Terpenes!!
Often when people are shopping for a cannabis purchase, they will choose a product based solely on the THC content. Understandably. It's one of the only pieces of information available on the label, as well we all know that THC is a key factor in how much elevation one will get from a product. However - we are here to tell you that THC is not the only contributing factor to a smoking experience. Headband is a perfect example - it rarely tests over 20% THC, but that strain can bring even the most experienced smoker into a head-squeezing high. Trust me - they don't call it Headband for nothing!
Here at IC Collective, we are creating a shift in the cannabis paradigm by starting a focus more on Terpenes. This month we expanded the strain descriptions on our website to include a Terpene Bar Graph, which is color coded to match the Terpene Key that is referenced below and on the website.
Your experience of smoking cannabis is about so much more than THC content, and it comes by way of the plant's terpenes, flavonoids, cannabinoids, esters, and other compounds. All of these combine and thus contribute to your high, your buzz, your unwind, your well-being, and your overall experience.
This blog post aims to educate our esteemed readers about Terpenes and how important they are to the experience of smoking cannabis. This Feature Flower spotlight goes to Chem Scout because it a true IC Collective gem and the last Illinois test results came back extraordinarily high in Terpenes at 4.62%!
THE SMELL OF SUCCESS: TERPENES, TASTE AND THC
The words people use to describe the smell and taste of cannabis flower, extract, and other products are many and various, but if you’ve found yourself perusing strain descriptions on any cannabis-focused web page, you’ve almost certainly come across terms like piney, fruity, as having a gas or fuel-like quality, or having a sweet smell, notes of lavender or lemon… While people experience these qualities differently, most of these impressions are due to active compounds in cannabis that are known as terpenes.
Terpenes are aromatic compounds found in most plants. The fragrance of most plants is due to a combination of terpenes. In nature, these terpenes function to protect the plants from animal grazing or infectious germs.
In addition, terpenes are now thought to offer some health benefits to the human body.
Terpenes are part of the complex relationship between people and plants, and form a central part of the appeal of various cannabis strains. They play a vital role in plants. Some terpenes play a protective role in the plant, helping the plant to recover from damage; others act as a part of the plant’s immune system to keep away infectious germs. In some plants, terpenes attract pollinators, while in other plants, they cause a strong reaction to repel predators, such as insects or foraging animals. They also impact the relationship of humans and plants, their individual qualities leading people to cultivate plants with particular terpenes, and to breed them successively for stronger tendencies toward those.
Terpenes are the natural form of these compounds when they are in the live plant. As a plant dries and cures — in the production of cannabis, for example — the terpenes oxidize and become terpenoids.
How are they different from cannabinoids? (Cannabinoids are the chemical compounds in cannabis.) Cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), activate receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system. This is what creates the “high” that people experience when they use cannabis. Cannabidiol (CBD) is another cannabinoid that is becoming more and more popular for its medicinal properties. Although CBD acts on some of the same receptors as THC, it influences them differently and does not create any euphoria. THC and CBD may be the most well-known cannabinoids, but they are just two of over 100 cannabinoids that the cannabis plant contains.
The cannabis plant also contains terpenes, which, while not responsible for psychoactive effects, are among the most abundant compounds in the natural world. While we know that terpenes are primarily responsible for the smell of most plants and some animal scents, some may also act on the endocannabinoid system in the body in a similar way to cannabinoids. The key difference is that the body absorbs and uses these compounds in different ways.
While there are many terpenes in the natural world, scientists have only studied a handful. Some examples of better-known terpenes include:
Limonene: Limonene is a common terpene that most people can recognize by its scent. As the name suggests, limonene gives the rinds of fruits such as lemons and oranges their citrusy smell. Limonene appears to modulate the way certain immune cells behave, which may protect the body from a range of disorders. Limonene is also safe for people to take as a supplement.
Pinene: Pinene is another naturally abundant terpene. There are two forms of pinene: a-pinene and b-pinene. Pinene provides the fresh, bright scent of many plants, including pine needles, rosemary, and basil. Pinene may also have some therapeutic benefits.
Shirin-yoku, which means “forest bathing,” is a Japanese therapy that involves taking leisurely walks in the forest, soaking up the atmosphere, and enjoying the scent. Shirin-yoku is thought to potentially have preventive and restorative effects on a person’s psyche and physiology. A study in Acta Salus Vitae notes that the amount of pinene in the air of a healthy forest is enough to be therapeutic. Pinene acts as a bronchodilator, allowing more air into the lungs. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect and may fight against some infectious germs when inhaled.
Linalool: Linalool is most abundant in the lavender plant and gives the flower its rich scent. Linalool is one of the more important compounds in aromatherapy and is responsible for the calming effect many people get when smelling lavender or its essential oil.
Myrcene: Myrcene is a terpene commonly found in plants such as hops, lemongrass, and thyme. The flowers of the cannabis plant also contain myrcene. Myrcene is a powerful antioxidant. One study in mice concludes that myrcene could help protect the brain from oxidative damage following a stroke. Another study in mice found that myrcene had a similar protective effect in heart tissue, though it’s important to bear in mind that these studies used extremely high concentrations of myrcene, up to 200 milligrams (mg) per kilogram (kg) (mg/kg) of weight.
Beta-caryophyllene: exists in many herbs and vegetables, such as cloves and black pepper.
Humulene: is a key component of the hop plant. Other plants, such as clove and ginger, also contain it.
Borneol: This terpene has a minty aroma and flavor with an unusual underlying metallic tone. Its medicinal qualities include uses as an anti-inflammatory and an analgesic. You can find Borneol in cannabis strains such as K13-Haze, Golden Haze, and Amnesia Haze.
Phytol: With floral tones, this terpene contributes a sense of relaxation. It’s often used for its sedative and anti-anxiety properties. Another of its therapeutic qualities is as an anti-inflammatory. This terpene can be found in the underlying tones of Sour Diesel.
Eucalyptol: The aroma of this terpene is a cooling menthol, minty scent. It has both anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. It is a secondary component of the Headband.
Sabinene: Although not one of the most common cannabis terpenes, this strain has a unique peppery or spicy scent. This terpene is potent, and should be used in small quantities. Its medicinal uses include anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties.
These are just a sampling of the array of aromatic compounds that create the characteristic scents of many plants, including cannabis, pine, and lavender, thyme, sage, tea, and orange peel. As regulations surrounding cannabis become less strict, scientists are able to carry out more research into the possible benefits. IC Collective follows cannabis research and science closely, and we are thrilled to share with you our new terpene meter, calibrated and calculated for each and every strain in our catalog.
As the industrialization of cannabis was flourishing, good cannabis and good growers were coming out into the light all over our country. Watching this unfold in front of us 15 years ago allowed the founder to see a path to being unique, and the beginning of that explorational journey was Chem Scout. Bringing his Chem Dog and Thin Mint GSC cuts together created an instant classic. It was our fork in the path moment... and this new legal space had tools such as technology, manufacturing equipment, testing laboratories, and the “freedom” of high plant counts to collect and review data.
It was a time of evolution and progress.
Chem Scout has won awards such as The NorCal High Times Cup in 2014, and lately it has been winning at the terpene test results of all of the flower grown in the IC Collective Illinois facility, with terpenes testing as high as 4.62% on a recent batch! We are pushing our cultivation practices ever towards more mouth watering consumption experiences.
We label all the plants as hybrids and believe different humans react differently to different plant compounds regardless of THC content. By adding a Terpene Bar Graph to each strain description that illustrates each plant's prolific terpenes by color, we hope people can learn more about which IC Collective plants work for them and make their life more enjoyable.
Chem Scout is rich with Humulene, Limonene, Myrcene, Caryophyllene, Linalool, Bisabolol, and Terpineol. What other strains have similar terpene profiles? Do those other strains hit in a similar or a different way? When you consume - take notes, check the Terpene Key, and find other strains that are similar or figure out which plants smell and affect you differently.
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