Overview of Terpenes

Why do we add terpenes to our tinctures?

In studies published by the national institutes of health, the anti-inflammatory properties of Terpenes were evaluated to determine their use and efficacy in pain reduction. They concluded that:
“The different Cannabis chemotypes showed distinct compositions of terpenoids. The terpenoid-rich essential oils exert anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities in vitro and in vivo, which vary according to their composition. Their effects seem to act independently of TNFα. None of the essential oils was as effective as purified CBD. In contrast to CBD that exerts prolonged immunosuppression and might be used in chronic inflammation, the terpenoids showed only transient immunosuppression and might thus be used to relieve acute inflammation.” You can find the entire study findings here.

Problem #1 -Terpenes are the aromatic components in Hops that give beer its distinctive flavors. The quality of the hops dictates the quality of the beer. In this same way, the quality of the bud in a Hemp plant determines how many and what type of terpenes are contained within that specific plant. The problem is, if you smoke it, you never know what you’re going to get. It all depends upon how it was processed and what plant it came from.

Problem #2 -Terpenes are vaporized off of full-spectrum distillates during the distillation process. The only way of obtaining the benefits of hemp plant terpenes is by smoking the flower or bud (biomass). For most people, this activity may not be socially acceptable and may pose additional health risks due to the content of undesired compounds and contaminants found in the unrefined biomass that is being taken into the lungs. The advantages of adding specific terpenes back into an ingestible tincture provide the user with all the benefits that were originally contained in the plant before it was processed.

Our lab processes specific isolates and adds individual terpenes to our tinctures giving them therapeutic value and flavor, rather than artificial or other flavorings, that research shows to have some beneficial effect for the specific condition the user is hoping to improve upon.

For further reading follow the links below:

Final Thoughts

While terpenes can be effective on their own, they are more powerful when combined with cannabinoids like CBD and THC. Why? It’s thought that terpenes can modulate the effects of the individual cannabinoids, so you can combine them to target specific issues like pain. This synergistic power is known as the entourage effect and allows your body to maximize the benefits of both cannabinoids and terpenes for potent anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving benefits.

Overview of Terpenes