Good afternoon all! It's a rainy Saturday here and it is definitely shaping up to be one of those sleepy kind of days where naps are encouraged and relaxing is the only thing on the agenda. Well, aside from sharing some information about two of my favorite terpenes that come from the cannabis plant. Today I'm going to be writing about the terpenes linalool and limonene which are present in more plants than just cannabis, so I would be willing to bet that most of us have had some sort of experience with these terpenes in the past even if we weren't aware of it. These two terpenes happen to be my favorites because the scent that they're traditionally associated with, lavender and citrus fruits, are the ones I feel most drawn to when I'm picking out a lotion or scent for myself. When I was first learning about these terpenes and reading about their profiles, my brain automatically made the connection to those Bath and Bodyworks scents that used to be really popular from their aromatherapy line. They had an orange scented one that was supposed to help give you energy and a lavender scented one that was supposed to help you relax/sleep well. I'm not sure if those products are still around now, but they smelled lovely and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that those scents are both present in the cannabis plant and may lend some additional health benefits to the consumer. So let's jump into it and learn a bit about limonene and linalool.
We're going to start with limonene as citrus fruits are my absolute favorite. Limonene gets its name from the scent it gives off which is reminiscent of lemons, limes, and oranges1. Limonene can also be found in other plants and foods that we eat, such as citrus, pine, mint, rosemary, and juniper1 and it has been reported to act as a mood elevator1. If you're a tea drinker, you know a little bit of mint can go a long way to flavor your drink and it could potentially become too much mint too quickly due to how potent it is. Some of the cultivars that would have higher amounts of limonene are: Banana OG, Berry White, Black Cherry Soda, Cinex, Do-Si-Dose, MAC, Purple Hindu Kush, Quantum Kush, Strawberry Banana, Tahoe OG, Wedding Cake and White Fire OG5. If these cultivars are not easily found among those sold at your local dispensary, make sure to talk with your budtender and ask to see the certificate of analysis so you can choose the highest limonene cultivar that they sell. Limonene happens to be the second most common monoterpene within the cannabis plant, the first most common being myrcene1, and has been shown to activate the adenosine receptors in our bodies, which helps to increase the effects felt by THC and CBD2. According to the Sleep Foundation, adenosine promotes the sleep drive, or a person's need for sleep. Research (has also) shown adenosine plays a role in the immune system and can reduce inflammatory responses (in the body)3. The Sleep Foundation has a great page that explains how the body works with adenosine receptors and how it relates to sleep, I would greatly encourage you to read it when you have the time: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/adenosine-and-sleep#:~:text=Adenosine%20promotes%20the%20sleep%20drive,%2C%20respiratory%2C%20and%20urinary%20systems. The simplified version is that as we expend energy throughout the day our energy products break down and adenosine is a byproduct of that action. As we spend more energy, there is more adenosine available which our body interprets as the need for sleep. There's also some discussion that the presence of adenosine brings about the deepest stage of sleep3. Before learning about limonene as it relates to cannabis, my thought was that the citrus scent was primarily energizing or something to have around to smell when you need to be more awake, and while that may still be true its incredibly interesting to me that it may also help promote deep sleep as well. Research is also being done to investigate limonene's actions as a potential antioxidant, anxiolytic, antibacterial, anti-fungal, antacid, and as a stress reducer1. I'm curious to see where the research goes for limonene for its potential health benefits. The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has a page dedicated to the limonene terpene because in animal trials, limonene was shown to slow the spread of cancer cells and potentially induce cell death4. Research still needs to be completed on this terpene though because the anti-cancerous cell effects were shown in animal studies, but not human trials4.
Let's chat about cannabis research for a bit though. There are a couple of different opinions when it comes to cannabis research: there are those that believe there is no research that proves cannabis is useful and those that believe there is plenty of research that proves cannabis is useful . The truth of it is that it's somewhere in the middle. There is actually a lot of research about cannabis and how it relates to health benefits out there, so much so that it can be overwhelming to wade through, but the research that is available doesn't quite give us the answers that most people are wanting. I've ready many amazing articles that point out how cannabis can be helpful with various illnesses or symptoms, but the study size is either very small or the population that is being studied is not diverse enough. So we can read those articles and have a good guess as to whether or not the cannabis compound is going to help for our particular symptom, BUT, what we can't say is that the effect one person experiences will happen to any other person. All medicines go through a rigorous research process that involves making sure that the medicine a doctor prescribes will do the same thing to one person here in Oklahoma and the exact same thing to someone who lives on the opposite side of the state/nation/world. Standardization is key when it comes to medicines and cannabis as a medicine is not yet there. So to go back to the research about limonene being able to help decrease proliferation of cancer cells in animals, but not in humans....we just need to wait for more research to be done to see if that will hold true or not. The biggest roadblock that the cannabis industry is facing when it comes to research is the fact that it's still federally illegal and previous researchers could only obtain product through one university. As laws are changed, that has gotten a bit better. Now researchers can acquire cannabis products from multiple universities and can research different types of cannabis products. This means in the future there will be more accurate and diverse research able to be done on the plant and we'll be able to get to a point of standardization for cannabis as a medicine.
I'll get down from that soap box now and let's talk about linalool. Linalool is another favorite terpene of mine since it resembles lavender in scent. In cannabis linalool tends to resemble lavender with hints of spice1 and can be found in cultivars like: Amnesia Haze, Master Kush, Pink Kush, Special Kush, OG Shark, LA Confidential6, Bubba Kush and other purple indica cultivars2. Research has been done on linalool in other plants aside from cannabis and has been found to be anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, anti-depressant and within cannabis may have those effects as well as: potential anti-epileptic effects, immune boosting, and calming-sedative effects1. While there aren't a lot of cultivars that are really high in linalool, what is available could potentially be consumed for those that are needing the extra calming effect for things like sleep and anxiety. It's a good thing though that there isn't cultivars with high levels of linalool, because by itself linalool in high concentrations can be more harmful than good to our bodies. Research has shown that linalool in higher concentrations (over 0.25%) can actually be cytotoxic to our cells7. Meaning that it can cause our living cells to not be living anymore.....which actually leads me to another soapbox of mine: just because it is a natural plant, doesn't mean that its 100% safe for any and everyone to consume or refine. Linalool is also found in plants such as: lavender, mint, cinnamon, rosewood, and birch trees1 and has long been used in foods or teas, but when purified and refined was found to cause the breakdown of healthy cells within the body. I would anticipate that in the future a customer would be able to walk into a dispensary and ask for certain terpenes, cannabinoids, and flavonoids to be mixed together into an elixir of sorts that is specifically tailored to your need. But if it truly does go that way, it would be even more important for consumers to talk with their PCP and do the research before going to the dispensary to avoid potentially harming themselves.
In conclusion, the health benefits of linalool and limonene, two prominent terpenes found in the cannabis plant, cannot be overlooked. These compounds possess numerous therapeutic properties and may provide anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anxiolytic effects. They hold great potential in alleviating various health conditions, such as chronic pain, anxiety, and insomnia. However, it is important to acknowledge that more research is required to fully understand the potential of linalool and limonene, as well as their optimal usage and dosages. Standardization in the cannabis industry is crucial to ensure consistent quality and efficacy of products containing these terpenes. Ongoing scientific studies and clinical trials are needed to establish comprehensive guidelines for their safe and effective use. Before embarking on any new medication or treatment, it is always advisable to consult with your primary care physician (PCP). They can provide valuable insights into your individual health circumstances and guide you in making informed decisions regarding cannabis-based therapies. Moreover, it is worthwhile to explore the assistance of a cannabis nurse. As a cannabis nurse I can help provide insight on various consumption methods, dosing strategies, and potential interactions associated with cannabis products and prescription medications. Reach out to me either here on the website of through social media and we can chat. I'm on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn as The Green Nurse Educator and I look forward to talking with you about how cannabis could potentially help you out.
References
Clark CS. Cannabis: A Handbook for Nurses. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer; 2021.
Backes, M., Weil, A. and McCue, J.D. (2017) Cannabis Pharmacy: The practical guide to medical marijuana. New York, NY: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers.
Adenosine and sleep (2022) Sleep Foundation. Available at: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/adenosine-and-sleep#:~:text=Adenosine%20promotes%20the%20sleep%20drive,%2C%20respiratory%2C%20and%20urinary%20systems. (Accessed: 05 June 2023).
E, D. (no date) D-limonene, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Available at: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/d-limonene (Accessed: 07 June 2023).
Jikomes, J.K.& N. (2022) Try these limonene cannabis strains for anxiety, depression, and stress relief, Leafly. Available at: https://www.leafly.com/news/strains-products/cannabis-strains-high-limonene-anxiety-stress-depression (Accessed: 09 June 2023).
Editors, W. (2022) Linalool, Weedmaps. Available at: https://weedmaps.com/learn/the-plant/what-we-know-about-linalool (Accessed: 10 June 2023).
Prashar, A., Locke, I.C. and Evans, C.S. (2004) ‘Cytotoxicity of lavender oil and its major components to human skin cells’, Cell Proliferation, 37(3), pp. 221–229. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2184.2004.00307.x.
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