The terpenes found in the cannabis plant are directly responsible for both the aroma and flavor of the flowers you consume. Furthermore, several recent scientific studies have shown that these cannabis terpenes also play a complementary, synergistic role with the various phytocannabinoids contained in the plant, particularly in terms of their effects.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the importance of the presence and influence of the various terpenes in cannabis.
What are the terpenes in cannabis?
This is a topic that is currently raising many questions within the international cannabis community, and with good reason. From a chemist’s perspective, cannabis terpenes are simply composed of a molecular repeating unit called isoprene, consisting of five carbon atoms. This molecular structure directly influences the aromatic and flavor properties of all plants that produce them. But that’s not all, as it has recently been discovered that terpenes are capable of generating beneficial symbiotic interactions with the phytocannabinoids present in the cannabis.
We can mention here the " entourage effect ," as has already been observed in the analysis of a multitude of strains with diverse and varied cannabinoid profiles. Today, the antagonism of CBD on THC has been clearly and formally demonstrated scientifically. More specifically, this means that if a cannabis strain contains THC and CBD, even in unequal proportions, CBD has the ability to counteract the effects produced by THC. It seems incredible, and yet it is a fact.
All of this is to help you understand that, depending on the phytocannabinoid and terpene profile of any given cannabis plant, its aroma, taste, and effects will be shaped by the composition of these compounds. All of this creates interactive mechanisms between these different elements, leading to significant variations in the properties mentioned. It is precisely this great diversity that offers us multiple possibilities, the various benefits of which are still waiting to be discovered.
We're talking here about terpenes in cannabis, but in reality, we can find these same terpenes in many foods intended for human consumption, particularly in fruits, vegetables, spices, and herbs.
-There are three main categories used to classify phytoterpenes:
1) Primary monoterpenes: these are composed of two isoprene units, or in other words, two blocks of five units. The best-known monoterpenes are myrcene, alpha-pinene (α-pinene), limonene, beta-caryophyllene (β-caryophyllene), terpinolene, and ocimene.
2) Secondary terpenes or sesquiterpenes: these are composed of 15 carbon atoms. The sesquiterpenes most commonly found in cannabis are carene (delta-3-carene), caryophyllene oxide, fenchone, humulene, linalool, eucalyptol, bisabolol, nerolidol (or peruviole), alpha-phellandrene (α-phellandrene), camphene, beta-pinene (β-pinene), alpha, beta, and γ-terpinene (α-β-γ-terpinene), farnesene, and terpinol.
3) Tertiary terpenes, or those found in small quantities in the cannabis plant, include: borneol, guaiol, cedrene, camphor, phytol, geranyl acetate, pulegone, cymene, and isopulegol (menthyl acetate).
What role do terpenes play in the cannabis plant?
The production of terpenes in a cannabis plant is always concentrated in its flowers. This makes perfect sense, since the flowers are, in a way, the plant’s “precious fruits.” Terpenes, in addition to phytocannabinoids—which are also located and produced in the same place, namely within the glandular trichomes—serve a protective function against potential threats from bacteria, fungi, insects, and many other environmental stressors.
Both the concentration and the composition of the terpene profile expressed by each plant vary significantly, depending on the specific genetics and associated growing conditions. In addition to their repellent effect against the various pests mentioned earlier, terpenes also serve to attract pollinating insects, thereby facilitating plant reproduction. For a given strain, various factors can cause variations in the production of these compounds, such as: climate, the duration of the maturation period, fertilizers, the growing medium, and the time of day when harvesting takes place.
All of this suggests that the terpene composition of a cannabis plant is virtually unique, based on observations of these various variations. However, the aromatic profile of a group of plants from the same strain shows strong similarities and thus allows for the concrete identification of the cultivated strain. This is because the terpene combination between the parents of the same genetics is strongly marked, like a distinctive olfactory fingerprint. This is why we can easily distinguish an Amnesia Lemon from a L.A. Vanilla Cake, for example.
Terpenes and cannabinoids: a symbiotic relationship.
Many people believe that the terpenes in cannabis play a direct role in the production of cannabinoids, considering that the latter are composed of terpene building blocks and phenolic groups.
A correlation between terpene and cannabinoid levels appears to have been found in a study conducted under standard cultivation conditions. This could explain the high concentration of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, which form and accumulate within the glandular trichomes where cannabinoids are produced.
How are cannabis essential oils extracted?
We can extract cannabis essential oil using a traditional steam distillation method. The steam passes through the plant material, carrying away the essential oil from the cannabis plant because terpenes are water-soluble, unlike cannabinoids. This is why, when distilling cannabis, by removing only the terpenes, the essential oil ultimately obtained will produce no psychoactive effects.
The procedure is quite simple: simply place the cannabis in a test tube with water, then heat it so that the water turns into steam at a temperature of 100 °C. In this way, the terpenes are captured and carried by the steam to a second glass test tube, where they cool and liquefy again. In its liquid state, the collected essential oil containing the terpenes floats on top of the water, making it easy to separate the two liquids.
It is important to note that a large quantity of cannabis flowers is required to produce what is ultimately a relatively small amount of essential oil. This explains both its high cost and its limited availability on the market.
What are the different uses of cannabis essential oil?
Cannabis essential oil can be used for:
- Aromatherapy or in the development of a wide variety of cosmetic products (creams, lotions, soaps, massage oils, etc.)
- Enhancing the aroma and flavor while also optimizing the "entourage effect" of your flowers and cannabis extracts.
- The production of various food products (beverages and food).
