When examining cannabis, discussions about tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) often dominate the sphere; today we will be investigating terpenes instead, an essential component of the aroma, flavor, and effects of specific cannabis strains.
What are Terpenes?
Terpenes are naturally occurring chemical compounds that give flavor and aroma to many plants, fruits, and vegetables. To be more specific, the editors of the Encyclopaedia Brittanica (2024) define terpenes as “any of a class of hydrocarbons occurring widely in plants and animals and empirically regarded as built up from isoprene (C5H8) . . . the term is often extended to terpenoids, which are oxygenated derivatives of these hydrocarbons”. Terpenes can be found in many plants but the most commonly known are citrus fruits, cannabis, and herbs like sage, lavender, and thyme.
Terpenes and their Effects
There have been over 150 terpenes identified within the cannabis plant but only 11 have shown significant amounts allowing for research, which has been done on primarily six terpenes: myrcene, limonene, b-caryophyllene, a-humulene, pinene, and linalool (Gildner, 2017). From observable studies, myrcene and caryophyllene appear most abundantly across a majority of cannabis strains (Stone, 2022). According to a study done by Hanus and Hod (2020), many terpenes and terpenoids have an extensive range of biological and pharmacological activities including antifungal, antimicrobial, antiviral, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, antihyperglycemic, and antioxidant.
Myrcene
Stone (2022) posits that myrcene is a monoterpene found in hops, lemongrass, mangoes, and cannabis among other plant life. In a study done by Hanus and Hod (2020), they found that the determining factor between an energetic high or not is the quantity of myrcene found in the strain; strains with >0.5% myrcene are far more likely to produce the “couch lock” effect. This is because myrcene has been found to produce sedative and muscle relaxant effects within the body, in addition to being identified as an analgesic, anticarcinogenic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antipsychotic. Interestingly in a study done with mice, very high doses of myrcene were found to have sedative effects comparable to phenobarbital (Hartsel et al., 2016). Its anti-inflammatory properties are being explored more in-depth after a study demonstrated myrcene effectively reduces inflammation associated with osteoarthritis by helping to prevent the breakdown of cartilage and decreasing the production of inflammatory cells (Stone, 2022).
Caryophyllene
Beta-caryophyllene is also known as caryophyllene, a sesquiterpene found in clove, cannabis, rosemary, oregano, and black pepper giving them all their spicy flavor and aroma (Stone, 2022). Caryophyllene is the only terpene found to interact with the human body’s endocannabinoid system, binding directly to the CB2 receptor found in the immune system, opening further avenues of research for this terpene (Hartsel et al., 2016). Numerous effects are produced from caryophyllene including gastroprotective, analgesic, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antidepressant, anticarcinogenic, antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, and neuroprotectivity (Hanus & Hos, 2020).
Limonene
Limonene is a monoterpene naturally occurring in the rinds of citrus fruits, ginger, and juniper and is utilized as an additive in many cosmetics and household cleaning products giving the distinct fruity or citrus smell and taste that is found in many strains of C. sativa (Kaplan & Rahn, 2022). Studies on limonene thus far have shown potential health benefits such as elevated mood, stress relief, antifungal and antibacterial properties, heartburn and gastric reflux relief, and anti-carcinogenic. These dosages likely far exceed the amount of limonene found in cannabis, but the research potential has been opened with these discoveries.
Humulene
Humulene, known as alpha-humulene or alpha-caryophyllene, is a sesquiterpene naturally occurring in hops, sage, clove, cannabis, ginseng, black pepper, and wood. This terpene is an open-ringed isomer of beta-caryophyllene and lacks the CB2 interactivity seen in beta-caryophyllene (Hartsel et al., 2016). Despite this lack of interactivity, this terpene is known to harbor powerful anti-inflammatory activity both topically and systemically and is an effective analgesic when taken topically or orally (Hartsel et al., 2016).
Pinene
Pinene is the most common monoterpene found throughout all plant life and is found naturally in pine needles, conifer trees, basil, dill, rosemary, and many other botanicals. Although research is still being done on this terpene, pinene is known to have potential as an anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, bronchodilator, and for pain relief and management (Rahn, 2023).
Linalool
Linalool is a monoterpenoid known for its aromatic smell and flavor and is naturally found in lavender, basil, mints, and cinnamon (Kaplan, 2022). This terpenoid has been found to contain antimicrobial, sedative, anxiolytic, antidepressant, stress relief, and immune system-strengthening properties; in addition, linalool has shown potential in treating Alzheimer’s, displaying an ability to reduce and regulate the production of inflammatory proteins in the brain (Kaplan, 2022).
References:
Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2024). Terpene. in Encyclopaedia Britannica.com. Retrieved February 26, 2024, from https://www.britannica.com/science/terpene
Gildner, M. (2017, January 27). The chemistry behind Cannabis: Terpenes. Evergreen. https://sites.evergreen.edu/plantchemeco/cannabis-sativaindica/
Hanuš, L. O., & Hod, Y. (2020). Terpenes/terpenoids in Cannabis: Are they important?. Medical cannabis and cannabinoids, 3(1), 25–60. https://doi.org/10.1159/000509733
Hartsel, J. A., Eades, J., Hickory, B., & Makriyannis, A. (2016). Cannabis sativa and Hemp. In Gupta, R. C. (Ed.). Nutraceuticals: Efficacy, safety, and toxicity (pp. 735-754). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-802147-7.00053-X
Kaplan, J. (2022, May 12). What is linalool and what does this cannabis terpene do? Leafly. https://www.leafly.com/news/science-tech/linalool-cannabis-terpene-benefits
Kaplan, J., & Rahn, B. (2022, September 26). What is limonene what does this cannabis terpene do? Leafly. https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/what-is-limonene-and-what-are-the-benefits-of-this-cannabis-terpe
Kaplan, J., & Jikomes, N. (2024, January 17). What is myrcene and what does this cannabis terpene do? Leafly. https://www.leafly.com/news/science-tech/myrcene-terpene
Rahn, B. (2023, December 7). What is pinene and what does this cannabis terpene do? Leafly. https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/what-is-pinene-and-what-are-the-benefits-of-this-cannabis-terpene
Stone, E. (2022, September 20). What are cannabis terpenes and what do they do?. Leafly. https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/terpenes-the-flavors-of-cannabis-aromatherapy
