Terpenes and cannabinoids are active chemical substances found in the cannabis plant that serve significant roles. Cannabinoids such as CBD and THC are mostly responsible for cannabis’s euphoric, therapeutic, and medical properties. Terpenes are lesser-known cannabis chemicals that are responsible for flavor and scent.
What are the effects of cannabinoids?
The bulk of the 100+ cannabinoids are not psychoactive like THC, but they do influence how your cells communicate inside the endocannabinoid system. This is significant because the endocannabinoid system governs a wide range of body processes and activities, including mood, hunger, sleep patterns, reproduction, memory, and pain sensitivity. Regardless of the connection between terpenes and cannabinoids. It is about the cannabinoids as independent chemicals.
When cannabinoids are introduced into the body, they can have a variety of pharmacological effects depending on how they interact with receptors. Cannabinoids have been shown in studies and anecdotal evidence to:
- Pain relief
- Inflammation should be reduced.
- Reduce anxiety and increase appetite
- alleviate nausea
- Reduce muscle seizures
- Tumor development should be slowed.
- Insomnia relief
Terpenes and their functions
Terpenes, which give cannabis its distinct scent and flavor, are unfamiliar to many casual enthusiasts. Terpenes have a molecular structure that is extremely similar to cannabinoids, and at least 200 of these chemicals have been detected in cannabis plants, however these aromatic molecules can also be found in the natural world of flora. And this despite the different role between terpenes and cannabinoids.
Cannabis terpenes are released by the plant’s resin glands and provide the varied scents associated with various strains such as mint, pine, coffee, berry, and citrus. Terpenes were created for the aim of flexibility. Plants release terpenes to attract pollinators and discourage carnivores and other environmental threats.
These volatile chemicals also contribute to the plant’s oxygenation and regeneration. While there are hundreds of cannabis terpenes, only a dozen are abundant enough to produce noticeable effects. Terpenes that have received the greatest attention are caryophyllene, myrcene, limonene, and pinene.
The interaction of terpenes and cannabinoids
When terpenes and cannabinoids combine in the human body, a synergistic effect known as the ‘entourage effect’ occurs. In other words, these two substances collaborate inside the endocannabinoid system to temper or increase the therapeutic capabilities and negative effects of the other.
A 2011 study on the effects of phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage on addiction, anxiety, depression, epilepsy, fungal infections, cancer, and other illnesses looked at the synergy. Researchers came to the conclusion that terpenes and cannabinoids may be complimentary, resulting in a broader and more promising range of therapeutic uses for cannabis extracts.
Terpene content varies significantly amongst cannabis strains. Working with an ISO 17025 approved cannabis testing facility like Cannabinoids Garden can help you discover a precise terpene profile.
Cannabinoids Garden can help you choose the best product for your needs.
The interaction of terpenes and cannabinoids, and how their synergy affects the euphoric and therapeutic properties of cannabis, is still being studied.
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