The Benefits of Terpenes

Terpenes are the aroma compounds in cannabis, and their medical benefits in people are mostly unproven; our earlier post covers cannabinoids, the main active compounds.

But cannabinoids aren’t the only interesting chemical compounds inside the cannabis plant.  There’s another class of compounds that shapes how cannabis smells and tastes, and researchers are studying whether it also changes how cannabis works.

They’re called terpenes. They give plants their smell, and some act on cells in lab and animal studies, but their medical benefits in people are mostly unproven.

Researchers ask whether terpenes change how cannabinoids act, but that has not been shown in people.

In this post, we’ll be tackling the benefits of terpenes and six common terpenes you should know. Knowing them helps you read a lab label, though no terpene profile is proven to make a product more effective.

Terpenes: A Brief Introduction

Many plant species, including marijuana, produce terpenes as part of their overall survival strategy.

Terpenes give various plants their specific odors and flavors.  Citrus fruits, herbs and many other plants all smell and taste the way they do because of terpenes.  Oranges, mangoes, ginger, eucalyptus and pine needles are examples.

Therefore, if you just can’t get enough of the smell and flavor of your favorite marijuana strain, whether it’s Cheese, Bubba Kush or White Widow, you probably have terpenes to thank for that.

Terpenes also have biological effects in lab and animal studies, though medical benefits in people are mostly unproven.

Terpenes and “the Entourage Effect”

Cannabinoids and terpenes are both produced in the trichomes of the marijuana plant.  Some researchers think they work together, an idea known as “the entourage effect,” which has not been proven in people.

Lab studies are still sorting out whether terpenes act on cannabinoid receptors: beta-caryophyllene binds the CB2 receptor, and a 2026 cell study found several terpenes partly activated CB1 and CB2.

Claims that terpenes help cannabinoids cross the blood-brain barrier or work faster have not been shown in people.

Some terpenes affect brain signaling in animal studies, such as linalool acting through GABA receptors in mice, but no study shows that terpenes explain differences in mood between strains.

Sativas, Indicas and Terpenes

If you use medical marijuana on a regular basis, then you’re probably familiar with the two main types of marijuana: sativas and indicas.

Sativas are often described as energizing, what many call a “cerebral high,” but a 2022 study found that sativa and indica labels do not consistently match a product’s chemistry. THC from any type can impair driving and work.

Indicas are often described as more sedating. They have not been shown to treat pain, insomnia or anxiety better than other types, and any sedating product is a reason not to drive.

So why do sativas and indicas seem to feel so different?

A popular answer is terpenes.

We’re talking specifically about the terpene known as myrcene.  The claim is that cannabis above a set myrcene level causes indica’s “couchlock,” but we found no published study that supports a cutoff, and the 2022 study found that labels do not reliably track chemistry.

For a sativa or an indica alike, the THC and CBD content on the lab label tells you far more about potency than any terpene percentage.

6 Terpenes You Should Know About

Now let’s examine the benefits of terpenes by profiling these 6 terpenes that might show up in your medical marijuana products.  Like we said earlier, if you know the terpene profile of a marijuana strain, you know more about its aroma and flavor, though not whether it will work better for you.

1. Myrcene

Flavor profile: Earthy, musky, some citrus flavors

Found in: Citrus fruits, mangos, eucalyptus, lemongrass

Research areas (mostly lab and animal studies):

• Anti-inflammatory
• Pain relief
• Sedative
• Said to speed up cannabinoids’ effects (unproven)

2.  Limonene

Flavor Profile: Citrusy, fruity

Found In: Citrus fruits, pine needles, rosemary, juniper and peppermint

Research areas (mostly lab and animal studies):

• Mood effects in animal studies
• Anti-anxiety
• Anti-fungal
• Anti-bacterial

3.  Linalool

Flavor profile: Sweet, flowery

Found in: Lavender

Research areas (mostly lab and animal studies):

• Anti-bacterial
• Antidepressant-like effects in animals
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antiviral
• Anticonvulsive
• Sedative

4.  Caryophyllene

Flavor profile:  woody, peppery, spicy

Found in: hops, black pepper, clove

Research areas (mostly lab and animal studies):

• Antibacterial
• Antifungal
• Anti-inflammatory (in mice, through CB2 receptors)
• Antiproliferative (in lab cells only; not a cancer treatment)

5.  Humulene

Flavor profile: hoppy, like the hops used in beer.