Geranamine – A Naturally Occurring Component of Geranium Oil!

Geranamine (2-amino-4-methylhexane)

4.1 Background: Geranium oil is a dietary ingredient that was marketed in the United States before October 15, 1994. Geranamine is a naturally occurring component of geranium oil (7).

Geranium oil has been used topically for centuries while the leaves have been used internally as a flavoring agent for tea and jelly.

Additionally, at the time AMS first used this ingredient it was well established as a component of the food supply, being sold at an estimated 10,000 retail outlets.

4.3.1. Safety of Ingredient: Geranium has been used for centuries as a topical treatment for eczema, dermatitis and acne and has been used as a flavoring agent for tea and jelly(1,2,3,4,5).

Geranamine has an LD50 of 185 mg/kg, intraperitoneally in the mouse. Using a similar compound (albeit much stronger) as a direct comparison of pharmacological effects, “Intraperitoneal MP was approximately twice as potent as oral MP(Methylphenidate)”. Using this conversion as a benchmark in a similar class of compound, we can conclude that the LD50 oral dose of this ingredient would be roughly 1,956mg (6) or nearly 100 capsules (more than one complete bottle).

Pelargonium species are generally recognized as safe for human consumption as natural seasonings/flavorings and as plant extracts/essential oils (21 CFR sections 182.10, 182.20 [1982].

Geranamine has been sold as a dietary supplement for more than three years as Ergolean Amp by Ergopharm as well as Stimulant X by Anabolic Extreme and Tight Extrame by SAN.

References

1. Worwood, Valerie Ann. The Fragrant Pharmacy. (Toronto: Bantam Books, 1990)
2. Davis, Patricia. Aromatherapy: An A-Z. (United Kingdom: Saffron Walden, 1988)
3. Tisserand, Robert and Tony Balacs. Essential Oil Safety. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 1995)
4. Simon, J.E., A.F. Chadwick and L.E. Craker. 1984. Herbs: An Indexed Bibliography. 1971-1980. The Scientific Literature on Selected Herbs, and Aromatic and Medicinal Plants of the Temperate Zone. Archon Books, 770 pp., Hamden, CT.
5. Charlier, R. Pharmacology of 2-amino-4-methylhexane. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther. 1950 Sep 1;83(4):573-84.
6. Gerasimov MR, Franceschi M, Volkow ND, Gifford A, Gatley SJ, Marsteller D, Molina PE, Dewey SL. Comparison between intraperitoneal and oral methylphenidate administration: A microdialysis and locomotor activity study. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2000 Oct;295(1):51-7.
7. Ping, Z.; Jun, Q. & Qing, L. (1996), “A Study on the Chemical Constituents of Geranium Oil”, Journal of Guizhou Institute of Technology 25 (1): 82–85