What are terpenes?
Terpenes are natural chemicals made by plants, including cannabis. They give plants their smell and flavour. When you open a cannabis medicine and notice an earthy, citrus, or pine smell, that is terpenes at work.
Cannabis makes over 200 different terpenes (Booth and Bohlmann, 2019). Each strain has its own mix. That is why some strains smell like lemons, some like berries, and some like a damp forest. You find the same terpenes in everyday food: Myrcene is in mangoes, Limonene is in lemon peel, Linalool is in lavender.
Terpenes may also change how cannabis affects the body by working alongside cannabinoids like THC and CBD. Scientists call this the "entourage effect" (Russo, 2011).
The Entourage Effect
Think of a band. THC and CBD are the lead singers. Terpenes are the rest of the band. On their own each part is useful, but together they can make something richer and more powerful.
Dr Ethan Russo found evidence that terpenes can help cannabis work better for things like pain, anxiety, and sleep (Russo, 2011). Israeli researchers then showed that 16 cannabis terpenes can activate the same receptors in the body that cannabinoids use (Baram et al., 2022).
This page shares what scientists have found so far. It is not medical advice. Always speak to your doctor before changing your treatment.Classification
Types of Terpene
Terpenes are sorted into families based on the number of carbon atoms in their structure. Chemists call each five-carbon building block an isoprene unit. More isoprene units means a larger, heavier molecule with a higher boiling point and a different effect profile. Cannabis contains terpenes from four of these families.
Monoterpenes
The lightest and most abundant terpenes in cannabis. Built from two isoprene units, they are small, volatile molecules that evaporate easily at low temperatures. This is why the fresh, bright smell of a flower hits you the moment you open the jar.
Monoterpenes tend to produce uplifting, energising, or refreshing effects and are widely found in citrus fruit peel, pine needles, and herbs like rosemary. Because they evaporate so quickly, they are often the first terpenes lost during drying, curing, or heating.
Examples in cannabis: Myrcene (earthy, sedating), Limonene (citrus, uplifting), α-Pinene (pine, focus), Terpinolene (floral, fresh), Ocimene (sweet, herbal), Sabinene (spicy, woody).
Sesquiterpenes
Medium-weight terpenes built from three isoprene units. The name comes from the Latin sesqui, meaning “one and a half”, since they are one and a half times the size of a monoterpene. Their higher molecular weight means they boil at higher temperatures and linger longer in the nose.
Sesquiterpenes give cannabis its deeper, earthier, spicier, and woodier notes. Many have well-studied anti-inflammatory and pain-modulating properties. Beta-caryophyllene is the most researched example and is the only known terpene to directly activate cannabinoid receptors (CB2) in the body.
Examples in cannabis: β-Caryophyllene (spicy, anti-inflammatory), Humulene (woody, appetite-suppressing), Bisabolol (floral, soothing), Guaiol (piney, woody).
Diterpenes
Larger terpenes made from four isoprene units. They are considerably heavier than sesquiterpenes and have very high boiling points, so they contribute little to the aroma you smell in normal conditions. Their scent is described as earthy, resinous, and waxy.
Diterpenes appear in lower concentrations in cannabis than mono- or sesquiterpenes, but they are biologically significant. Phytol, the most common cannabis diterpene, is a breakdown product of chlorophyll and is associated with anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory activity.
Examples in cannabis: Phytol (grassy, floral), Geranylgeraniol (floral precursor), Cembrene (woody, earthy).
Triterpenes
The heaviest class of terpenes found in cannabis, built from six isoprene units. They are non-volatile at room temperature, meaning they do not contribute to the aroma of fresh cannabis at all. They are structural components found mainly in cell membranes, waxes, and resins.
Though small in quantity compared to the other terpene classes, triterpenes have attracted research interest for potential anti-tumour, liver-protective, and anti-inflammatory properties. They are also found in many traditional herbal medicines including liquorice root and ginseng.
Examples in cannabis: Friedelin (waxy, in leaf surface), Epifriedelanol, Ursolic acid.
Why does terpene type matter for patients?
When you vaporise cannabis at lower temperatures (around 160–185 °C) you mainly get monoterpenes. Turn the temperature up and sesquiterpenes begin to vaporise. Diterpenes and triterpenes require temperatures far beyond the range of a vaporiser, so they are not typically inhaled. If you use a vaporiser, temperature settings are effectively a dial that lets you choose which classes of terpene you experience. This is one reason why patients who experiment with vaporiser temperatures sometimes report noticeably different effects from the same medicine.
Interactive
Terpene Effect Wheel
Tap or click any slice to learn about that terpene. The inner ring shows the effect group, the middle ring names the terpene, and the outer ring shows its aroma family. The top of the wheel leans towards daytime, energising effects, and the bottom leans towards evening, calming ones. Built from the Cicada Terpene Wheel and Effect Table (Cicada Jersey, 2020), with our own alterations, covering 25 terpenes.
Tap a slice, use the buttons below, or press the arrow keys
Not using a mouse? Use the numbered list below. Each button loads full details.
Select any slice to learn about that terpene.
Inner ring shows the effect, the outer ring shows the aroma family.Wheel concept adapted from the Cicada Terpene Wheel (Cicada Jersey, 2020), with our own minor alterations.
Full library
Explore Each Terpene
Select any card to open the full page for that terpene. Use the filter buttons to narrow by effect.
References
- Abstrax Tech (2023) Linalool and beta-myrcene anxiolytic study with Western Washington University. Available at: https://abstraxtech.com/pages/terpene-research (Accessed: 29 May 2026).
- Baram, L. et al. (2022) 'Major cannabis terpenes, applied individually and in combination, activate endogenous cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors', Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13, 1040962. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1040962.
- Booth, J.K. and Bohlmann, J. (2019) 'Terpenes in Cannabis sativa: from plant genome to humans', Plant Science, 284, pp. 67-72. doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2019.03.022.
- Cannabis Terpenes Reference Database (2025) Cannabis Terpenes Comprehensive Database, Version 2.0.0. 200 records. Structural classifications: Hemiterpenes, Monoterpenes, Sesquiterpenes, Diterpenes.
- Cicada Jersey (2020) Terpene Wheel. Available at: https://cicada.je/terpene-wheel/ (Accessed: 29 May 2026).
- Francomano, F. et al. (2025) 'The entourage effect in cannabis medicinal products: a comprehensive review', Pharmaceuticals, 18(3), 378. doi: 10.3390/ph18030378.
- Hashiesh, H.S. et al. (2021) 'A focused review on CB2 receptor-selective pharmacological properties and therapeutic potential of beta-caryophyllene', Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy, 140, 111639. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111639.
- KA Pharmaceuticals SA (2026) KAST Profile Records: CSC Cannacosta batch series, KAST-26-953LSKE3. Protocol v1.0. Issued May 2026.
- LaVigne, J.E. et al. (2021) 'Cannabis sativa terpenes are cannabimimetic and selectively enhance cannabinoid activity', Scientific Reports, 11(1), 8232. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-87740-8.
- Nuutinen, T. (2018) 'Medicinal properties of terpenes found in Cannabis sativa and Humulus lupulus', European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 157, pp. 198-228. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.07.076.
- National Center for Biotechnology Information (2025) PubChem Compound Database. Bethesda: U.S. National Library of Medicine. Available at: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (Accessed: 11 June 2026).
- Russo, E.B. (2011) 'Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects', British Journal of Pharmacology, 163(7), pp. 1344-1364. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2011.01238.x.
- Weil, M. (2022) 'Most common cannabis terpenes and what they do', Cannigma. Available at: https://cannigma.com/plant/a-brief-history-of-terpenes/ (Accessed: 29 May 2026).
- Weston-Green, K. et al. (2021) 'A review of the potential use of pinene and linalool as terpene-based medicines for brain health', Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 583211. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.583211.
