What are Cannabinoids and Terpene Profiles?
Ever wonder what is a Cannabinoid? Or searched for terpene profiles in weed flowers before?
Learn it all here!
Cannabinoids like CBD and THC are largely responsible for the psychoactive, therapeutic, and medicinal benefits of cannabis. As part of their natural chemistry, Terpenes are lesser-known compounds found in cannabis and are responsible for flavor and smell. So, What is Cannabiod and Terpene Profile? - Modern Canna Labs
What are Terpenes on cannabis strains?
Some cannabis sources define Terpenes are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in plants and some animals. They’re responsible for the aromas, flavors, and even colors associated with various types of vegetation. In terms of cannabis, terpenes are what make certain strains smell or taste different from others. cCannabis researchers and consumers alike are increasingly looking at terpenes as a way to classify cannabis products and predict their effects.
The main hypothesis is that the terpene profile — the dominant terpenes — of a strain work in tandem with the cannabinoid content — the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and other cannabinoids — to produce the effects people associate with different strains. - Healthline article about Terpenes
What effects do cannabinoids have?
There are over 100 known cannabinoid types, and not all produce the hallucinating effects of THC, but they do regulate how your cells communicate (the endocrinology system) in your body with the cannabinoid system.
This is important because the endocannabinoid system regulates a number of processes and bodily functions, including mood, appetite, sleep patterns, reproduction, memory, and pain sensation. - Cannabis Labs
When you introduce cannabinoids into the body, they can have different pharmacological effects. Research suggests that cannabinoids can:
Relieve pain
Reduce inflammation
Soothe anxiety
Stimulate appetite
Ameliorate nausea
Diminish muscle seizures
Slow tumor growth
Alleviate insomnia
What are Terpenes in Cannabis?
Terpenes are very similar to cannabinoids in their chemical structure, and at least 200 of these compounds have been identified in cannabis plants, though these aromatic molecules can be found elsewhere in the natural world of flora.
As part of the plant, terpenes emit the distinctive aromas like mint, pine, coffee, berry, and citrus that many users and bud enders associate with different strains.
Although many terpene profiles exist within cannabis, only about a dozen are sufficiently present to have noted effects. In most strain descriptions provided by growers or licensed retailers, you may find terpenes like caryophyllene, myrcene, limonene, and pinene.
The Relationship between Cannabiod and Terpene Profiles
When terpenes and cannabinoids interact in the human body, they produce a synergistic effect, more commonly known as the ‘entourage effect’. In other words, these two compounds work hand-in-hand within the endocannabinoid system to temper or enhance the other’s therapeutic properties and side effects.
A 2011 report on phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects looked into the synergy in regards to treating addiction, anxiety, depression, epilepsy, fungal infections, cancer, and other ailments. Researchers concluded that terpenes and cannabinoids may be complementary, with the upshot being a broadened and more promising scope of clinical applications for cannabis extracts.
Terpene composition shows great variations across different strains of cannabis. To identify a precise terpene profile, you’ll want to work with an ISO 17025 accredited cannabis testing lab like Modern Canna.
