What are Cannabis Terpenes – Types, Characteristics & Uses
Most seasoned stoners know that different strains of cannabis produce different effects. Some strains boost your energy and stimulate your mind. Others unlock unknown creativity. Still, others can make your limbs tingle pleasantly or help you drift off to sleep. Often, the cannabis community uses terms like Indica, Hybrid, and Sativa to differentiate between effects. However, some experts have indicated that terpenes actually account for many of the effects and benefits of the plant.
Terpenes are a large and diverse class of organic compounds, produced by a variety of plants. Basically, they’re everywhere. They give plants their distinct flavors and smells, like citruses, florals, pine, or eucalyptus.
Terpenes makeup essential oils from plants and flowers. Western and alternative medicines use terpenes for their healing benefits. Aromatherapy, fragrances, and flavorings often use terpenes for scent, flavor, and effect. Fun fact: Vitamin A is a terpene!
Aromatherapy works by targeting the specific effects of certain terpenes to affect the body in different ways:
- Lemon and citrus can be stimulating.
- Lavender tends to relax and calm.
- Mint can help open airways in the lungs, benefiting respiratory function.
Terpenes in cannabis play major roles in contributing to the effects of each strain. Several factors can influence the development of terpenes like genetics, climate, soil type, age and maturation, and soil conditions.
Some terpenes also bind to the receptors in the brain responsible for the production of psychoactive effects, leading many to believe that terpenes play a key role in determining the high the consumer experiences. That means there are a lot of contributing factors to strain potency, beyond total cannabinoid percentage labels.
While THC content can certainly suggest a stoney product, terpene profiles also affect how stoney and the specific qualities associated with a strain. Some terpenes can modify how much THC passes through the blood-brain barrier–the more, the stonier. Certain terpenes can affect dopamine and serotonin by changing their production and destruction.
So how do you know which products will provide the stoney outcomes you’re looking for?
Check out this breakdown of commonly found terpenes, their characteristics, and their medical benefits:
Alpha-Pinene and Beta-Pinene
Aroma: Pine
Effects: Alertness, memory retention, counteracts some THC effects
Medical Value: Asthma, antiseptic
Also Found In: Basil, dill, pine needles, parsley, and rosemary
High Pinene Cannabis Strains:
- Jack Herer,
- Chemdawg,
- Bubba Kush,
- Trainwreck,
- Super Silver Haze
Linalool
Aroma: Floral, citrus, candy
Effects: Anxiety relief and sedation, anti-anxiety, anti-convulsant, anti-depressant, anti-acne
Also Found In: Cinnamon, certain types of fungi, lavender, and mint
High Linalool Cannabis Strains:
- G-13,
- Amnesia Haze,
- Lavender,
- LA Confidential
Alpha Bisabolol
Flavor / Aroma – Floral, citrus, and candy
Medicinal Uses – Can be used to heal wounds, fights bacteria, and can be used as a deodorizer. Some folks think alpha bisabolol has been effective in treating a variety of inflammations.
Strain:
- Oracle
Geranoil
Flavor/Aroma Floral: specifically like geraniums occasionally fruity like passionfruit, peaches, or plums
Medical Uses: Can be used as a mosquito repellent. Can also potentially act as an anti-fungal, an anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, anti-spasmodic, anti-viral, and as neuroprotectant
Also found in: stonefruits like passionfruit, peaches, and plums, as well as several types of flowers
Strains:
- Amnesia Haze,
- Afghani,
- Headband,
- Lavender,
- Great White Shark,
- Island Sweet Skunk,
- OG Shark, and
- Master Kush
Delta 3 Carene
Flavor / Aroma – Piney / earthy, a little lemony. Delta 3 carene, specifically, is also produced by basil, bell pepper, cedar, pine, and rosemary
Medicinal Uses – Studies have found Delta 3 Carene to be an effective anti inflammatory. It is also known to dry fluids like tears, running noses–helloOo cotton mouth and redeye (what have you been doing on your work break?). It can help arthritis, bursitis, fibromyalgia, and other conditions resulting from systemic inflammation. Experts remain hopeful in terpenes’ ability to aid in bone repair for conditions like osteoporosis and osteoarthritis or repair after injury or malnutrition.
Strains:
- OG Kush
- Gorilla Glue #4
- Jack Herer
- Ak-47
- Permafrost
Borneol
Flavor / Aroma – Earthy and like camphor.
Medicinal Uses – Borneol can be used as an analgesic, anti-insomnia, anti-septic, and bronchodilator. It can also be an effective natural bug repellant.
Strains:
- K-13
- Goo
- Orange Haze
- The Hog
- Venom OG
Camphene
Flavor / Aroma – Herbal.
Medicinal Uses – Camphene has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and antibiotic characteristics. It can also be found in turpentine, cypress oil, camphor oil, citronella
Strain – One study seems to show that camphene occurs frequently in heavier indica strains.
- Ghost OG,
- Strawberry Banana,
- Mendocino Purps
Eucalyptol
Flavor / Aroma – Spicy. Eucalyptol is used as a cooking spice and fragrance.
Medicinal Uses – Can be effective in removing mucus from airways, reduce asthma symptoms. Eucalyptol is used in a variety of products including cough suppressants, mouthwash, and body powder. Can also be found in bay leaves, tea tree, sweet basil, rosemary, common sage, and other aromatic plant foliage.
Strains – Some cannabis strains contain eucalyptol, however, it is typically in very small amounts. An analysis of Super Silver Haze showed .06% eucalyptol.
Caryophyllene
Flavor / Aroma – Hoppy. Cannabis and hops are basically cousins.
Medicinal Uses – Studies suggest that caryophyllene may help treat anxiety and depression.
Strain – Green House Seeds tested a hydroponic and a soil-grown specimen of Train Wreck. They found the soil grown cannabis contained .33% caryophyllene. The hydronic only contained .07% caryophyllene.
Terpineol
Flavor / Aroma – Pine, clove. Also occurs in pine trees, lime blossoms, and lilacs.
Medicinal Uses – Studies suggest cannabis-extracted terpineol contains antioxidant properties. Antibiotic, antioxidant, anti-tumor, sedative, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, and anxiolytic
Strain – A marijuana testing lab claims terpineol is a unique terpene found in
- Jack Herer and Jack crossbreeds,
- Girl Scout Cookies, and
- OG Kush
Note: Not every batch of any given strain will have high levels of these terpenes as they are subjected to variable growing conditions. The only way to be sure is through a lab’s terpene analysis.