What are terpenes?
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.
What do they do?
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.
For example, they might explain why two different strains with the same level of THC produce such different experiences.
Do they get you high?
Terpenes won’t make you feel high in the traditional sense. Still, some are considered to be psychoactive, because they affect the brain.
While terpenes aren’t intoxicating on their own, some think they may impact the effects of THC, the cannabinoid responsible for the high feeling from cannabis.
Many cannabis connoisseurs and budtenders say that consumers place far too much emphasis on THC content when choosing a strain. Instead, they recommend focusing more on certain terpene profiles to get their desired effects.
For example, preliminary research suggests that some terpenes could have potential benefits for certain mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder.
While terpenes aren’t intoxicating on their own, some think they may impact the effects of THC, the cannabinoid responsible for the high feeling from cannabis.
Many cannabis connoisseurs and budtenders say that consumers place far too much emphasis on THC content when choosing a strain. Instead, they recommend focusing more on certain terpene profiles to get their desired effects.
For example, preliminary research suggests that some terpenes could have potential benefits for certain mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder.
How do they compare to THC and CBD?
THC and CBD are just two of over 100 cannabinoids found in cannabis, however they are the two most abundant cannabinoids and the most well studied.
Both cannabinoids and terpenes can give you some clues about what to expect from a cannabis product, but they’re two different compounds.
That said, they all appear to interact with each other in what experts call the “entourage effect.” This is the hypothesis that the “full spectrum” of cannabis, including all the cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds found in cannabis, work synergistically to produce the sensations and effects of cannabis.
In other words, it’s a hypothesis that a little bit of everything might have more benefit than a lot of one thing.
A 2010 study, for example, showed that a combination of CBD and THC was more effective for pain management than THC alone.
In a 2018 study, breast cancer tumors in a Petri dish responded better to a cannabis extract than pure THC on its own. But those synergistic effects were believed to be mainly attributed to other cannabinoids and not terpenes.
This is important to consider if you’re using CBD for therapeutic purposes. If you use a CBD isolate (a product that contains only CBD) and find it doesn’t have your desired effect, it might be worth trying a full-spectrum CBD product, which will also contain terpenes and other cannabinoids, including small amounts of THC.
Learn more about isolate vs. full-spectrum CBD.
Both cannabinoids and terpenes can give you some clues about what to expect from a cannabis product, but they’re two different compounds.
That said, they all appear to interact with each other in what experts call the “entourage effect.” This is the hypothesis that the “full spectrum” of cannabis, including all the cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds found in cannabis, work synergistically to produce the sensations and effects of cannabis.
In other words, it’s a hypothesis that a little bit of everything might have more benefit than a lot of one thing.
A 2010 study, for example, showed that a combination of CBD and THC was more effective for pain management than THC alone.
In a 2018 study, breast cancer tumors in a Petri dish responded better to a cannabis extract than pure THC on its own. But those synergistic effects were believed to be mainly attributed to other cannabinoids and not terpenes.
This is important to consider if you’re using CBD for therapeutic purposes. If you use a CBD isolate (a product that contains only CBD) and find it doesn’t have your desired effect, it might be worth trying a full-spectrum CBD product, which will also contain terpenes and other cannabinoids, including small amounts of THC.
Learn more about isolate vs. full-spectrum CBD.
Common terpenes and their effects
- There are about 400 known terpenes in cannabis, but experts have only linked a handful of them to specific effects.
- Here are some common terpenes and their potential effects:
- Beta-caryophyllene. A major ingredient in cloves, rosemary, and hops, beta-caryophyllene could be beneficial for managing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- Beta-pinene. If you’ve strolled through a coniferous forest, you know the smell of beta-pinene, which could also have potentially both anti-depressant and anti-cancer properties.
- Humulene. This terpene is found in ginseng, which has long been used in folk medicine for energizing effects.
- Limonene. One of the most commonly found terpenes, limonene has distinct citrus notes and may potentially have anti-cancer properties. In mice, it’s been shown to have anti-anxiety properties.
Sources Cited The “Entourage Effect”: Terpenes Coupled with Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Mood Disorders and Anxiety DisordersSari Goldstein Ferber, Dvora Namdar, Danielle Hen-Shoval, Gilad Eger, Hinanit Koltai, Gal Shoval, Liat Shbiro, Aron WellerCurr Neuropharmacol. 2020 Feb; 18(2): 87–96. Published online 2020 Feb. doi: 10.2174/1570159X17666190903103923PMCID: PMC7324885
Blasco-Benito S, Seijo-Vila M, Caro-Villalobos M, Tundidor I, Andradas C, García-Taboada E, Wade J, Smith S, Guzmán M, Pérez-Gómez E, Gordon M, Sánchez C. Appraising the "entourage effect": Antitumor action of a pure cannabinoid versus a botanical drug preparation in preclinical models of breast cancer. Biochem Pharmacol. 2018 Nov;157:285-293. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2018.06.025. Epub 2018 Jun 27. PMID: 29940172.
Johnson JR, Burnell-Nugent M, Lossignol D, Ganae-Motan ED, Potts R, Fallon MT. Multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study of the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of THC:CBD extract and THC extract in patients with intractable cancer-related pain. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2010 Feb;39(2):167-79. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2009.06.008. Epub 2009 Nov 5. PMID: 19896326.
Kate Robertson - Medically reviewed by Jeffrey Chen, MD, MBA. Cannabis 101: What’s the Deal with Terpenes? Published online 2021May Healthline.com