3-Carene(Delta-3-Carene) is a bicyclic monoterpene extracted from western larch and Douglas-fir that acts as a phytofungicide.3-Carene inhibits inflammatory infiltrates and COX-2 overexpression induced by nociceptive stimuli.3-Carene has anti-injury properties and promotes the activity and expression of alkaline phosphatase, an early marker of osteoblast differentiation.

Rat alveolar macrophages were incubated with the monoterpene 3-Carene (0, 0.005, 0.05, 0.5, and 5.0 μM; 75 min; Rat alveolar macrophages) in culture medium for 75 min. A dose-dependent relationship was found between the cell viability and the 3-Carene concentration. At 5.0 μM 3-Carene, 98% of the AM were dead. The phagocytosis of heat-killed yeast particles was significantly decreased and the attachment of particles to the cell surface significantly increased at 0.5 μM 3-Carene. Electron microscopy showed that about 50% of the AM lacked or had very few surface protrusions after incubation in 0.5 μM 3-Carene. Thus, 3-Carene seemed to affect mainly the engulfment of particles. Surfactant, 0.5 mg/ml as Curosurf, added to the incubation medium, did not affect the AM reaction to 3-Carene exposure.[1]