Get to Know a Cannabis Terpene: Terpinolene

Terpinolene (or γ-Terpinene and δ-terpinene) is a monoterpene that, in addition to cannabis, can be found in lilac, apple, cumin, and tea trees. Industrially, terpinolene is produced by synthesizing it from the more abundant pinene. The variety of natural sources of terpinolene help explain the complex descriptions of its flavors, as the experience roams through woody tones to bright citrus finishes. While relatively rare in cannabis, it’s found in the greatest concentrations in parsnips.

Terpinolene is an extremely a versatile terpene, and current patents that leverage terpinolene include cannabis toothpaste , air fresheners , and a toilet with a rim block that releases a perfume that contains terpinolene. Research into terpinolene ranges from medical benefits to usage in materials science, and its uses will continue to be discovered as it will now be able to be studied in the context of cannabis use.

In medical research, terpinolene has been documented as an antifungal and larvicidal agent.

It has also been studied as an antiproliferative drug for particular tumors. Monoterpenes and terpinolene in particular are being studied for their effectiveness in antitrypanosomal drugs.

While studies have found terpinolene to have a sedative effect in mice, colloquially in humans it’s associated with stimulating sativas. The mouse research has been widely misreported as impacting humans as well. \

Terpinolene’s fresh, clean scent is a key component of Jack Herer. Using Confident Cannabis’ Connect Tool , it’s evident that nearly all strains that are similar to Jack Herer, a high-terpinolene strain, are other instances of Jack Herer. Terpinolene is actually present in quite a few cannabis strains, but only in small amounts. Since it’s flavor profile is only of medium strength, taste-wise it’s most often experienced in tandem with other flavors, or as a citrusy finish to a lung-challenging hit. This terpene can also be found in Dutch Treat, but the way to find out what flower has this terpene is to invest with brands that post their terpene results, and dispensaries that bring that information front and center. As I’ve written about before — there is a lot of ‘looseness’ around the rules for strain names, so if you are seeking this terpene for its medicinal properties, it’s important to see test results!

Boiling Point: 365° F (183.00 to 185.00 °C)

Other Sources: sage, lilac, rosemary, conifer trees, apple trees, tea trees, fir, pine, turmeric leaf, cumin, nutmeg, cardamom. Highest concentration found in parsnips.

Scents: fresh, woody, sweet, pine, citrus, a fresh lime-pine top note

Flavors: woody, terpy, lemon and lime-like with a slight herbal and floral nuance

Sources:

http://www.thegoodscentscompany.com/search3.php?qName=terpinolene&submit.x=0&submit.y=0 https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/terpinolene

Originally published at https://oregoncannabisgazette.com on July 12, 2021.