Chemical origins of Skunk odor discovered

California-based ABSTRAX, which researches and produces cannabis and plant-derived terpenes, believes it has identified the chemicals responsible for Skunk's characteristic odor by discovering «an entirely new family of compounds responsible for this smell».

The researchers found volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) «directly correlated with the pungent aroma of cannabis». Among these compounds are familiar cannabis players: thiols, sulfides and even disulfides.

Each compound individually contributes to the characteristic aroma of skunk, But when combined with other aromatic compounds such as terpenes, the result is «the incomparable, powerful scent of cannabis».

Until now, it was thought that terpenes were associated with this particular smell. ABSTRAX claims, however, that 'no combination of these compounds can generate the unique and characteristic aroma of skunk».

«Just as cannaflavins are prenylated flavonoids found specifically in cannabis, some of these newly discovered «cannasulfuric compounds» also appear to be highly cannabis-specific prenylated VSCs,» said Oswald. «It's interesting to see a common chemical theme within entirely different classes of compounds produced by this plant.»

Sherbinski's Bacio Gelato, a CSV factory

By conducting indoor experiments to track the evolution of the compounds over the plant's life cycle and throughout the drying process, «we found that concentrations of these compounds increase dramatically during the last few weeks of flowering, peaking during drying, then dropping after just one week of storage», notes the study.

«Our data conclusively establish a link between this new family of VSCs in cannabis and its pungent aroma,» says lead author Dr. Iain Oswald.

Among the varieties studied, Bacio Gelato, the famous cultivar of Mario Guzman aka Sherbinski. The latter has the highest concentration of CSV measured in cannabis.

«This study was a real eye-opener for me,» says Mario Guzman. «It confirmed everything I thought about some of the cultivars I've bred, that they are among the strongest and most medical on the market. These compounds are the reason why Gelato and subsequent crosses are among the most sought-after».»

Calling this identification a first, ABSTRAX suggests that this new knowledge offers «the opportunity for researchers to investigate the properties of these new compounds». Given that only certain cultivars can produce these compounds, it could be interesting to investigate «whether this is due to genetic or other differences».

In the study, the authors point out that there is a chemical similarity between the newly identified family of VSCs and those found in garlic. This being the case, there may be «an opportunity to investigate their potential health benefits as well».

«These VSCs in garlic offer some of its greatest health benefits and suggest that VSCs in cannabis may also possess similar activity,» says Rosso. «I hope our results can serve as a springboard to help other researchers determine whether these compounds give cannabis even greater medicinal properties than we had imagined,» he adds.

These odorous compounds can also pass from the flower to the concentrates if the extraction is done properly. «We have confirmed that cannabis extracts can indeed contain these compounds in reasonable concentrations if processed correctly.», explains Kevin Koby, Scientific Director, ABSTRAX. .

Given all these findings, «we hope our results will set a new standard for growers and distributors to help preserve and protect these key compounds - regardless of the rigors of processing, packaging and shelf time,» Koby proposes. «Most importantly, it will help brands maximize their products and literally push cannabis quality to the next level,» he maintains.