So, what exactly are terpenes ?

Hi Friends, 

We hope you have been enjoying our cannabis learning series so far. We have now covered what makes a cannabis strain or chemovars, cannabinoids & their ratios, but now we are going to cover terpenes so you will now get the full Stori 😉 about how the cannabis plant works.

Terpenes have been getting some spotlight, but there is still so much for all of us to learn! So, let's get started. 

What are terpenes ? 

Terpenes are essential oil components in the  cannabis plant and are responsible for the aroma and flavour. Other than adding to the flavour and aroma to unique strains, they have been identified to impact the effects experienced by different strains or chemovars.

The synergistic relationship between the cannabinoids and the terpenes is what has been called the “entourage effect” discovered by Dr. Russo, a board-certified neurologist and psychopharmacology researcher resulting in thousands of different available strains. Each strain of cannabis features multiple terpenes, and the ratios in which they are present affect the overall flavour, smell and effects the strains have on a person.

Are terpenes unique to the cannabis plant?

Nope! Terpenes are not unique to the cannabis plant - there have been approximately 20,000  terpenes identified. These terpenes can be found in mangoes, lemons, limes, oranges, rosemary, dill, parsley, pine trees and many more plants all over the world. 

What are the terpenes found in the cannabis plant? 

Over 100 terpenes have been identified in the cannabis plant so far. It is important to remember that terpenes and cannabinoids may either amplify or subdue one another's effects, depending on the specific combination in each strain.

This will affect how individuals respond to it. This is why it is critical to keep track and understand which stains work for you, and at what time of the day, personalizing your cannabis experience. Here are some of the most common terpenes you will find in the cannabis plant and their most reported effects.

Linalool:

Is a floral and spicy terpene that is believed to be mood enhancing, but sedating. It is found in over 200 plants such as citrus fruits and lavender. 

Few cannabis strains contain high levels of linalool; it rarely breaks into a strain’s top three most abundant terpenes.

Terpinolene:

Is believed to be energizing. One of our favourite terpinolene strains is 7ACRES Jack Haze. It’s sweet citrus aroma is created by the terpinolene and nerolidol in its terpene profile. 

Do you have a favourite terpinolene dominant strain? Let us know in the comments below! 

Pinene: 

Pinene is believed to make you feel alert and increase memory retention so it may be ideal for some creative work. Significant presence of the pinene terpene is currently believed to have the ability to block the effects THC has on short term memory impairment. Johns Hopkins University is currently conducting a study on pinene which is expected to be released June 2021. 

Have you tried pinene and if so, has it made you more alert? Let us know below! 

Myrcene:

Myrcene, which can also be found in mangoes is the most common terpene produced by cannabis. Strains with myrcene as the dominant tepene are known to be sedating. According to Steep Hills Labs in California, cannabis that contains more than 50% myrcene is categorized in the current product categorization as “ indica,” conveying a sedative effect that promotes appetite and sleep. As you can see, it’s not the “indica” plant that defines the effect, it is the presence of the myrcene terpene. 

Have you found that myrcene dominant strains make you sleepy? Comment below!

Limonene: 

The second most abundant terpene found in cannabis is limonene. You guessed it, it can also be found in various citrus fruits like lemon, lime and oranges. Limonene is believed to be stress reducing and mood elevating. 

Do you have a favourite limonene dominant strain? Let us know below! 

Caryophyllene:

Caryophyllene, pronounced cary-off-uh-leen is a terpene that has a pepper-y, spicy, woody scent and flavour. Caryophyllene has a unique ability to bind with CB2 receptors, and is believed to help relieve anxiety and pain.

Have you heard about flavonoids yet? 

Unfortunately, flavonoids are the least studied compound in the cannabis plant. Flavonoids are known to add colour to the cannabis plant and like terpenes, they also play a role in the aroma and flavour of cannabis. 

Do you know how to preserve terpenes? 

Did you know that 40% of terpenes are lost within just one week of improper storage? Fortunately, there is a way to preserve cannabis terps by using the original terpene shield™ by Boveda. Our Stori pods come with a built it Boveda holder in the cap to make cannabis storage easy. #savetheterps

Personalize you cannabis experience 

At Stori we believe in personalizing your cannabis experience by knowing which products work for you when and why. We make it easy to keep track of your inventory and your preferences with the Stori App. It’s a free app that allows you to keep track of your product preferences with or without a Stori.

Follow us at @itsyourstrori to share your experiences, your favourite products with these terpenes and learn about others' experiences with these terpenes.