The entourage effect, not THC, is the main indicator of cannabis potency, according to a new study

A new study concludes that whole-plant Cannabis products produce stronger and longer-lasting effects than products composed almost exclusively of THC. The research provides further evidence for the existence of the’entourage effect, a principle according to which cannabis compounds are more effective in synergy than taken one by one.

The study was conducted by independent cannabis research company Zentrela, with the support of the PAX cannabis brand.

«Consumers looking for psychoactive effects generally buy cannabis products based on THC, which is a bit skewed,» said Brian Witlin, vice president of product development at PAX, in a statement from the two companies.

«In the spirit of continuing to advance cannabis research and understanding of the plant - which has been far too limited for far too long - we wanted to demonstrate through scientific study how the full-spectrum products with the full range of terpenes and cannabinoids have a deeper impact on the beginning and end of the cannabis experience. We hope this kind of information will help consumers understand that buying products based on THC percentage alone is not the primary indicator of the expected experience.»

Full spectrum vs. distillate

The study compared the effects of two different inhalable cannabis products with similar THC contents. The first was a Live Rosin pod from Blue Dream with 85% THC plus additional natural cannabinoids and terpenes, while the second was a cannabis distillate with 82-85 % THC, the PAX High Purity THC in Berry Gelato. Both products were delivered as a pod for PAX Era, a vaporizer that works with pre-filled extraction cartridges.

The study also used a new electroencephalogram (EEG) headset from Zentrela that quantifies the user's psychoactive experience during cannabis consumption.

To conduct the study, the researchers first took a baseline reading of the 28 study participants before they consumed cannabis. Participants then took two doses (eight milligrams) of full-spectrum concentrate or cannabis distillate using a PAX vaporizer, and the EEG device was used to monitor brainwave activity in eight brain regions (right and left sides of the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobes) over a 90-minute period.

Computer-assisted data analysis was then used to «convert EEG tests into psychoactive effect levels (PELs) on a standardized scale ranging from 0 to 100%», according to a Zentrela research report. Further analysis yielded aggregate data for each group of participants.

Research has shown that the effects of live rosin started working after about three minutes, with higher potency readings at the beginning (20.8 %), at the peak after 15 minutes (40 %) and after 90 minutes (30.2 %). In comparison, cannabis distillate began to act in around four minutes, with a potency of 13.5 %, a peak potency of 19.1 % and a potency of 18.1 % after 90 minutes.

«The first group showed a significantly faster and more powerful psychoactive response than the second group,» write the researchers.

The study's key findings suggest that full-spectrum, whole-plant products produce a statistically faster onset of effects and more than double the psychoactive experience compared to distillate with comparable levels of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The researchers attribute this difference to the entourage effect caused by the presence of additional compounds in whole plant extracts, notably phytocannabinoids and terpenes.

«It is possible that the complex interaction of these compounds contributes to the increased psychoactive effect observed [...] and suggests that THC alone is not the only factor contributing to potency,» the researchers write in their conclusion.

The study's authors called for further research, including brainwave studies to validate and consolidate the findings. Future studies envisaged by the researchers «will also strive to quantify the action time and potency characteristics of [Pax Products], in order to improve understanding of the nuanced distinctions between the main cartridges offered by PAX,» according to the study authors.

The study has not yet been published or peer-reviewed.