Citronellal

Citronellal or rhodinal or 3,7-dimethyloct-6-en-1-al (C10H18O) is a monoterpenoid, the main component in the mixture of terpenoid chemical compounds that give citronella oil its distinctive lemon scent.

Citronellal is a major isolate in distilled oils from the plants Cymbopogon, lemon-scented gum, and lemon-scented teatree.

Citronellal has insect repellent properties, and research shows high repellent effectiveness against mosquitoes. Research shows that citronellal has strong antifungal qualities.

Compendial status

 * British Pharmacopoeia