Terpene Insight?: Part 1

"I love your articles. Informative, rich, clean. Amazing work." — Miriam Sanger, cannabis journalist, Ra'ananna, Central, Israel, August 2020

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The Terpene Insight?series provides education regarding the wellness efficacy of this family of aromatic molecules produced by 20,000 plants in nature—including hemp and cannabis. In total, there are more than 40,000 varieties of terpenes on the planet, with about 200 of these stored in the cannabis/hemp genome. Of these, a few dozen will manifest in an individual plant, many of them only in small or trace volumes.

To set the mood, just listen to Cab Calloway tell you how it is in 1932 (five years before cannabis became prohibited in the United States).

Terpene Insight?: Part 1 was inspired by Danielle Muggli, an advocate for cannabis legalization based in Montana. Danielle asks: "Do you know if there is a specific terpene that smells skunky or if it is a combination of terpenes?"

Great question, Danielle.

For queries regarding the chemistry of cannabis, I turn to my friends who are extraction wizards. In this case, I inquired with Sean Gee, founder of Medusa Labs in Los Angeles. Medusa Labs is an innovative startup that produces top-shelf cannabis extracts, including distillates. The company injects organic terpenes into oil distillates, with a focus on quality and medical efficacy.

I guessed that more than a single terpene is responsible the "skunk" aroma of some strains of cannabis. With roughly 146 cannabinoids and 200 terpenes programmed into the cannabis genome (with a considerably smaller subset manifested in an individual sample (cultivar [strain]) of cannabis, one must remember that this chemistry gets relatively complex. (The Pheno Mega-Hunt conducted by Humboldt Seed Company began with 40,000 cultivars!)

Said Gee: "You're right on the money, Curt: It's a mix of terpenes, led by myrcene, caryophyllene (BCP), limonene, linalool, and pinene. These are all bonded together by the metabolic compound called Pre-ACOA (Acetyl Coenzyme A).

"That specific compound is hard to study because it's a byproduct. In order to find the skunk-specific compound within the larger terpene compound, one must isolate that specific byproduct in relation to the terpene compounds that exhibit flavor and smell."

Flavonoids

By the way, there are chemicals in cannabis other than cannabinoids and terpenes that influence how humans perceive the herb. Chiefly, there are flavonoids. The major misperception regarding flavonoids is that, as a modern English interpretation of the name implies—they convey flavor.

However, the Latin root of the term, flavus, means yellow and can, categorically, be interpreted as pigment. Yellow just happens to be the color of some flavonoids if an isolate is created from a natural source.

Just as cannabis and tens of thousands of other plant species adopted production of aromatic terpenes as an evolutionary defense mechanism against pests and predators and an attractant to pollinating insects, flavonoids also play the chief role of attracting pollinating insects (only via visual appeal, not fragrant aroma). Functionally, flavonoids and terpenes play this role identically in assisting with the propagation of the species via the attraction of critical pollinating insects.

"This is attributed to their anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic and anti-carcinogenic properties coupled with their capacity to modulate key cellular enzyme function," reported a 2016 research study. 

Subjective Efficacy

One must always remember the issue of subjectivity whenever considering cannabis efficacy. Sativa strains typically are energizing and uplifting, while indica strains may cause lethargy or couchlock (although they're typically better at things like killing pain). Some patients and consumers, however, react very differently.

There you are, Danielle: Many terpenes delicately co-mingle in a complex dance to create a unique aroma or flavor in a particular strain of cannabis. Sometimes this mix results in a "skunk" aroma.

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All text and photos, unless otherwise noted, Copyright ? 2003-2021 Curt Robbins. All Rights Reserved.

About the Author

Curt Robbins is a technical writer, instructional designer, and lecturer who has been developing science-based educational and training content for Fortune 200 enterprises for more than 30 years. His clients have included Federal Express, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, Northrop Grumman, National City Bank, Strainprint Technologies Ltd., the J.M. Smucker Company, and USAA. 

Robbins has developed more than 600 educational articles regarding hemp and its various health components, including terpenes, cannabinoids, and the human endocannabinoid system for clients in the U.S., Canada, and Israel. His latest white paper, CBG: The Mother of Cannabinoids, is an evidence-based 50-page deep dive into the biochemistry of the hemp-derived phytocannabinoid cannabigerol that features 60 peer-reviewed research study citations.

Robbins currently serves as Director of Curriculum Development for Higher Learning LV? based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Robbins can be found on Twitter at @RobbinsGroupLLC and via email at [email protected]. To learn more, search for his social media hashtag campaigns on your favorite social media network:

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