which terpenes are best for me?
From roses to oranges, cedar wood to cannabis—every natural scent contains a unique combination of terpenes (aka terps), and they all have different effects on our health and mood. In fact, these amazing molecules have a lot of special powers—some are powerful sedatives, some activate cannabinoid receptors in the body, and others are believed to increase the potency of THC at key receptors in the brain.
What does 'terps' even mean?
The phrase terps is shorthand for "terpenes"—pronounced tur-peens.
I've heard of indica and sativa—is that about terpenes?
Sativa and Indica are terms for how the plant grows, but they won't help explain how you're going to feel after consuming any given flower. If you want to understand cannabis, focus on the chemistry of terpenes and forget about indica/sativa.
The myth of indica/sativa—indica to chill and sativa to energize—has been largely debunked; the modern science point to the interaction between cannabinoids and terpenes as the true source of magic.
Since the production of cannabinoids like THC involves the combination of a phenol and a monoterpene, the presence of terps is a great indicator of potency. The total potency of a flower includes cannabinoids + terpenes and it's that chemical entourage that gives each strain a unique effect.
The entourage effect was first proposed in 2011 by Dr. Ethan Russo, in his study "Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects" and it has since been substantiated by a study from 2021 in Scientific Reports.
Understanding the chemistry of terpenes
There are more than 200 volatile compounds identified in cannabis flowers, and there are 58 monoterpenes and 38 sesquiterpenes.
Monoterpenes turn into vapor quickly and tend to dominate the aroma associated with many fruits & flowers, while sesquiterpenes are more durable and remain well-preserved during the drying and curing processes.
The essential oil of lavender contains 44% linalool while the essential oil of cannabis rarely exceeds 4% total terpenes.
Key Monoterpenes in Cannabis: limonene, β-myrcene, α-pinene, and linalool with traces of α-terpinolene and tran-ocimene.
Key Sesquiterpenes in Cannabis: caryophyllene, humulene, longifolene and germacrene
Which Terpenes Should I Care About the Most?
That's a big question, but we'll do our best to get straight to the truth:
If you want an indica feel, consider looking for strains with Linalool because it exhibits powerful sedative properties or beta-caryophyllene because it activates CB2 receptors and may help manage pain according to some research.
If you want a sativa feel, consider looking for ocimene or limonene because they tend to enhance mood and modulate THC activity in the brain.
How Many Terpenes Are in Cannabis?
The resin glands on female cannabis flowers contain as much as 6% terpenes, though its more often around 2%. Quality cannabis should have more than 1% Total Terpenes.
When looking at a terpene profile for any herb, you'll also notice the each terpene concentrations as they appear within the total sample. If you'd like to learn more about terpene testing for cannabis, we suggest this article from SC Labs in California.
Quick facts about cannabis and terpenes:
1) 30% THC and 3% TERPS is impressive
2) Total Terpene content indicates quality: they add potency & degrade quickly
3) Some terps increase THC potency, including linalool, ocimene, terpineol and especially limonene, borneol, and sabinene; beta-caryophyllene activates CB2.
How Terpenes Contribute to THC Potency
If you're interesting in selecting the perfect flower for your situation, you should understand how terpenes effect the potency of THC. Recent research described three categories of terpenes, depending on how they interacted with cannabinoids at the CB1 receptors in the brain:
1) no activity: alpha-pinene, beta-caryophyllene, bisabolol, eucalyptol, humulene, myrcene, nerolidol, and terpinolene do not increase THC activity.
2) add potency: linalool, ocimene, and terpineol
3) multiply potency: limonene, borneol, and sabinene
