Terpenes Spotlight: beta-Caryophyllene
If you’re reading this, you’re probably already familiar with cannabis and are interested in learning more about what the plant has to offer. You likely already know about the cannabinoids CBD and THC, but did you know that there are hundreds of other compounds that the cannabis plant produces? One such class of compounds produced by cannabis that's gaining a lot of popular attention is called terpenes.
Beta-caryophyllene (“bay-tah carey-oh-fil-leen”) is one of the major terpenes found in cannabis and it plays a big role in what your cannabis smells like. You probably have some in your kitchen right now— no, not cannabis (unless you do). Beta-caryophyllene is found in many popular cooking spices like black pepper and cinnamon.
In this post we’ll discuss:
What beta-caryophyllene is
Where beta-caryophyllene can be found in nature
And, what research has been done on its potential benefits
What Are Terpenes?
Before we hop right into beta-caryophyllene, it might be helpful to review what a terpene is. Terpenes are aromatic hydrocarbon compounds composed of small isoprene units. Depending on how many isoprene units they contain, terpenes are classified as monoterpenes (two isoprenes), sesquiterpenes (three isoprenes), and diterpenes (four isoprenes). There are other classifications, but these three are sufficient for our discussion here.
It’s believed that plants produce terpenes as a way of repelling pests and attracting beneficial insects. The aroma of many plants is dictated, at least partially, by terpenes. You’ve probably encountered several terpenes already:
Limonene is present in the citrus fruit rinds
Myrcene is found in hops and mangoes
Terpinolene is used in household soaps and cosmetics
What Is beta-Caryophyllene?
Beta-caryophyllene has a larger molecular footprint than other terpenes like terpinolene or linalool due to the fact that it is composed of three isoprene units. This sesquiterpene is unique in that it is the only terpene known to directly activate CB2 receptors in our endocannabinoid system. Because of this unique feature, some scientists consider beta-caryophyllene to be both a cannabinoid and a terpene.
So why does cannabis produce beta-caryophyllene? Researchers believe that cannabis produces beta-caryophyllene to ward off herbivorous predators who might want to eat its flowers, citing beta-caryophyllene’s bitter taste as a deterrent (1). Additionally, beta-caryophyllene attracts green lacewing insects which feed on herbivorous pests, adding another layer of protection (4).
In addition to being commonly found in cannabis, beta-caryophyllene is found in many common spices like cinnamon, clove, and black pepper, as well as in herbs like rosemary, oregano, and basil.
What Is beta-Caryophyllene Used For?
Foods containing high amounts of beta-caryophyllene have been used historically to promote calm and comfort. Think of the holidays when we see hot mulled cider and lots of spiced cookies featuring cinnamon and clove. We feel cozy just thinking about it!
In addition to spicing things up in the kitchen, beta-caryophyllene shows lots of therapeutic potential and scientists are hard at work.
Here is a short list of some potential benefits that have been researched so far:
Analgesic (2)
Anti-inflammatory (2) (3)
Antimalarial (3) (4)
Antinociceptive (3)
Gastric cytoprotective (3) (4)
Eases gut muscle spasms (2)
Easing of anxiety & depression symptoms (5)
But we must remember that the research is ongoing and these results still need to be verified by high-quality placebo-controlled studies.
beta-Caryophyllene is both a terpene and a cannabinoid!
It can be found in many warming and familiar spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and more.
Sunset Lake Cannabis Cultivars Featuring beta-Caryophyllene
All of our cannabis is sun-grown meaning that we encourage the production of terpenes by introducing external pressures on our cannabis. As a matter of practice, we send each and every cultivar out to a third-party lab in order to get potency, terpene, heavy metal, and pesticide tests done. You can see them all right here!
Below is a breakdown of the beta-caryophyllene content for the 2022 -2023 crop of Sunset Lake Cannabis flower.
*Afghan Kush - 0.37%
*All Gas OG - 0.441%
Bubblegum Haze - 0.382%
*Do-Si-Dos - 0.434%
*Fortune Cookies - 0.332%
*Mountaintop Mint - 0.378%
*Pineapple Haze - 0.352%
Raspberry Parfait - 0.398%
White Widow - 0.285%
Note that the percentage of terpenes is reported on a by-weight basis. An “*” indicates that beta-Caryophyllene is the dominant terpene.
References
1. Potter, D. J. (2016). Cannabis Horticulture. In Roger G. Pertwee (Ed.), Handbook of Cannabis (p. 72). Oxford University Press.
2. McPartland, J. M. & Russo, E. B. (2016). Non-Phytocannabinoid Constituents of Cannabis and Herbal Synergy. In Roger G. Pertwee (Ed.), Handbook of Cannabis (p. 287). Oxford University Press.
3. Ahmad, Samoon, and Kevin P. Hill. Medical Marijuana: A Clinical Handbook, Wolters Kluwer, Philadelphia, 2021, p. 277t
4. Russo E. B. (2011). Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects. British journal of pharmacology, 163(7), 1344–1364. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-5381.2011.01238.x
5. Bahi, A., Al Mansouri, S., Al Memari, E., Al Ameri, M., Nurulain, S. M., & Ojha, S. (2014). β-Caryophyllene, a CB2 receptor agonist produces multiple behavioral changes relevant to anxiety and depression in mice. Physiology & behavior, 135, 119–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.06.003
