Sniffing your Treatment

Terpenes make up the fragrant smells of cannabis. Each terpene has a distinct odor and specific therapeutic properties. By smelling the cannabis flower, you may be able to figure out what treatment it provides!

Terepene Treatments Based on Smell

The Top 10 Terpenes found in Cannabis

Alpha Pinene – Gives off a pungent turpentine odor; reduces THC psychosis effects in cannabis. Beneficial as an anti-inflammatory while reducing pain. Helps bacteria infections, asthma, memory retention, and also slows cancer tumor growth.

Borneol – Has a camphor smell; helps with wound-healing, including fibrosis. Aids in delivering treatment by improving absorption through the blood-brain barrier.

β-Caryophyllene - Has a peppery scent; cannabinoid effects the CB2 receptor to help with anxiety, inflammation, perception of pain, autoimmune disorders, and depression. Acts as a neuroprotectant and reduces alcohol consumption.

Cineole \ Eucalyptol – Smells similar to rosemary with notes of spicy camphor; increases the absorption and circulation of medicine.

P-Cymene – Has a fresh, carroty odor that is antimicrobial and anti-fungal; helps to relax muscles, including cardiac muscles, which can lead to lower blood pressure.

Delta 3 Carene – Gives off a pine scent; acts as an antihistamine, eliciting a calming feeling to aid in well being. Has anti-inflammatory properties and acts as a nervous system depressant; serves as a great complementary treatment for anxiety and insomnia.

Isopulegol – Gives off a minty menthol smell; also has a cooling effect, anti-oxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties that help with breathing, pain, ulcers, and seizures.

Limonene – Has a strong citrus scent; works like a cleanser to dissolve gallstones, reduces reflux/heartburn and cholesterol while destroying cancer. Is an anti-oxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory while detoxification properties help the liver. Improves mood, weight management, and sleep.

Linalool – Releases a spicy floral fragrance; reduces stress, pain, convulsions, and treats burns.

Nerolidol – Has a woody bark smell; acts as a sedative. Absorbed through skin to aid topical medication. Has anti-fungal properties while reducing malaria infections.

The Cannabis Terpene Alpha Pinene

Alpha Pinene is the most common terpene in the plant world and also found in cannabis. Other plants such as basil, dill, parsley, pine needles, and rosemary are rich in α-pinene . Some of the cannabis strains that offer the most alpha pinene terpene are Bubba Kush, Chemdawg, Jack Herer, Super Silver Haze and Trainwreck.

Terepenes offer medicinal effects when consumed or used topically. Terepenes have shown to help in the biosynthesis for CB2 receptors in the endocannabinoid system.(Source) Alpha pinene works synergistically with THC to help regulate the psychosis effects when consuming cannabis.(Source) Alpha pinene is an organic compound offering medicinal value for many applications.

Alpha pinene has shown to give anti-inflammatory properties(Source). This allows for uses in arthritis, celiac disease, crohn's disease, joint pain and multiple sclerosis where a reduction in inflammation can aid in pain relief. Memory retention is increased with alpha pinene for it's ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase activity in the brain.(Source)

Currently research is being conducted to show the benefits of alpha pinene slowing cancer tumor growth. A 2013 study showed how cancer cells were reduced with pinene on neurblastoma cells.(Source) A 2014 study using an anti-tumor drug concluded that pinene mitigated hepatoma carcinoma.(Source)

Many patients seek cannabis strains high in alpha pinene for it's benefits in asthma treatment and infections. Pinene has shown to be a bronchodilator. It helps to open the airways of the upper respiratory system.(Source) Pinene also has been found to be anti-microbial with the ability to treat bacteria as well as virus infections. Certain bacteria infections have shown positive results with pinene. Pinene has also been found to treat the infectious bronchitis virus. This virus is much harder to treat than bacterial infections.(Source)

Source:

http://theleafonline.com/c/science/2014/10/terpene-profile-pinene/

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1476-5381.2011.01238.x/abstract

http://www.revistas.usp.br/rbcf/article/viewFile/44190/47811

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15740071

http://link.springer.com/article/10.2478%2Fs11756-013-0230-2#page-1

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3165946/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24815485

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12122569

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21350392