Talking Terpenes
Terpenes the smells and flavors of nature
By now after paying attention to what is in your medicine, I am sure we are a few questions on Terpenes and their role in the cannabis plant.
All cannabis will have basic Cannabinoids THC, CBD, CBG, CBN, and many more. these cannabinoids are located in the resin of the plant, that same area is where the terpenes are located. having the terpenes and the cannabinoids together provide synergistic energy that is used for the healing of the human body.
after speaking with many budtenders in the industry I asked them what smells they look for from their cannabis.
“I personally look for the more skunky over the citrus ones”
When you walk through a lemon grove you smell the aroma of lemon citrus. Or when taking a stroll through a field of lavender and catch that relaxing mellowing fragrance. Those are terpenes, you probably notice a similar smell when you walk down your grocery cleaning isle. That refreshing lemon smell can zest us up, really get our minds going, also providing that feeling of clean. There is nothing new under the sun the same lemon smell that exists in fruit also exists in cannabis but this time the terpenes that are hanging our with their cannabinoid neighbors have to access our body through the system designed for our homeostasis the endocannabinoid system.
Terpenes are not exclusive to plants, skunks and bugs also produce these properties.
You see we as humans are already sensitive to the terpenes of the planet, now coupled with cannabinoids it can have amazing therapeutic effects on our human physiology. In this post, we are going to go over the terpenes found in our batches of Myrso and what they may be saying to us.
Caryophyllene- Cinnamon Caryophyllene (or β-Caryophyllene) is a spicy, peppery terpene found in many different plants. Spices like black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon, as well as herbs like oregano, basil, hops, and rosemary, are known to contain high concentrations of caryophyllene. Due to its ability to work with the peripheral CB2 receptors, caryophyllene often appears in anti-inflammatory topicals lotions, salves, and a variety of other products.
Caryophyllene has the following potential medical benefits:
Anti-inflammatory and analgesic
Alcohol craving reduction
Anti-Cancer
Anti-anxiety and anti-depressant
Linalool- Lavender Linalool is a naturally occurring terpene found in many flowers and spices including lavender and coriander. It gives off a complex yet delicate floral aroma, and while its effects are myriad, it is in particular one of the substances used most widely to reduce stress.
Humans have inhaled the scent of certain plants, including many containing linalools, since ancient times to help lower stress levels, fight inflammation, and combat depression. Linalool has been the subject of many studies, including one in which scientists allowed lab rats to inhale linalool while exposing them to stressful conditions. It was reported that linalool returned elevated stress levels in the immune system to near-normal conditions.
Linalool’s Effects and Benefits
Anti-anxiety
Antidepressant
Sedative
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-epileptic
Analgesic
“It depends on my mood, i treat for anxiety/depression so i like the citrus because it lifts me up.”
Myrcene- Hops Myrcene (or β-myrcene) is a terpene that occurs often in highly fragrant plants and herbs such as mangoes, hops, bay laurel leaves, thyme, lemongrass, and basil. Myrcene is produced by numerous cannabis strains, and some studies have suggested that it might lend sedative effects in rodents.
Another place you’ll find myrcene is in mangoes. Anecdotal evidence suggests that eating a ripe mango prior to consuming cannabis may accentuate or extend the psychoactive effects of cannabis; some have suggested that this is due to the fruit’s concentrations of myrcene, which is naturally synergistic with THC and allows cannabinoids to more easily bridge the blood-brain barrier.
Myrcene’s Effects and Benefits
Anti-inflammatory
Analgesic (pain relief)
Antibiotic
Sedative
Antimutagenic
Cymene- Herbal, Commonly found in the essential oils of cumin and thyme, cymene has documented anti-inflammatory effects. Research also shows potential protective effects against acute lung injury.
Nerolidol- Orange Trans-nerolidol is a secondary terpene found in many strong aromatics like jasmine, tea tree, and lemongrass. As such, it delivers a subdued and nuanced floral aroma with notes of fruity citrus, apples, and rose. This terpene is believed to produce sedating effects, and is being investigated for the following medical benefits:
Inhibits the growth of leishmaniasis
Anti-parasitic
Anti-fungal
Antimicrobial
Terpinolene-Terpinolene is another isomeric hydrocarbon, characterized by a fresh, piney, floral, herbal, and occasionally citrusy aroma and flavor. It is found in a variety of other pleasantly fragrant plants including nutmeg, tea tree, conifers, apples, cumin, and lilacs, and is sometimes used in soaps, perfumes, and lotions.
Terpinolene’s potential medical benefits include:
Anticancer
Antioxidant
Sedative
Antibacterial
Antifungal
“I like my flower to smell earthy, pundent and a little sour”
Terpinene- Wood Terpinene is used as a fragrant additive in both the cosmetic and food industries. It is also considered to be a well-tolerated additive in the pharmaceutical industry. It has very strong antioxidant properties.
Terpineol- Terpineol can refer to any combination of four monoterpene alcohol isomers (the most common of which is α-terpineol) occurring naturally in over 150 plants, including cannabis. Interestingly, terpineol is most frequently found in strains also containing high levels of pinene; however, due to pinene’s potent aroma, terpineol can be difficult to detect when the two occur simultaneously.
Terpineol is frequently used to create pleasant aromatic profiles in products like soap, lotion, and perfume, and it contributes to the distinctive, pine smoke-based aroma of lapsang souchong tea. It has a boiling point of around 424˚F. In addition to cannabis, it occurs naturally in lilacs, pine trees, lime blossoms, and eucalyptus sap. It is characterized by its ability to relax the consumer and has been shown in lab studies to decrease motility in mice, leading some to suggest that it contributes to the couchlock effects of certain strains.
Terpineol’s potential medical benefits include:
Antibiotic
Antioxidant
Anti-tumor
Sedative
Anti-inflammatory
Antimalarial
Anxiolytic
Eucalyptol- (also known as cineol) is an important terpene for medical cannabis patients because it can be used to treat a wide variety of ailments and conditions. Eucalyptol is primarily useful in the treatment of:
Pain
Inflammation
Antifungal
also used in insecticides
Geraniol- Flowers As its name suggests, geraniol (also known as lemonol) is most famous for its presence in geraniums, where it helps shape the blossoms’ distinctive, delicate scent. It is also found in a wide range of plants including tobacco and lemons, and interestingly, is produced by honey bees as a means of marking their hives and flowers. Geraniol is a monoterpene alcohol that boils at about 447˚F and frequently occurs in strains that also produce linalool.
Its floral, occasionally fruity aromas and flavors remind many of citronella candles or rose gardens, and occasionally of passionfruit or stonefruits such as peaches and plums. It is used frequently as a fruity flavoring agent and shows up in an array of bath and body products. Geraniol, like valencene, is known to repel mosquitos.
Potential medical benefits attributed to geraniol include:
Antioxidant
Anti-tumor
Neuroprotectant
Anti-bacterial
Anti-fungal
Anti-viral
Anti-spasmodic
“I want my weed to have diesel in it, like the smell you get at your local gas station”
Humulene- naturally occurs in clove, basil, hops, and cannabis. carrying a subtle earthy, woody aroma with spicy herbal notes you might recognize in some of your favorite strains. Though cannabis is commonly associated with appetite stimulation, humulene is actually known to suppress hunger.
Humulene’s other potential effects include:
Anti-bacterial
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-tumor
Paramacokinetic
Some strains that are known to test high in humulene include White Widow, GSC, Headband, high-humulene varieties include Sour Diesel and Skywalker Og.
Bisabolol- The terpene bisabolol (also known as α-Bisabolol or levomenol) is a fragrant chemical compound produced by the chamomile flower and other plants such as the Candeia tree in Brazil. It is also produced by various cannabis strains. While it has long been widely used in the cosmetics industry, bisabolol has more recently become the subject of research for the medical benefits it displays in cannabis.
Bisabolol’s Effects and Benefits
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-irritant
Antioxidant
Anti-microbial
Analgesic
Valencene- gets its name from Valencia oranges, usually found in cannabis strains like Agent Orange and Tangie but not solely in these cultivars.
Valencene’s effects and benefits
Anti-inflammatory
Bronchodilator
Counters short term memory loss
Promotes alertness
This page was inspired by the properties inside of Myrso that we acquired through third-party testing.
At the very least some of the therapeutic effects of the terpenes can be found by a search on the internet (I searched Leafly and .org and .gov sites). We have been around these plants for centuries and have made amazing discoveries now hopefully it is time for our cannabis to join the fold.
I do at the very least hope this helps you on your journey and healing.
