Get to Know a Cannabis Terpene: Pinene

Pinene’s name clues you into what this monoterpene smells like. While alpha-pinene is the isomer found more frequently in cannabis, beta-pinene is also present. While both smell very piney and like turpentine with spicy nuances and a camphorous twist, beta-pinene is more dry and cooling than alpha-pinene. In addition to being found in the resins of conifers, pinene is also found in sagebrush and camphorweed. The smell itself is not long-lasting and only stays on a smelling strip for about an hour.

Pinene has been used in cleaning products and air fresheners to give them that fresh pine scent, in addition to its properties as a solvent. Both pinenes are present in turpentine.

Pinene is one of the most frequently occurring terpenes in nature, and also has uses in the insect world. While it’s considered to be highly repellent to insects, a recent study found that pinene helped boost mating success in olive fruit flies. It is “the first time that a single plant volatile has been reported to induce such a phenomenon on both sexes of a single species.” So, it’s at least got a very complicated relationship with the insect world.

Pinene features in a lot of patent applications — it’s included as a detoxifying agent in a fire extinguisher , as part of cannabis-based moist snuff , as a tackifying resin on a poly film, and in a tread enhancement for tires.

Using pine bark to make an antimicrobial wash or poultice, or drinking pine needle tea are ways that pine has been used, and it’s been shown to have an extensive amount of potential in the medical field. A paper summarizing research on pinene’s medical potential is 40 pages! Pinene has been found to have some antimicrobial and Antimalarial , anticoagulative/antiplatelet , anti-inflammatory, , antioxidant , gastroprotective , anti-anxiety

neuroprotective , antibiotic resistance modulation , and anticonvulsant effects. Pinene also modulates percutaneous infusions — meaning that like other terpenes, it can be absorbed through the skin and help other oils to be absorbed as well. Pinene also was a star in the research around forest bathing and was one of the terpenes that contributed to the positive effects that were measured in participants. Many of these studies include human participants as well.

For real, pinene’s list of potential results reads like a wish list for humanity’s health. It’s exciting!

Because of its ubiquitous presence in cannabis through two isomers, pinene can be found in many different strains like Blue Dream, Grape Ape, and Lemon Skunk. Pinene announces itself with that fresh, astringent smell. It will be exciting to see what research will begin to uncover as cannabis research continues.

Boiling Point:

Other Sources:

Pines, Sagebrush, camphorweed, basil, rosemary, thyme, dill, cedar, eucalyptus, orange peel oil.

Scents:

alpha-pinene: woody pine terpenic cooling camphoreous fresh herbal sweet

beta-pinene: dry woody resinous pine hay green cooling peppery nutmeg

Flavors:

alpha-pinene: woody pine terpenic camphoreous herbal spicy tropical

beta-pinene: fresh pine woody terpenic resinous minty camphoreous spicy

Solubility:

Oil-soluble. Water-insoluble. Ethanol-insoluble.

www.thegoodscentscompany.com/data/rw1006351.htmlhttps://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/alpha-Pinenehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3834339/https://www.perfumersworld.com/view.php?pro_id=3KC00386https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/sb4001382

Originally published at https://oregoncannabisgazette.com.