Terpenes

In addition to common cannabis terms such as cannabinoid, indica and sativa, you may have recently come across a less commonly used word: terpenes. These are other compounds found in cannabis.

But what are terpenes? And how important is it to know what strains and concentrations are in cannabis before you buy a product?

Read on to find out what scientists know so far.

What exactly are they?

Terpenes are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in plants and some animals. They are responsible for the smells, tastes and even colours associated with different types of vegetation.

They can also be processed into products such as cleaning solvents, pesticides and dyes. Some even have therapeutic properties.

While almost all plants contain terpenes, some of the more common sources that people encounter include:

• hemp
• aromatic herbs such as sage and thyme
• citrus fruits

And what do they do?

Terpenes are thought to protect plants from adverse weather and predators. As for what they do in humans, it’s still a bit of a mystery. But cannabis researchers and consumers are increasingly looking to terpenes as a way of classifying cannabis products and predicting their effects.

The main hypothesis is that the terpene profile – the dominant terpenes – of a strain works in tandem with the cannabinoid content – the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) and other cannabinoids – to produce the effects that people associate with different strains.

For example, they could explain why two different strains with the same THC level produce such different tastes and smells.

And you’re going “HIGH”?

Terpenes don’t make you feel “high” in the traditional sense. Yet some are considered psychoactive because they affect the brain.

While terpenes are not intoxicating in themselves, some think they may affect the effects of THC, the cannabinoid responsible for the strong feeling from cannabis.

Many cannabis experts and connoisseurs say that consumers place too much emphasis on THC content when choosing a strain. Instead, they recommend focusing more on certain terpene profiles to achieve their desired effects.

For example, preliminary research suggests that some terpenes could have potential benefits for certain mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder.

THC vs CBD

THC and CBD are just two of more than 100 cannabinoids found in cannabis, but they are the two most abundant cannabinoids and the most studied.

Both cannabinoids and terpenes can give you some guidance on what to expect from a cannabis product, but they are two different compounds.

That is, they all seem to interact with each other in what experts call the “entourage effect.” This is the hypothesis that the “full spectrum” of cannabis, including all the cannabinoids, terpenes and other compounds found in cannabis, act synergistically to produce the sensations and effects of cannabis.

In other words, it’s the hypothesis that a little of everything can be more useful than a lot of one thing.

A 2010 study, for example, showed that a combination of CBD and THC was more effective for pain management than THC alone.

In a 2018 study, breast cancer tumors in a petri dish responded better to cannabis extract than pure THC alone. However, these synergistic effects were believed to be attributed mainly to other cannabinoids and not to terpenes.

This is important to consider if you are using CBD for therapeutic purposes. If you are using a CBD isolate (a product that contains only CBD) and find that it does not have the desired effect, it may be worth trying a full-spectrum CBD product that will also contain terpenes and other cannabinoids, including a small amount of THC.

Common terpenes and their effects

There are about 400 known terpenes in cannabis, but experts have only linked a handful of them to specific effects.

Here are some common terpenes and their potential effects:

• Beta-caryophyllene. Beta-caryophyllene, the main component of clove, rosemary and hopsbeneficial for managing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
• Beta-pinene. If you’ve walked through a coniferous forest, you know the smell of beta-pinene, which can potentially have both antidepressant and anti-cancer properties.
• Humulene. This terpene is found in ginseng, which has long been used in folk medicine for its energizing effects.
• Limonen. One of the most commonly found terpenes, limonene, has strong citrus notes and may potentially have anticancer properties. Anti-anxiety properties have been shown in mice.
• Linalool. Lovers of lavender as aromatherapy may want to seek out cannabis with linalool, which can help relieve stress.
• Myrcene. Found in mangoes, myrcene has antifungal and antibacterial properties and also have sedative effects.

Keep in mind that much of the research around terpenes is still in the early stages. More high-quality human studies are needed to fully understand the health effects of different terpene profiles.

Bottom Line

Terpenes play an important role in the aroma and flavour of the cannabis strain. And they potentially work in synergy with cannabinoids and other cannabis plant compounds to produce psychoactive effects.

However, research on the more than 400 terpenes in the plant is still in its infancy, so it is difficult to make any definitive claims about them.

It’s also important to remember that in addition to cannabinoids and terpenes, your physiology, past experiences with cannabis and the environment in which you use cannabis can also affect how you feel. Terpenes are just one part of the equation, but they can be an interesting way to play around with different products and find what you like best.