Pinene! It sounds like a familiar tree, doesn’t it? Well, that’s no coincidence since this terpene’s aroma is woodsy and resembles that of pine trees.
However, there’s much more to this terpene than its nature-like scent. It’s found in cannabis trichomes and was initially developed as a way to ward off predators. Additionally, you can find pinene in conifer trees, orange peels, turpentine, pine needles, rosemary, dill, basil and parsley.
It is present in indica and sativa strains. There are two types of pinene, alpha-pinene and beta-pinene, which only have one key difference. Alpha is soluble in water, and beta is not. Did you know pinene can be used as biofuel in spark-ignition engines? That’s one hot terpene! Additionally, its volumetric heating values might be as high as rocket fuel. Now that we’ve established what pinene is, let’s break it down!
Function
Pinene affects the human body in various ways. How does it work, and what does it do? Let’s find out! Like its counterparts, pinene boasts several medical benefits. It works as an anti-inflammatory, Bronchodilator (helps open airways), reduces anxiety, relieves pain and fights off short-term memory loss associated with THC. Pre-clinical lab studies can attest to these claims. Scientific research also suggests pinene can prevent skin damage caused by ultraviolet light. In other words, it could be a helpful addition to sunscreen in the future.
Entourage Effect
Pinene is common in cannabis products and is vital to the entourage effect. The way it interacts with other cannabinoids and ingredients alters their effects. Pinene is shown to reduce the effect that THC has on memory. Studies also find the terpene fights off bacterial staph infection, MRSA. Pinene works in synergy with the cannabinoids, CBD and CBG to reduce the adverse symptoms of the condition. Research about pinene’s contributions to the entourage effect is ongoing. It does have an impact, but there’s still more information to find out.
Aroma
As we mentioned earlier, pinene has a scent that will remind you of the great outdoors. The distinct smell makes it one of the easiest terpenes to identify. Pinene is the most common terpene in the world. It gets its scent from the plants that it’s found in and distilled from pine trees. Besides cannabis, you may also find pinene in detergent, medicine and paint solvent.Taste
Getting tree sap on your hands is never pleasant. However, you shouldn’t let that deter you from trying cannabis products containing pinene. Pinene has a sweet yet spicy taste, which gives it a woodsy flavour profile. It’s almost everywhere, including cannabis products and many common foods like pine nuts and limes. Nearly anyone you ask has probably tried a product with pinene at least once in their lifetime! It’s almost everywhere, including cannabis products and many common foods like pine nuts and limes.
