Cannabis and Terpenes – An Overview

Cannabis’s terpene profiles are in much higher concentrations than a lot of other plant species. In short, terpenes are the primary component that creates the aromas cannabis is known for. This is why many growers consider terpene profiles before growing cannabis indoors.

These lovely organic compounds are found in all plants (particularly, coniferous varieties). They’re responsible for more than just the characteristic smells and tastes you associate with oranges, pine trees, or lavender bushes – they also help shape the effect you get from cannabis!

Terpenes are pretty cool in the plant world; they’re essentially filling the role of front-line defense for plants. They are extremely aromatic secondary metabolites that all plants produce in natural essential oils.

With cannabis, this occurs in the shiny crystal-like trichomes that cover the flowers. Trichomes are also where cannabinoids are made, like tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol (THC and CBD). While we enjoy terpenes for an assortment of medical benefits, both psychological and physiological, plants produce them to be used in similar ways. They increase their chances of surviving in their natural habitats.

All the different scents and tastes terpenes have can repel predatory insects to assist in avoiding infestation or draw beneficial insects to a plant to encourage pollination. Some plants increase the production of certain terpenes to boost their immunity from disease or mold, even helping to recover from damage.

Many terpenes in cannabis strains are bioactive. Terpenes interact with our bodies and influence our mood and energy levels. Through this, terpenes have been reported to have amazing medical and recreational benefits. Chances are if you’ve got something going on you want to address, there’s a terpene that would do well lending a hand.

This isn’t to say that you should fill your medicine cabinet with terpenes instead of actual medicine. However, the “entourage effect” of cannabis and terpenes (more on this later) helps elevate the benefits of other medications.

For example, if you struggle with a sports injury (i.e. a swollen ankle), some terpenes have anti-inflammatory effects and analgesic properties that can help alongside traditional medicine. Or in some cases on their own, the effects of the plant’s extract can be enough to do all the work.

Here’s a short list of some of the therapeutic properties terpenes have to offer:

• Analgesic
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antibacterial
• Antioxidant
• Antipsychotic
• Antiseptic
• Bronchodilator
• Expectorant
• Increased cognitive function
• Sedative

Absolutely! In the hundreds of documented terpenes, of which approximately 140 are known to be present in cannabis, the wide variety of experiences that are associated with each of them is extremely diverse.

Now is a great time to explain the “entourage effect.” The phrase was coined to describe a theory that the organic compounds found in cannabis work in synergy to create a full spectrum of sensations, resulting in different highs you get when consuming cannabis.

These differences appear when comparing strain to strain and even batch to batch of the same strains. THC will always get you stoned, but terpenes (and other cannabinoids) will change the experience of the high. That’s why there are major differences between Sativa and Indica strains.

Besides the minor differences in their chemical structure, cannabinoids and terpenes are processed by our bodies in different ways. This is largely what sets one apart from the other.

We have different reactions to the smell and taste of terpenes. Aromatherapy is a great example of how powerful isolated terpenes can be when used medicinally. For example, some use lavender oil (linalool) to calm down or pine oil (beta-pinene) to reduce short-term memory loss.

Terpene reactions happen in our olfactory nerves and go straight to the brain, passing through our airways and absorbed through the lungs and bloodstream.

Within each of our bodies is an endocannabinoid system (ECS). Endocannabinoid receptors are found throughout this system and attach to endogenous cannabinoids we naturally produce. This process keeps our bodily functions regulated.

Research into the ECS is ongoing, with medical experts still not 100% sure how it works in tandem with the rest of our bodies. However, we do know that it’s a big part of regulations such as mood, sleep cycles, and hormones.

Cannabinoids (or phytocannabinoids) found within the cannabis plant largely replicate endocannabinoids. And they attach directly to our endocannabinoid receptors! Therefore, when we consume marijuana, we’re directly activating this system.

Monoterpenes have a lower weight than sesquiterpenes, giving them a lower boiling point. That’s why they convert from liquid to gas quicker than sesquiterpenes.

The boiling point varies for each terpene under their respective classification, and can even happen at normal room temperatures. In these cases, room temperature is enough for a terpene to be converted to a gas, making monoterpenes more aromatic.

Given that monoterpenes are so susceptible to deterioration, some cannabis producers are now flash-freezing their harvests to preserve a high concentration of terpenes.

These terms are used more or less interchangeably these days, but there is a difference in what they mean. The two terms are just present-tense and past-tense words for the same organic compound. Seems excessive, huh?

The only real dividing trait between the two is the chemical structure. Terpenes are naturally occurring hydrocarbons, while terpenoids have been denatured through oxidation that happens as the plants dry and cure.

The two terms are interchangeable because terpenes will eventually oxidize and turn into terpanoids. That’s a lot of jargon to essentially say terpenes are terpenes, and terpenoids are degrading terpenes.

Cannabis is a highly complex plant. There’s still a lot to be discovered about it but more information is coming out about its versatile selection of compounds. From terpenes and sesquiterpenes to cannabinoids and flavonoids, there’s a lot to love, and a lot to benefit from well-grown, well-cured cannabis.