11 terpenes you should know

Terpenes are a hot topic in the cannabis industry. As the source of a plant’s aromas and scents, the terps have long been used in aromatherapy and perfumery. However, it has recently been discovered that, in the case of cannabis, terpenes modulate the psychoactive effects of cannabinoids, particularly THC.

By mapping all of the terpenes, breeders and other cannabis "chemists" will likely be able to create new cannabis strains and tailor their terpene profiles while predicting the plant's effects.

There are tons of different terpenes in cannabis, but here are 11 you should know about.

Limonene

• Flavor: Lemon
• Medical uses: limonene can be used to promote weight loss, prevent and treat cancer, as well as bronchitis. It can also be added to creams to help it penetrate the skin more effectively
• Varieties: Super Lemon Haze, which gets its name from its lemony scent, produced by limonene

Myrcene

• Flavor: Earthy and musky with a hint of fruity notes
• Medical uses: Myrcene is an effective anti-inflammatory, sedative, and muscle relaxant. It may contribute to the sedative effect of Indica strains.
• Varieties: A Swiss study has shown that most varieties contain high levels of myrcene, with Lovrin 110—a variety of industrial hemp—reaching up to 651 ppm.

Linalool

• Flavor: Floral with a hint of spice. Linalool is found in many flowers, as well as in mint, cinnamon, and certain mushrooms.
• Medical uses: Linalool can be used as an anti-inflammatory and to help manage anxiety. A study suggests that linalool could be used to treat liver cancer.
• Varieties: Some Amnesia Haze plants contain 11% linalool

Alpha-bisabolol

• Flavor: Floral. Alpha-bisabolol is found in chamomile
• Medical uses: It can be used to heal wounds, fight bacteria, and as a deodorizer.
• Varieties: is found in a variety called Oracle, one of the The world's most expensive cannabis strains

Delta 3 Hull

• Flavor: A piney scent, with a hint of earthiness
• Medical uses: It also has anti-inflammatory properties. It is also known to reduce the flow of bodily fluids such as tears, nasal discharge, and menstrual flow
• Varieties: a study A study comparing 162 plants, including 80 distinct varieties, found carene in most of the samples

Borneol

• Flavor: Smell of camphor
• Medical uses: Borneol can be used as a pain reliever, sleep aid, antiseptic, and bronchodilator
• Varieties: Haze strains contain large amounts of borneol

Alpha-pinene / beta-pinene

• Flavor: The scent of pine. It is from this essential oil that pine trees derive their scent.
• Medical uses: anti-inflammatory properties
• Varieties: Out of 16 cannabis plants tested, 16 of them contained them in varying amounts

Eucalyptol

• Flavor: Spicy. Eucalyptol is used as a cooking spice and in the manufacture of perfumes
• Medical uses: Eucalyptol is used in a wide variety of products, including cough syrups and mouthwashes
• Varieties: Some cannabis strains contain eucalyptol, often in very small amounts. An analysis of Greenhouse’s Super Silver Haze showed 0.61% eucalyptol

Terpineol

• Flavor: Pine, clove
• Medical uses: antioxidant properties
• Varieties: A laboratory A cannabis study suggests that terpineol is a unique terpene found only in Jack Herer or its hybrids.

Caryophyllene

• Flavor: Hoppy. Hops and cannabis are practically cousins
• Medical uses: could help treat anxiety and depression
• Varieties: GreenHouse tested caryophyllene on Train Wreck grown hydroponically and in soil. The soil-grown strain contained 0.33% of caryophyllene, while the hydroponically grown strain contained only 0.07%.

Cinéole

• Flavor: Herbal
• Medical uses: Cineole has «anti-» properties: anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antiviral, and antinociceptive (reduces sensitivity to pain)
• Varieties: Super Silver Hazer is reported to contain 0.181% cineole

How can you increase the terpene content in cannabis?

There is still much to be learned about how to manipulate terpenes. Some methods rely on the use of horticultural molasses, on subjecting the plant to mild but regular stress, or on the use of « flavor enhancers«, with results that were more or less convincing.

The most likely approach is to intensify research and understanding of terpenes and then select specific strains based on the desired terpene profile.