Weed & The body

Terpenes

Terpenes:

 Any large group of volatile unsaturated hydrocarbons found in the essential oils of plants and prominent in plants like to conifers and citrus trees. They are essentially what gives plants, fruit and flowers their smell or aroma. There are many prominent terpenes prevalent in cannabis and with the heightened technology of selective breeding that cannabis has undergone throughout the many years of farming, there are different components that can effect these terpenes like climate, soil, fertilizers, and the maturity of the plant. There are many strains that have specific terpenes like the sweet-fruity aroma of pineapple and the sour-skunk smell in sour diesel. Terpenes also inhibit many other properties within cannabis like TCH, CBD, CBG, & CBN. They are responsible for different effects on the human body that can be very beneficial to consumers. Some terpenes are even known to have a high medicinal value and can aid insomnia, anxiety, depression, pain, inflammation, and can even act as an antioxidant. The terpenes found in cannabis are alpha-pinene, myrcene, limonene, caryophyllene, linaool, humulene, ocimene, and terpinolene.

 Terpene | Aroma | Vaporization temperature | Also commonly found in | Cannabis Strains

•  Alpha-pinene | Pine | 311 deg. F | Pine trees, rosemary, dill, parsley, basil | Purple kush (I), Bay Dream (S), AK-47 (H)
•  Myrcene | cloves, earthy, herbal | 332 deg. F | Mango, Lemongrass, Thyme, Hops | Granddaddy Purple (I), Amnesia (S), Trainwreck (H)
• Limonene | citrus | 348 deg. F | Black pepper, cloves, cinnamon | Hindu Kush (I), Lemon G(S), Strawberry Banana (H)
•  Caryophyllene | pepper, spicy, woody, cloves | 266 def. F | Black pepper, cloves, cinnamon | Fire OG, GG4, GSC (H)
•  Linalool | Floral | 388 deg. F | Lavender | Kosher Kush (I), Romulan (I), Sour Kush (H)
•  Humulene | woody, earthy | 222 deg. F | Hope, Coriander, Cloves, Basil | Black Cherry OG (I), Death Star (I), GSC (H)
•  Ocimene | sweet, herbal, woody | 122 deg. F | Mint, Parsley, Pepper, Basil, Mangoes, Orchids, Kumquats | Sensi Star (I), Durban Poison (S), Silver Bubba (H)
•  Terpinolene | pine, floral, herbal | 366 deg. F | Nutmeg, tea tree, conifers, apples, cumin, lilacs | Dutch Treat (H), Ghost Train Haze (S), Agent Orange (H)

The endocannabinoid system

The Endocannabinoid system:

 A system within our bodies (and all other vertebrates) that reaches homeostasis dependent on the receptors used and how our endocannabinoid system will metabolize endocannabinoids with the use of enzymes.

There are 3 components of the endocannabinoid system that all play important roles

• Cannabinoid receptors (found on the cell surface)

    There are 2 major receptor types
      -Type I - CB I (one of the most abundant receptor type in brain) 
      -Type II (most abundant outside of the nervous system, like our immune system)

• Endocannabinoids (small molecules that activate cannabinoid receptors
• Metabolic enzymes (break down endocannabinoids after they are used