Daily Happy Hour Deals & Discounts: Shop now and save!
Imagine a tapestry of botanical brilliance, where each molecule dances intricately with others, creating a mesmerizing choreography of benefits far beyond what meets the eye. These hidden connections and entwined chemistry form the basis of the entourage effect, a process that we’re still learning more about. Dive into the beautiful yet complex picture of the entourage effect and the role cannabis compounds play in it.
To understand the entourage effect, you must first understand cannabis and the compounds that make it work. When these compounds are present together, they enhance and augment one another in a phenomenon known as the entourage effect.
Cannabinoids are compounds found in the resin of a mature cannabis plant. The most well-known are delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD), but more than 100 others have been discovered to date. These include minor cannabinoids like Cannabinol (CBN), Cannabigerol (CBG) and Cannabichromene (CBC), to name a few.
Cannabinoids impart a wide range of effects, from altering pain perception to influencing appetite to affecting sleep. They do so by pulling the levers of the endogenous cannabinoid system (endocannabinoid system or ECS), a network of receptors, cannabinoids and enzymes that govern a series of processes controlled by the central nervous system (CNS), peripheral nervous system and immune system.
Terpenes are volatile organic compounds found in all types of plants worldwide. Terpenes are best known for the smells and taste they contribute to a plant and are most familiar for their presence in essential oils. In nature, terpenes provide defensive benefits to the plant, including warding off predators, encouraging pollinators to help the plant reproduce and protecting against diseases. They also offer some therapeutic potential for humans and, when coupled with cannabinoids, contribute to the entourage effect.
The most abundant terpenes in cannabis include sweet and spicy myrcene, the peppery terpene beta-caryophyllene and citrusy limonene. However, there are plenty of others that can be found in cannabis.
Cannabinoids and terpenes have been around well before humans began selectively breeding cannabis plants. Even landrace strains — the naturally evolved varieties of Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica plants — contain cannabinoids like THC and CBD and terpenes like myrcene and limonene. These compounds play an important role in the plant’s biology, ensuring its survival through a season and supporting its ability to reproduce for future generations.
These compounds develop due to a complex biological process that begins from the earliest stages of a plant’s growth and continues into maturity. The precise balance of cannabinoids and terpenes a plant contains at maturity is a matter of genetic makeup — different strains have unique compound profiles.
These compounds begin to develop in a process known as biosynthesis, which occurs in the resin glands of the cannabis plant, or trichomes. As a plant grows, trichomes form on the flowers and nearby leaves, producing a resin jam-packed with cannabinoids and terpenes. This process really takes off when a plant reaches maturity and begins to flower.
Cannabinoids and terpenes form based on the genetic background of the plant, though that’s not the only factor that influences their development. Even clones, cannabis plants with identical genetics taken from cuttings of the same mother plant, can end up with slightly different compound profiles depending on the environmental factors selected by cannabis breeders and cultivators throughout the plant’s life cycle.
Cannabinoids and terpenes primarily exert their effects by influencing the ECS, which plays a vital role in regulating a whole suite of physiological processes in the human body. Mood, pain, immunity, appetite and sleep are among the processes influenced by the ECS.
Cannabinoids and terpenes can influence cannabinoid receptors in the ECS to prompt various effects. These cannabinoid receptors come in two varieties: the CB1 receptor, abundant in the CNS, and the CB2 receptor, more prevalent in the peripheral nervous system and particularly the immune system. The interaction with these receptors and the broader ECS grants cannabis its therapeutic potential and its psychoactive effects. For example, THC binds with these receptors to trigger a series of effects.
Interestingly enough, our body already makes its own cannabinoids, endogenous cannabinoids, or endocannabinoids. The most famous of these are anandamide and 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), which keep the ECS in balance and achieve a state of homeostasis throughout the human body. The cannabinoids and terpenes found in cannabis just happen to fit into this system well enough to influence it.
The ECS is subject to considerable research and may be key to unlocking cannabis’s therapeutic potential. That includes the way cannabinoids and terpenes work together to change how one another impact this system, an intriguing phenomenon that researchers have dubbed “the entourage effect.”
The entourage effect refers to the way cannabinoids and terpenes work together to exert influence over the ECS. While a single compound such as THC may exhibit certain effects on its own, those effects can change when present with other cannabinoids like CBD or CBN, as well as depending on the terpene profile of the cannabis product you consume.
You may find, for example, that you prefer cannabis products that include relatively balanced levels of THC and CBD, which are thought to produce a less intense intoxicating effect than less balanced THC:CBD ratios. Or, if you’re looking for a relaxing experience, you might choose a cannabis product high in myrcene and beta-caryophyllene rather than the uplifting and energizing limonene.
Whatever your goals, it’s important to pay attention to the full spectrum of cannabinoids and terpenes to make the best possible choice when buying a cannabis product. For example, research shows that combining cannabinoids that offer anti-inflammatory benefits with terpenes that offer the same could boost both compounds’ abilities to manage inflammation, a major driver of many health conditions. Researchers suspect that additional research into these properties and how they work together could help address mood disorders and immune system deficiencies, though more research is needed.
How the entourage effect works comes down to the combination of individual cannabinoids and terpenes in a given cannabis strain or product. While each individual compound has its own set of characteristics, these may change when present alongside other compounds.
Further, these effects may change depending on the amount of each cannabinoid or terpene that’s present. For example, how a high THC strain with low levels of CBD and a myrcene dominant terpene profile affects you may vary from how a low THC strain with high levels of CBD and a myrcene dominant terpene profile does.
It’s also important to remember that cannabinoids and terpenes produce individualized experiences. While some general understanding of how these compounds are most likely to affect you exists, everyone is different — so what your friend experiences from a cannabis strain may not be quite the same as what you experience.
The entourage effect remains the subject of considerable study, and researchers aren’t entirely sure how it works just yet — only that it’s happening. Here’s a closer look at some of the studies that have uncovered the entourage effect at work and the symptoms or conditions it may benefit:
Ongoing research aims to uncover exactly why the entourage effect works as it does. By determining the precise mechanisms of action by which the entourage effect occurs, researchers hope to harness and optimize the therapeutic potential of cannabis. Understanding the entourage effect more clearly could lead to developing new medications. It can also help you make more informed decisions when buying cannabis from a licensed dispensary.
Improving our understanding of the entourage effect and how it works holds significant promise in the field of medical cannabis. The study of the entourage effect is, essentially, the study of cannabinoids’ and terpenes’ therapeutic effects and how combining them can maximize their potential. While we don’t yet know everything there is to know about the entourage effect, figuring out how to harness this therapeutic potential is a significant goal behind research into the entourage effect.
However, the entourage effect is far from settled science. Some researchers dispute whether it happens at all, while others believe it definitely exists, but the promise of it is overblown. Others, though, see an opportunity for the next big breakthrough in medical cannabis. The results of ongoing research into how the entourage effect works and how significant its impact might be will help shed light on how important it is to maximize the value of medical cannabis for various symptoms and health conditions.
Cannabinoids and terpenes are generally well tolerated in most studies on the topic, but there is always the potential for negative side effects, especially when the entourage effect is considered. The effects of THC on anxiety are a good example. THC may alleviate anxiety for some, but high levels may lead to increased heart rate and feelings of anxiety. This may trigger panic attacks in those with anxiety.
Generally, the side effects of THC or other cannabis compounds can be avoided by consuming small amounts and only gradually increasing the dosage as needed to reach your desired experience. Keep an eye out for negative side effects when consuming, especially if you’re trying a new product like a cannabis extract or an edible for the first time.
It’s also important to consider your circumstances when consuming cannabis. You should avoid the operation of vehicles or heavy machinery when consuming cannabis. Always consume in a safe, comfortable environment to decrease adverse effects and increase the likelihood of a positive experience.
Understanding how cannabis compounds work together to influence our endocannabinoid system can lead to a deeper appreciation of their therapeutic benefits and their diverse effects. The entourage effect highlights the importance of embracing the synergy of nature, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. With each discovery, we move closer to unveiling the true potential of this captivating plant.
To embark on this journey of discovery for yourself, check out the wide range of cannabis products available at Body and Mind dispensaries. At our nationwide dispensaries, you can enhance your well-being and experience the wonders of cannabis firsthand!
Stay up to date with the latest video business news, strategies, and insights sent straight to your inbox!
Cannabis flower is more potent than ever, and high-THC products like concentrates and vapes are flying off dispensary shelves. In a time where THC content feels like the primary reason for consuming, microdosing cannabis has emerged as a way to enjoy the benefits of cannabis without the intensity high THC can bring. By tailoring consumption…
Do you ever wonder where cannabis plants get their distinct smell? The answer lies in the captivating world of terpenes. But these compounds do a lot more than just make cannabis smell and taste the way it does; terpenes can also influence your cannabis experience and may have therapeutic properties of their own. In this…
The endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) is the reason cannabis works. It’s a complex biological system at the core of many important functions we rely upon every day. Without the endocannabinoid system, cannabis wouldn’t affect us at all. This guide looks into how the ECS works, why it’s important and how it relates to cannabis. A…