What are Terpenes?

It is not infrequently that people walk into the shop and say to me ‘it smells good in here!’ That’s because of the terpenes found in cannabis. Ever heard that eating a mango before smoking will intensify your high? That’s because of the terpene myrcene, which is found in high concentrations in mangos and also gives many of the fruitier strains their scent. Myrcene has very relaxing effects, as does linalool (found in lavender) and terpineol (found in lilacs), whereas strains high in limonene (found in citrus plants) have more energizing effects. Alpha-pinene is less common, but works as a bronchodilator and can even reduce or eliminate the short-term memory impairment classically induced by THC. There are several terpenes that have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties—and, perhaps not surprisingly when you think about it, many of them are natural insect repellants (I mean, that is why they exist in the first place). 

Terpenes are organic compounds plants give off for survival—sometimes as a defense mechanism to try and ward off predators, sometimes to attract animals that will help scatter their seeds—that are most known for giving plants their smell. These microscopic molecules have strong therapeutic effects in humans, which is the idea behind using essential oils and aroma therapy. These molecules bind to receptors and produce physiological changes and some even argue that the terpenes in cannabis are more responsible for its therapeutic effects than cannabinoids. Terpenes are smaller molecules and therefore cross the blood brain barrier more easily, and there is evidence that this primes the passageways to allow more larger molecules (THC for example) to pass through.

There are 6 major terpenes found in cannabis:

Limonene - also found in citrus plants, limonene has uplifting and energizing effects.

Pinene - also found in pine needles, basil, and rosemary, pinene is good for asthma (it’s a bronchodilator) and inflammation.

Linalool - also found in lavender, linalool is good for anxiety, inflammation, and sleep.

Myrcene - also found in mango, hops, and eucalyptis, myrcene is an anti-carcinogenic and is also good for anxiety and sleep.

Caryophyllene - also found in black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon, caryophyllene is another anti-carcinogenic and is also good for pain and inflammation.

Humelene - also found in hops, coriander, and basil, humelene is another anti-inflammatory and is also good for appetite suppression (so it can help curb the munchies!)