute — flower preparations are food/beverage primarily, not herbal medicine

Cross-cultural perfumery position rail: Like [[orris]] EO780 27a (Florentine Renaissance heritage) + [[jasmine-grandiflorum]] EO646 (Grasse French heritage), osmanthus is one of the regional-heritage-anchored classical absolutes — French perfumery centers on jasmine + rose + iris/orris; Chinese classical perfumery centers on osmanthus + jasmine-tea + sandalwood; Indian classical perfumery centers on jasmine-sambac + sandalwood + nagarmotha-attar. Geographic-heritage-floral-anchor class-rail.

• Five Element: Thổ (Earth — gourmand-creamy-grounding γ-decalactone + ionone-comforting-warmth) + Kim (Metal — autumn-seasonal Chinese cultural marker)
• Yin/Yang: Yin — soft-floral-warming-grounding character without acute stimulating notes
• Chakra: Heart (4th) — emotional-heart-opening + sacral (2nd) — γ-decalactone gourmand-comfort

Traditional Chinese cultural-energetic positioning rail: In classical Chinese aesthetics + traditional medicine framework (separate from formal TCM herbal pharmacopoeia), osmanthus represents:

• Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋節 lunar-cycle-feminine-energy rail — Chang'e Moon Goddess + jade rabbit + osmanthus tree mythology
• Tang/Song dynasty classical poetry imagery — autumn moon + cassia/laurel/osmanthus Imperial Examination metaphor (passing exam = "plucking osmanthus from the moon" 蟾宮折桂)
• Hangzhou regional flower-symbol — West Lake autumn fragrance heritage tourism

These cultural-energetic rails are EXTERNAL to formal TCM Five-Element herbal classification and represent Chinese aesthetic-philosophical positioning rather than therapeutic energetic categorization. Modern aromatherapy practitioners may invoke them for ritual/intention-setting purposes.

• B216 Tisserand & Young 2014 Ch.13 p.742 Osmanthus profile (primary source)
• Lawrence (1989) p.188–190 — chemistry source for β-ionone 7.6–33.8% + dihydro-β-ionone 6.4–15.7% + γ-decalactone 4.7–12.7% + full constituent profile (cited in B216 Ch.13 p.742)
• Anonis (1993) — secondary chemistry corroboration for osmanthus absolute profile (cited in B216 Ch.13 p.742)
• B216 β-Ionone profile Chapter 14 — class-rail anticarcinogenic + non-mutagenic + non-reactive on skin + non-acutely-toxic class designations
• B216 Ionone class profile Chapter 14 — class-rail "ionones tend to be non-reactive on the skin" + "Ionones are not acutely toxic"
• B216 γ-Decalactone profile Chapter 14 — peach-apricot-fruity-creamy class signature
• B216 Linalool profile Chapter 14 — class-rail latent-oxidation precaution above ~10% (osmanthus 0.8–8.7% well below threshold, no IFRA antioxidant requirement triggered)
• Tang Dynasty + Song Dynasty classical Chinese poetry + Hangzhou cultural heritage + Mid-Autumn Festival traditional pairings (cultural-context rails, not B216-cited)
• APG-IV — Oleaceae family taxonomic placement order Lamiales