The ongoing legalization of cannabis has changed the way we treat this substance. It used to be only THC and its concentration in buds—the higher the better—that smokers cared about. Then came the CBD craze when millions of people who wouldn’t touch weed with a ten-foot bong suddenly made cannabis, or hemp to be exact, the staple of their wellness routine. But the plant harbors even more surprises, and one of them is terpenes, weed’s aromatic constituents.
Actually, terpenes are not unique to the cannabis plant. These gaseous substances are produced by many species, including tea, thyme, and sage. But cannabis is a notoriously smelly plant, with its varied aromas really in your face, and its many terpenes can do so much more than be useful in training drug-sniffing dogs.
Weed enthusiasts know that each batch of buds is unique in its effects on the smoker, even if they were grown from the same cannabis seeds. It is also believed that this uniqueness is due to the so-called entourage effect when THC, CBD, as well as dozens of lesser cannabinoids and all the terpenes too, work together to produce a one-of-a-kind effect.
Of course, it goes beyond the
recreational value and use of bubble hash. Cannabis has emerged as a powerful and versatile medicinal
plant, with suppliers like Organic CBD Nugs offering a wealth of weed-based products. But terpenes play a big role in this because of their health benefits.
Let’s look at the major terpenes that are abundant in modern cannabis strains
and see how they can improve your well-being.
1.
Pinene
Structurally, it is one of the simplest
terpenes—monoterpene—and as such it’s also one of the smelliest. As the name
implies, it has a strong scent of a pine tree. Pinene is a powerful
antiplasmodial, meaning that it’s effective against a certain type of
parasites, for example, the one causing malaria. In fact, pinene’s action is
similar to that of the common antimalarial drug—chloroquine. As a
bronchodilator, this terpene can be used to open restricted airways, e.g. in
patients with asthma.
2.
Caryophyllene
Caryophyllene has a peppery smell and
it is, in fact, present in great quantities in black pepper. Some smokers swear
that chewing black pepper helps when you’re panicking from THC-induced
paranoia. And cannabis strains rich in caryophyllene supposedly don’t cause paranoia
in the first place. This terpene is just as effective as pinene against
malaria, and they both are abundant in marijuana grown from Gelato seeds. Interestingly, caryophyllene doesn’t
just suppress the malaria bug carried by certain mosquitos. It also repels
mosquitos, thus giving double protection from this severe disease.
3.
Limonene
Limonene is yet another terpene with a
strong antimalarial activity (duh, they all are). It smells of citrus fruit
and, naturally, can be found in oranges, lemons, etc. Limonene is also the one
responsible for the strong lemony aroma in many household products. The unique
feature of limonene is that it boosts the action of other terpenes. The smell
of citrus fruit usually invokes pleasant associations. Maybe because limonene
is a mild anti-depressant.
4.
Myrcene
Myrcene is the stuff of legends for
cannabis users because they believe it significantly increases the effect of
THC, making the high more overwhelming. For this reason, some die-hard smokers
recommend taking a slice of mango with your bowl because there’s a lot of
myrcene in mangoes. This terpene gives the buds the earthy smell generally
associated with Indicas. And Indica is a go-to variety for those who seek pain
relief from their buds. Myrcene has indeed analgesic and anti-inflammatory
properties and is also a sedative.
5.
Linalool
Linalool is kind of rare in cannabis, but it’s what gives lavender its characteristic smell. Try to imagine how lavender smells, and you’ll probably feel calmer, less anxious, and more relaxed. That’s how linalool acts on you. It is the perfect candidate for aromatherapy if you have PTSD, depression, or even insomnia.
We have listed only five terpenes, but
this is the most numerous class of naturally occurring substances. Even
cannabis can produce dozens of them while others are found in other plant
species and in animals as well. Besides those therapeutic uses that we have
mentioned, terpenes have many more: antiviral, anticancer, antidiabetic,
antioxidant, antiseptic, diuretic, the list goes on and on. And thanks to their
extremely low toxicity, terpenes are well-tolerated by any kind of patient and
absolutely safe.