Terpenes are the fragrant oils found in all sorts of herbs, fruits, and plants – including cannabis! Terpenes give candles and perfumes their aromas, and they give various cannabis strains their unique aromas, flavours, and effects.
Terpenes are found within the trichomes of cannabis; trichomes are the sticky crystals that contain and produce various cannabinoids and terpenes.
Cannabis plants contain around 200 terpenes. The following are some of the most common types, while other terpenes are found in trace amounts.
Pinene, Limonene, Caryophyllene, Myrcene, Linalool, Borneol, Delta-3- Carene, Geraniol, Eucalyptol, Humulene, Terpineol, and Nerolidol.
Each of the different terpenes offer their own beneficial effects. Some of the most common medicinal benefits of terpenes help with the treatment of inflammation, stress, pain, and insomnia.
It is important to not heat terpenes beyond their boiling points, as this may damage them and reduce their effectiveness. A carefully controlled vaporizer is ideal for reaping the maximum terpene benefits as well as their flavour. As we learn more about terpenes, cannabis experts are starting to move away from using the terms ‘indica’ and ‘sativa’ to categorize cannabis strains.
Instead strains are now being categorized by their terpene profile, as the terpene profile is the most reliable method of profiling the effects of strains.
These various terpenes have many effects and can be used for different treatments. For example, Pinene has been used in Chinese medicine for the treatment of cancer. Limonene helps with the absorption of the other terpenes, Caryophyllene is an excellent pain reliever and has shown promise in the treatment of auto-immune disorders due to its ability to bind to receptors in our bodies just like THC.