| Description | Thymol methyl ether, also known as methylthymol or 3-methoxy-p-cymene, belongs to the class of organic compounds known as aromatic monoterpenoids. These are monoterpenoids containing at least one aromatic ring. Thymol methyl ether is an extremely weak basic (essentially neutral) compound (based on its pKa). Thymol methyl ether is a burnt, smoky, and woody tasting compound. Outside of the human body, Thymol methyl ether is found, on average, in the highest concentration within a few different foods, such as common thymes, common oregano, and mandarin orange (clementine, tangerine) and in a lower concentration in limes and sweet basils. Thymol methyl ether has also been detected, but not quantified in, several different foods, such as carrots, citrus, herbs and spices, and pot marjorams. Thymol methyl ether is found in Abies sibirica, Ambrosia trifida, Arnica montana , Asarum canadense, Asarum celsum, Asarum sieboldii , Asarum trigynum, Atractylodes lancea, Bidens andicola, Bidens bipinnata, Citrus limon , Citrus spp., Conobea scoparioides, Conocliniopsis prasiifolia, Crithmum maritimum , Cyathocline purpurea, Eupatorium capillifolium, Eupatorium fortunei , Houttuynia cordata , Juniperus jaliscana, Laggera alata, Larix gmelinii, Larix gmelinii, Larix sibirica, Lavandula angustifolia, Lippia origanoides, Mosla dianthera, Mutisia orbignyana, Nardostachys jatamansi, Nepeta cataria, Ocimum gratissimum, Origanum adanense, Origanum sipyleum, Orthodon hadai, Panax notoginseng, Petasites albus , Petasites hybridus , Petasites japonicus , Picea abies, Picea koraiensis, Picea schrenkiana, Pimenta racemosa, Pinus mugo subsp. Mugo , Pinus sibirica, Porophyllum ruderale, Pulicaria dysenterica , Rhaponticum carthamoides , Schisandra chinensis , Senecio elegans, Tanacetum macrophyllum, Thymus citriodorus, Thymus marschallianus, Thymus quinquecostatus, Uvaria chamae, Valeriana jatamansi, Xylopia sericea and Zataria multiflora. This could make thymol methyl ether a potential biomarker for the consumption of these foods. |
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