Diprenyl sulphide: Aroma, Smell and Safety | PatientsCann UK

Diprenyl sulphide

di-prenyl sulphide, bis(3-methylbut-2-enyl) sulphide

pronounced: dy-PREN-il SUL-fide

Two prenyl groups joined by sulphur. Smells closer to garlic than to skunk.

Garlic & savouryFormula: C10H18SVery potent
Aroma family
Garlic
Formula
C10H18S
Mass
170.31 g/mol
Main note
Garlic

Diprenyl sulphide · 170.31 g/mol

The molecule

Chemical structure

This is the accurate skeletal structure of Diprenyl sulphide, drawn from PubChem data. Each corner and line-end is a carbon atom. The yellow S marks sulphur, the atom that gives this whole family its powerful smell.

GarlicAlliaceousSavouryOniony

About

What is Diprenyl sulphide?

Diprenyl sulphide is built from two prenyl groups joined by a single sulphur atom. That shape is very close to the smell molecules garlic makes, which use two allyl groups instead of prenyl.

Its smell is more garlic and onion than skunk. It is one of the compounds that first made scientists notice how much cannabis and garlic have in common.

What the research says

The Science

Garlic's sulphur compounds have been studied for years for possible heart and blood-vessel benefits. Because cannabis makes such similar molecules, researchers have raised the hopeful question of whether cannabis sulphur compounds might one day show benefits of their own.

This is an early idea, not a proven fact. So far the science here is about smell and structure, not about treating any condition.

Aroma snapshot

How Diprenyl sulphide Smells

Garlic & savoury family
GarlicAlliaceousSavouryOniony
Smell strength: Very potent

Rich and savoury; carries clearly even at low levels.

You might also smell it in: Garlic, onions, leeks and chives, which build their smells in a very similar way.

Its role in the smell

Part of the Whole

Brings a savoury, garlicky layer to a cultivar's aroma. It is one of the compounds that ties the smell of cannabis to the smell of the kitchen.

Good to know

A Note on Safety

Diprenyl sulphide is an aroma compound, present in cannabis in trace amounts. It is not a medicine and has no dose of its own. What matters for you is the whole product and how it is prescribed.

Always choose and adjust your medicine with your prescriber and pharmacist, never by smell alone.

Questions

Diprenyl sulphide: Common Questions

Why does some cannabis smell like garlic?
Compounds like diprenyl sulphide are built much like the smell molecules in garlic and onions. When a plant makes more of them, it can take on a savoury, garlicky edge.
Does that mean cannabis has garlic's health benefits?
Not proven. The molecules look alike, which is why researchers are hopeful, but no study has yet shown that cannabis sulphur compounds share garlic's effects.
Back to full Sulphur Compounds Guide
Important: This page is for education only. It is not medical advice. Research into cannabis sulphur compounds is very new, and most work so far is about smell, not treatment. The garlic comparison is about chemistry, not proven health effects. Always speak to your prescriber before changing your treatment. PatientsCann UK does not recommend any specific cannabis product.

References

  1. Oswald, I.W.H., Ojeda, M.A., Pobanz, R.J., Koby, K.A., Buchanan, A.J., Del Rosso, J., Guzman, M.A. and Martin, T.J. (2021) 'Identification of a new family of prenylated volatile sulfur compounds in cannabis revealed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography', ACS Omega, 6(47), pp. 31667-31676. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.1c04196.
  2. Amagase, H. (2006) 'Clarifying the real bioactive constituents of garlic', Journal of Nutrition, 136(3), pp. 716S-725S. doi: 10.1093/jn/136.3.716S.
  3. 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.
  4. 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: 3 August 2026).