The variety of smells and flavors of cannabis and vegetation in general can all be credited to terpenes! These compounds vary, with over 30,000 known in existence, each with their own flavors, scents, and even some effect color. Terpenes have been believed to also be a main reason for certain vegetation and strains of cannabis to hold unique healing abilities and other properties. Let’s take a deeper dive into the vast world of cannabis terpenes, and how you can utilize them for your health!

Top Terpene Compounds

With over 30,000 known terpenes, there’s a lot to research and more to discover, so let’s just start with some of the top terpenes you probably have already come across frequently. 5 major terpenes are Pinene, Linalool, Caryophyllene, Myrcene, and Limonene.

Pinene as it sounds, has a more pine tree like smell and taste. It is found in pine needles, rosemary, parsley, basil, and of course in various cannabis strains such as Blue Dream and Jack Herer. There are two major types of Pinene, A-Pinene (alpha) and B-Pinene (beta). Their major differences are A-Pinene is water soluble with a stronger pine scent, while B-Pinene is not water soluble and has a more earthy scent. This terpene is well known for its ability to act as an anti-inflammatory, pain relief, relaxation, as well as helping respiratory function making it easier to breath by relaxing the muscles in the lungs. There are indications that it could assist in memory function too.

Linalool is another great terpene found in hundreds of flowers and spice plants. It has a sweet and floral scent usually with a hint of citrus and is responsible for flowers such as lavender for having the scent it has. Cannabis strains that contain Linalool include Granddaddy Purple, Do Si Dos, Lavender, and other various Kush and OGs. Linalool brings some great health benefits to the table, with its effect on the serotonin receptor it can help treat anxiety, depression, and even assist in fighting insomnia. It is still not fully explored, but data has suggested that it can possibly be an effective means for inhibiting the growth of cancer cells such as leukemia and cervical cancer.

Caryophyllene is a very popular terpene. It’s known for being spicy, providing that nip in black pepper, basil, oregano, cinnamon, hops, cloves, and many more plants including specific cannabis strains like Sour Diesel, Bubba Kush, Cookies and Cream, and more. B-Caryophyllene is the primary form you’ll come across for this terpene. It has healing properties like other terpenes and assists in pain relief and inflammation. Studies have been showing that it has anticonvulsant activity meaning it can be effective at treating seizures. Some other noteworthy benefits include helping relieve anxiety, lowering cholesterol levels, and a preventative for osteoporosis.

Myrcene is a powerful terpene packed full of great health benefits. It is commonly found in many plants including hops, lemongrass, verbena, cannabis, and various citrus fruits. Some cannabis strains containing Myrcene include White Widow, Tangie, Mango Kush, and AK-47. The scent of Myrcene is like cloves with a very earthy aroma and is the primary reason a lot of cannabis strains have that musky heavy smell. Myrcene has a long list of health benefits including anticancer properties, preventing seizures, sedation and muscle relaxant, pain relief, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and interestingly can help more cannabinoids go through the blood-brain barrier. Being able to get around the blood-brain barrier is crucial, as this barrier is usually what prevents the means to administer treatments for various degenerative brain diseases.

Limonene is found in lemons as you’d expect based on how its spelled and sounds but is also found in other variable citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, limes, cannabis, and other plants. Banana OG, Black Cherry Soda, and Quantum Kush are only just a few of many cannabis strains containing Limonene. Some of the health benefits it provides, proven in many studies, include being a great anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, pain relief, gastroprotection, anticancer, antiviral, and more!

The Importance of Terpenes

While we’ve only covered 5 major terpenes above, terpenes are being discovered to be a main catalyst for why certain plants and fruits have health benefits. Specifically in cannabis these terpenes play a very crucial part in what is known as the Entourage Effect. Read more about the Entourage Effect here. For example, with Limonene its ability to help break the blood-brain barrier allows for more cannabinoids and other compounds to absorb into the brain, which allows for the brain to heal from certain conditions such as Alzheimer’s. With over 30,000 known terpenes, and with likely more out there not discovered yet, much research is still needed to unlock the true healing potential of all these amazing compounds.

Where to get Terpenes

Terpenes sound amazing, and something to be sure you have in your daily regimen, but where can you get them? Well for starters consuming a natural source of them such as eating an orange for Limonene or using spices such as basil for some Pinene is a good first step. Keep in mind though these common supermarket foods and spices might not provide the quantity of terpenes you’re looking for. This is why tinctures can be a great solution. Tinctures can contain highly concentrated amounts of specific terpenes, making their effects, flavor, and aroma all more powerful, and of course reaping the health benefits of the specific terpene. Another method would be using specific cannabis products based on their strain. It’s important to note that products you use contain the natural terpenes found in the plant, this is more of a concern when buying cannabis vaping cartridges or edibles. It is important to note that when purchasing cannabis products that you check with a reputable brand or the shops Certificates of Analysis (COA) to ensure you are buying what they are selling you on, and that it is safe for consumption.

Stay tuned for further cannabis and terpene news down the road, as we’ll break down more detailed science around specific compounds!