עבריתTerpenes - more than just a scent, their effects on your mood and stress
- Sunday, August 6 2023 at 15:36
- Snir Mutzafi
- Cannabis 101
- 5 minutes
You know that feeling, right? When everything goes just right, the date looking good, the outfit is sharp, and the conversation? Flowing. And finally, it appears you’ve been through this crusade just to meet a regular bloody person, a holy grail in today’s day and age, then suddenly the scent hits like a bullet train, and all that first impression - vanishes - how the hell?
Terpenes are a secondary metabolite produced by Cannabis and other plants. They are the ingredients that provide the plants their natural distinct aroma, and in some instances, it can also relate to the plant's distinct taste.
You've most likely encountered them in the past in your everyday activities, without even recognizing their presence – if you ever peeled a citrus or curved into a plant - then you've met them without even knowing it, as they were responsible at part for the scent that immediately arose and caught your nose & the sticky sensation within your fingertips.
In cannabis, they are mainly stored in the trichomes (fine outgrowth or appendages coming out of the surface of the cannabis flowers to which the terpenes and active materials are produced) and usually makeup 3%-5% of the dry mass of cannabis. In this article, we will address the topic from the plant's perspective and the presumed significance to mankind - and thus to YOU!
Terpenes have yet to be fully investigated and mapped - from biological, biochemical & eco-chemical standpoints.
This stems from the vast array of terpenes as they exist in many different plants, and their function also relates to the indigenous environment of the plant and the unique taxonomy (description, identification, nomenclature, classification, properties & attributes of the organism) of the plants who produced them.
However, science has yet to fully investigate every single terpene within plants and their specific function, formation, concentration, biochemical structure & attributes, and their correlation with the surrounding wildlife and Ecochemical properties, And even though some terpenes are even presumed yet to be identified - there are some agreed alleged roles that terpenes most likely play within the plant:
1. Protection via scent 2. Protection via toxicity or taste 3. Attraction 4. Development Protection via scent
In some cases, terpenes are used to deter various pests and animals as some terpenes are volatile by nature. * Please note that the context of volatile in this case doesn't indicate their level of violence toward the pests but rather the chemical term which describes substance reaction of turning from a solid or liquid state into a vapor state easily.
Some terpenes are toxic to a certain degree to some insects and pests, and they may also involve a bitter taste and it is through those two properties or one of them that they protect the plant. Terpenes that possess those attributes are usually referred to as antifeedants.
Terpenes are used as a chemical signal to attract pollinating insects to the plant, so they may transfer pollen from the male plant (or the male part of the plant) to the female plant (or the female part of the plant) to initiate reproduction.
Certain terpenes are used by the plant as biochemical signal compounds for growth regulators as phytohormones (plant-based produced hormones).
Alleged medicinal attributes are mostly supported by animal studies or in-vitro studies (in-vitro meaning in glass. Used to describe studies performed on the microorganism, cells, or biological molecule level), however, there are a few clinical trials conducted on humans. A lot of the terpene's interaction and function with correlation to the human body is still to be discovered. So far, in-vitro & animal studies have shown prospects in terpene-based treatment for a vast array of conditions, ailments & deficiencies. Such presumed prospects have been observed in varying fields such as:
As explained, there are hundreds of different terpenes and they vary in concentration and presence in each strain of cannabis, we will review but a handful of the key terpenes and their alleged benefits in Cannabis:
Often described as possessing a very earthy, musky scent with a hint of citrus. Myrcene cab found abundantly in:
Industrially - It is used heavily in the cleaning industry and soap production and also features in many essential oils, home remedies & cosmetics. It is often attributed to a sedating effect, however, there are very few scientific backings that support this. One study that examined a combination of myrcene and barbiturates (which are sedating to an extent on their own) managed to confirm an increase in the sedating effect of the barbiturates but only at a very high dosage of Myrcene (200MG/1KG of the patient per day) This is virtually unachievable with the use of cannabis since it contains approximately 30-50 MG of total terpenes in each 1 gram. Another study on mice showed Myrcene to possess neuroprotective quality by reducing cardiac (heart) damage after cerebral ischemia (lack of oxygen to the brain) (though again... at very high doses).
Known for its sedating effect, found in herbs such as lavender, many use its oil as a sleep aider. A study on rats found it reduced anxiety & stress - suggesting it also as an anxiolytic prospect. Linalool can also be found in Basil, Thyme, citrus, and over 200 different plant species. In the past, lavender has been used in traditional medicine as a sedative.
Is defined by a strong citrus odor and can be found in Lemons (shocking, I know! Grapefruits, limes, Alleged attributes:
Defined by as spicy (Now you're talking my language) ONLY TREPEN KNOWN TO INTERACT WITH CB2 .) Alleged attributes:
So in conclusion.. terpenes may be a small part of the cannabis world and spectrum, but they are offering an interesting field for future research and trials to see how they can improve our quality of life.