Cannabinoids vs Terpenes
Cannabinoids vs Terpenes
The cannabis plant plays host to a wide range of organic compounds, including terpenes and cannabinoids. While cannabinoids and terpenes can and do work together, there are a number of differences between these two compounds.
What are the differences between cannabinoids and terpenes?
Cannabinoids and terpenes are both compounds found within the cannabis plant. Each is responsible for different qualities within the plant. The most immediate difference between cannabinoids and terpenes is that terpenes have a strong aroma, while cannabinoids do not. Terpenes are the aromatic compounds that are responsible for certain strains of cannabis smelling differently to others. By contrast, cannabinoids interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system to bring out physiological changes.
Researchers have identified more than 150 types of terpenes, the majority of which exist in low concentrations. Terpenes are also found in nearly all plants, whereas cannabinoids are unique to the cannabis plant. While fewer individual types of cannabinoids have been identified than terpenes, usually a cannabis plant will have a higher proportion of cannabinoids than terpenes.
The effects of terpenes vs cannabinoids
The effects of terpenes and cannabinoids also vary widely. While cannabinoids have a direct effect on the endocannabinoid system (ECS), terpenes do not. That is not to say that terpenes have no effect; the effect that terpenes have on the body is predominantly through their interaction with cannabinoids. They are thought to enhance the impact cannabinoids can have on your system, through the Entourage Effect. has also found that certain terpenes possess anti-inflammatory or anti-bacterial properties.
Cannabinoids directly affect the ECS. The impact on the ECS depends on the type of cannabinoid. Of THC and CBD, probably the two best-known cannabinoids, THC affects the ECS by binding to the CB1 and CB2 receptors, while CBD potentially prevents the breakdown of endocannabinoids, while also having a higher affinity of binding to the CB2 receptor.
Depending on the strain, medicinal cannabis shows promise in contributing to patient needs.
What are the chemical differences?
Although people often get confused about the difference between terpenes and cannabinoids and wonder whether cannabinoids are terpenes or vice versa, the two structures are actually quite different. Terpenes are small, less complex molecules that can be found in hundreds of different plant species, while cannabinoids are larger and almost exclusively found in cannabis plants.
The chemical differences between the two means that both have completely different impacts on the endocannabinoid system, with cannabinoids believed to have a more obvious primary effect on the ECS, while terpenes perform a more ancillary role.
How do cannabinoids and terpenes interact?
Cannabinoids and terpenes are believed to interact with each other, as well as the brain’s receptors. Through this synergy, it is thought that terpenes can enhance the impact that cannabinoids have on the system. This is known as the Entourage Effect.
Entourage Effect
The Entourage Effect describes the hypothesis that, combined together, the effect of cannabinoids and terpenes is greater than it would be if they were ingested separately. It has been suggested that the terpene functions to enhance the potential therapeutic effects of the cannabinoid.
Currently, the Entourage Effect remains a theory; while many studies have yielded promising results, more research needs to be done before we understand the full extent of the entourage effect and its possible benefits.
Are cannabinoids and terpenes better together or separately?
Whether or not cannabinoids and terpenes are better together or depends on the individual patient context. While the evidence regarding the existence of the Entourage Effect is still limited, the potential benefits of the interaction between cannabinoids and terpenes is leading to increased research into what could be a promising advance in the field of medicinal cannabis.
