THE WORLD OF CANNABINOIDS AND TERPENES In the last 60 years, the interest in cannabis has been growing worldwide even though the use of cannabis as medicine goes back for thousands of years. The main reason behind such growing interest is the healing treatment of some serious illnesses. The healing power of cannabis most likely resides in terpenes/terpenoids and phytocannabinoids, of which particular compounds, their amount, and the ratio to each other play the most important role in the treatment of particular diseases. It should be emphasized here that flavonoids, flavonoid glycosides, polyphenol, and the other biodynamic compounds also play a large role. For this particular article, we will focus on terpenes. By now many of you have heard of them and may or may not know what they are. They are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in plants and some animals. They are responsible for the aromas, flavors, and even colors associated with various types of vegetation. In terms of cannabis, terpenes are what make certain cultivars smell or taste different from others. This may be the reason why you gravitate towards a certain flower to smoke. Not only do they smell good, terpenes/terpenoids also have a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities. For example, after much research, they have been found to be anti-fungal, antiviral, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antihyperglycemic, anti-parasitic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial. 43
DECEMBER ISSUE thechronicmagazine.com
WHAT ARE TERPENES & WHY ARE THEY SO IMPORTANT IN CANNABIS? Written by Dr. Pepper Hernandez ND, Ph.D., CTC, CNHP, NHC
Board Certified and Award-Winning Holistic Health Practitioner
