What Are Cannabis Terpenes and What Do They Do?

Updated 4/30/18

There’s something about the aroma of cannabis that soothes the mind and body. Whether it’s the sweet fruity taste of Pineapple Trainwreck or that skunky smell that bursts from a cracked bud of Sour Diesel, we know there’s something going on under their complex and flavorful bouquets.

Terpenes are what you smell, and knowing what they are will deepen your appreciation of cannabis whether you’re a medical patient or recreational consumer.

What Are Cannabis Terpenes?

Secreted in the same glands that produce cannabinoids like THC and CBD, terpenes are aromatic oils that color cannabis varieties with distinctive flavors like citrus, berry, mint, and pine.

Terpenes play a key role in differentiating the effects of various cannabis strains. Some terpenes promote relaxation and stress-relief, while others promote focus and acuity.

Not unlike other strong-smelling plants and flowers, the development of terpenes in cannabis began for adaptive purposes: to repel predators and lure pollinators. There are many factors that influence a plant’s development of terpenes, including climate, weather, age and maturation, fertilizers, soil type, and even the time of day.

Over 100 different terpenes have been identified in the cannabis plant, and every strain tends toward a unique terpene type and composition. In other words, a strain like Cheese and its descendants will likely have a discernible cheese-like smell, and Blueberry offspring often inherit the smell of berries.

The diverse palate of cannabis flavors is impressive enough, but arguably the most fascinating characteristic of terpenes is their ability to interact synergistically with other compounds in the plant, like cannabinoids. In the past few decades, most cannabis varieties have been bred to contain high levels of THC, and as a result, other cannabinoids like CBD have fallen to just trace amounts. This has led many to believe that terpenes play a key role in differentiating the effects of various cannabis strains.

Each individual terpene is associated with unique effects. Some promote relaxation and stress-relief, while others promote focus and acuity. Linalool, for example, is believed to be relaxing whereas limonene elevates mood.

The effect profile of any given terpene may change in the presence of other compounds in a phenomenon known as the entourage effect. More research is needed to understand each terpene’s effect when used in harmony with others.

Their differences can be subtle, but terpenes can add great depth to the horticultural art and connoisseurship of cannabis. Most importantly, terpenes may offer additional medical value as they mediate our body’s interaction with therapeutic cannabinoids.

Many cannabis analysis labs now test terpene content, so you may have a better idea of what effects a strain might produce. With their unlimited combinations of synergistic effects, terpenes will certainly open up new scientific and medical terrains for cannabis research.

Most Common Cannabis Terpenes

terpene weed chart — Click to enlarge. (Elysse Feigenblatt/Leafly)

Alpha-Pinene

weed terpene pinene — Click to enlarge. (Elysse Feigenblatt)

Aroma: Pine

Vaporizes At: 311ºF (155ºC)

Potential Effects: Alertness, memory retention, counteracts some THC effects

Potential Medical Value: Treatment of asthma, pain, inflammation, ulcers, anxiety, cancer

Also Found in: Pine needles, rosemary, basil, parsley, dill

Myrcene

Aroma: Cardamom, cloves, musky, earthy, herbal

Vaporizes At: 332ºF (167ºC)

Potential Effects: Sedating “couchlock” effect, relaxing

Potential Medical Value: Antioxidant; treatment of insomnia, pain, and inflammation

Also Found in: Mango, lemongrass, thyme, hops

Limonene

Aroma: Citrus

Vaporizes At: 348ºF (176ºC)

Potential Effects: Elevated mood, stress relief

Potential Medical Value: Treatment of anxiety, depression, inflammation, pain, and cancer

Also Found in: Fruit rinds, rosemary, juniper, peppermint

Beta-Caryophyllene

weed terpene caryophyllene — Click to enlarge. (Elysse Feigenblatt)

Aroma: Pepper, spicy, woody, cloves

Vaporizes At: 266ºF (130ºC)

Potential Effects: Stress relief

Potential Medical Value: Treatment of pain, anxiety/depression, ulcers

Also Found in: Black pepper, cloves, cinnamon

Linalool

Aroma: Floral

Vaporizes At: 388ºF (198ºC)

Potential Effects: Mood enhancement, sedation

Potential Medical Value: Treatment of anxiety, depression, insomnia, pain, inflammation, and neurodegenerative disease

Also Found in: Lavender

Humulene

Aroma: Hops, woody, earthy

Vaporizes At: 222ºF (106ºC)

Potential Medical Value: Anti-inflammatory

Also Found in: Hops, coriander, cloves, basil

Ocimene

Aroma: Sweet, herbal, and woody

Vaporizes At: 122ºF (50ºC)

Potential Medical Value: Antiviral, anti-fungal, antiseptic, decongestant, antibacterial

Also Found in: Mint, parsley, pepper, basil, mangoes, orchids, and kumquats

Terpinolene

Aroma: Piney, floral, and herbal

Vaporizes At: 366ºF (186ºC)

Potential Effects: Relaxing

Potential Medical Value: Antioxidant, sedative, antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-cancer

Also Found in: Nutmeg, tea tree, conifers, apples, cumin, and lilacs

terpenes

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More Resources on Terpenes

Cannabis 101 Infographic: What Are Cannabis Terpenes?

Cannabis 101 How to Customize Your Cannabis High With Temperature

Science & Tech The Future of Cannabis May Lie in Terpene Isolation

Cannabis 101 Why Low Temperatures Are So Important for Dabbing

Adrian Medina

I’ve recently quit smoking and switched to vaping as I know I’m wasting a lot of money burning up my thc. It is clear that vaping is healthier and more efficient and I can consume less and achieve the same high, however I recently got into using terepenes in my bud, like adding essential oils to my Vape or finding that special mango flavored weed.

I notice without the terpenes the high is less and crappy.

I notice with that I’m way more chill and less anxious.

However reading online and in this article don’t these terpenes do most of marijuanas job alone without the cannabinoids??

I know they won’t get rid of pain but it seems to do everything else THC and CBD can do. I will be doing my own experiments but I’m curious as to what anyone out there knows about this??

I know aromatherapy has been used for many years and is proven to work, and I’m first hand experience as soon as I open those essential oil bottles I have had lying around for months, it made me very chill. Accidentally had a drop on my finger and decided to eat it lol, bad idea it burned. Had some honey and that was fixed. Put some on my pillow, bed and recliner and my room smells so dank of lemons it’s very relaxing and makes it easy to breathe.

Also put it in my Vape (only use DISTILLED PURE essential oils as they contain no chemicals or lipids). It’s vaping amazing, tastes great and requires very few drops. 3-5 per 15 ml or so. As far if anyone’s wondering on the safety of this, it is, I’ve heard people doing it for over a year and no problems, no fires, no explosions, and definitely no health issues, in fact reports of better lungs and better quality of life.

Onwards to my real question tho

Can terpenes/aromatherapy be an effective alternative to Cannabis if I don’t want to use it for pain relief and just want the stress free happy feeling that can be made to put me to sleep? I mean it even says anti bacterial, anti fungal, and anti cancer. lol. I have all these terpenes available in my essential oil blends so I’m like I don’t need the pain relief as I’m ok and it won’t save me hundreds more than just switching to vaping, which saved me thousands no kidding.

I probably will continue using Marijuana for its medicinal benefits but now I’m learning that even limonene can give you a psychedelic trip, and we make our own cannabinoids so I’m left thinking. Wtf was weed for again?

Lol it’s not like I didn’t know there were alternatives, I just didn’t think it would be this easy, OR that I had it lying around in my house lmao. I bought these essential oils way back to make water topical that I can use, which is fail don’t do it. Tried in the Vape but put too much and the Vape e juice was garbage leftovers mixed together. So no don’t do that either. Altho it made crap into okay Vape.

Being that I knew there were alternatives I didn’t think of aromatherapy. I was thinking more on the lines of other herbs like valerian which I had no success with, it works to numb pain and put you to sleep but I was very anxious and irritated due to the crazy tripping it makes you do. Also tastes HORRIBLE. Tried vitamin supplements only to hurt my liver….. And then tried eating healthier only to learn fat and sugar and caffeine makes me relax lmao.

So I tried other things because weed was too expensive for me, but it was no where near the same. And I ain’t curing cancer with some b vitamins and valerian. Lol

So to learn all this from you guys and online is a shock there is alternatives.

Am I reading the article wrong tho? Are you saying these terpenes do this on its own or in conjunction with the cannabinoids from marijuana?

Sorry for the rant 😛
- Bailey Rahn
  
  Hey Adrian! So terpenes do offer medicinal attributes on their own, but studies have shown that they do work synergistically with cannabinoids. This is a fantastic read from Dr. Ethan Russo on cannabis terpenes, and I’m sure it will answer a lot of your questions if you haven’t seen this already: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3165946/
  
  Cannabinoids, however, play a vital role in the therapeutic properties of cannabis — they’re capable of functions terpenes cannot possibly perform due to the system of receptors they bind to. If you haven’t read much on the endocannabinoid system (ECS) yet, I definitely recommend doing so. It’ll help you understand just how unique and beneficial cannabinoids can be, especially for patients with particular chemical deficiencies: https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/cannabinoids-101-what-makes-cannabis-medicine/
  
  But you’re totally right — cannabis products lacking terpenes aren’t the same at all! I’ve noticed this personally with concentrates that strip out almost everything but the THC. The two types of compounds work together in really incredible ways, and it’s so exciting to see new products and technologies coming out that harness the power of those synergies. 🙂
  - Adrian Medina
    
    Thanks Bailey! That was a good long in depth read with many sources lmao, so I feel secure that the knowledge I just gained was in fact truthful and well researched. Thanks for that. I will continue my experiment and vlog about it on YouTube, feel free to check out my YouTube, the channel is my name. I definitely won’t smoke anymore as I just smoked 2 grams of hash to the face and I feel nothing unfortunately but as soon as I hit the terpenes in my Vape I was uplifted and invigorated, much like they describe cannabis is supposed to do. It did have the same terpenes but not dank like my Vape lol.
- Jeannine Varner
  
  Adrian Madina………Which flavor made the room smell like lemons? Would an essn’t oil do the same?

What Are Cannabis Terpenes and What Do They Do?

What Are Cannabis Terpenes?