\n<\/p>\n
Ten years ago, most cannabis consumers couldn\u2019t tell a terpene from a cannabinoid. But today things are different. Cannabis flower is categorized according to terpene profile. Product manufacturers add terp blends back into edibles and concentrates. Limonene is practically a household name.<\/p>\n
And for good reason. Sure, terpenes impart desirable flavors and aromas. They appear to be good for the body, as well.1 Now it turns out that some terpenes also may contribute to the cannabis high.<\/p>\n
A 2021 study2 by University of Arizona scientists concluded that certain terpenes are \u201ccannabimimetic\u201d (in a mouse model of cannabis intoxication) and can selectively enhance cannabinoid activity.<\/p>\n
And this month comes a brand-new paper in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology3 by Israeli researchers who report that three cannabis terpenes \u2014 at concentrations similar to those found in actual cannabis plants \u2014 significantly boost THC signaling at the CB1 receptor.<\/p>\n
Using an in vitro cellular model, the Israeli team compared CB1 receptor activation by 16 different cannabis terpenes to that of THC alone and to THC-terpene blends with a botanically relevant ratio of 10:1.<\/p>\n
When tested individually, all 16 terpenes activated CB1, at about 10% to 50% of activation of THC alone. This is notable in and of itself, though not a huge surprise. While their chemical structures differ quite a bit, terpenes and cannabinoids share key features; both belong to a larger group of plant compounds called terpenoids. In fact, cannabinoids are technically classified as \u201cterpeno-phenolic\u201d substances.<\/p>\n
Next, the researchers tested terpenes and THC together. What they found runs the gamut. In the cases of beta-pinene and geraniol, the mixtures actually produced a smaller effect than the sum of the individual parts, as if these terpenes negated some of THC\u2019s activity.<\/p>\n
For eight of the THC-terpene blends, including some of the most common cannabis terpenes \u2014 alpha-pinene, beta-caryophyllene, bisabolol, eucalyptol, humulene, myrcene, nerolidol, and terpinolene \u2014 CB1 activation equaled that of THC alone. The presence of the terpene seemed to make no difference.<\/p>\n
A 2021 study reports that some terpenes are \u201ccannabimimetic\u201d and can enhance cannabinoid activity.<\/p>\n
But with three other terpene-THC blends \u2014 linalool, ocimene, and terpineol \u2014 the researchers observed an additive effect, meaning that CB1 activity equaled the sum observed with THC and the terpene separately. In other words, if the terpene was a 3 and THC was a 7, the blend was a 10.<\/p>\n
Finally, three of the terpenes \u2014 limonene, borneol, and sabinene \u2014 produced a synergistic effect in combination with THC. In these cases, the whole was greater than the sum of its parts: an 11 or 12 rather than the expected 10.<\/p>\n
The researchers consider this latter point their most significant finding. It represents the first demonstration of THC-terpene synergism in an in vitro controlled setting, and lends the paper its title: \u201cSelected cannabis terpenes synergize with THC to produce increased CB1 receptor activation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Is this evidence of the fabled cannabis entourage effect? Strictly speaking, no, according to the paper\u2019s authors. They note that the term \u201centourage effect,\u201d as originally coined in a 1998 article in the European Journal of Pharmacology,4 refers to cases where compounds that don\u2019t directly bind to CB1 or CB2 nonetheless boost the activity of the endocannabinoid system.<\/p>\n
Since terpenes do activate CB1, this doesn\u2019t fit with the original concept of the entourage effect. \u201cGiven that cannabis terpenes demonstrate direct agonism at CB1 receptor,\u201d the authors contend, \u201cTHC-terpene effects are beyond the classical definition of entourage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Semantics aside, the paper\u2019s fundamental findings around THC-terpene interactions, at ratios similar to those in the cannabis plant and at very low terpene concentrations, could have significant implications for both future research and real-world cannabis use.<\/p>\n
The simple fact that different terpenes can modify THC activity in different ways seems worthy of attention on its own, but the authors put particular emphasis on their discovery of a synergistic effect for limonene, borneol, and sabinene. While limonene is among the most common cannabis terpenes, borneol is less so, and sabinene is rarer still. As a result, they suggest that these terpenes could be intentionally added to cannabis extracts to maximize effectiveness of their THC content.<\/p>\n
Terpenes could be added to cannabis extracts to maximize the effectiveness of their THC content.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe use of selected terpenes may enable reducing the THC dose in some treatments, and as a result, potentially minimizing the THC-related adverse effects,\u201d they conclude. \u201cThis would also help in adjusting the treatment to more sensitive populations such as children and elderly.\u201d<\/p>\n
The authors continue, \u201cEnrichment with selected terpenes may allow for composition adjustment to personal needs and to changes during chronic use, such as for daytime versus for sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of course, these statements are speculative and not necessarily supported by clinical research. They also smack a bit of marketing-speak, which is not surprising given that four of the authors are employees of the Bazelet Group, a medical cannabis manufacturer in Israel that boasts of using a \u201cbreakthrough technology\u201d to \u201cformulate specific desired [cannabinoid-terpene formulations] to supply enhanced therapeutic effect in various medical conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n
As always in cannabis science and medicine, the real world is far more complex than the lab, and preclinical findings don\u2019t always translate into lived experience. But at the very least, the study provides further evidence of interactions between terpenes, cannabinoids, and the endocannabinoid system \u2014 something Project CBD will explore further in a subsequent article on beta-caryophyllene, the \u201csuper terpene.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nate Seltenrich, Project CBD contributing writer, is the author of the column\u00a0Bridging the Gap.\u00a0An independent science journalist based in the San Francisco Bay Area, he covers\u00a0a wide range of subjects, including environmental health, neuroscience, and pharmacology. \u00a9 Copyright, Project CBD. May not be reprinted without\u00a0permission.<\/p>\n
Cox-Georgian, Destinney et al. \u201cTherapeutic and Medicinal Uses of Terpenes.\u201d Medicinal Plants: From Farm to Pharmacy 333\u2013359. 12 Nov. 2019, doi:10.1007\/978-3-030-31269-5_15<\/p>\n
LaVigne, Justin E et al. \u201cCannabis sativa terpenes are cannabimimetic and selectively enhance cannabinoid activity.\u201d Scientific reports vol. 11,1 8232. 15 Apr. 2021, doi:10.1038\/s41598-021-87740-8<\/p>\n
Raz, Noa et al. \u201cSelected cannabis terpenes synergize with THC to produce increased CB1 receptor activation.\u201d Biochemical pharmacology vol. 212 (2023): 115548. doi:10.1016\/j.bcp.2023.115548<\/p>\n
Ben-Shabat, S et al. \u201cAn entourage effect: inactive endogenous fatty acid glycerol esters enhance 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol cannabinoid activity.\u201d European journal of pharmacology vol. 353,1 (1998): 23-31. doi:10.1016\/s0014-2999(98)00392-6<\/p><\/div>\n
Smyth in Lowell is the go-to in Lawrence, MA<\/a> for recreational use products.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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