Happy Saturday everyone! It has been a crazy week here with studying for the case managers certification last week (I passed yay!), doing the little radio spot for Meet the Elite Podcast (who knew promoting yourself could be so nerve wracking...), and attending a meeting held by the Oklahoma Cannabis Industry Association to learn a bit about what they are all about. There are so many amazing things to learn about within the cannabis industry that I could spend the rest of my life learning about this one subject. But I digress, with this weeks post we're going to look at the next two terpenes on my list, pinene and ocimene. These are some really interesting terpenes that can be helpful in several different ways, so let's get to it.
The first terpene we'll look at is pinene. Pinene gets its name from the potentially obvious source, since it smells like pine trees and it is also found within pine trees. Something that was really interesting to me about this terpene is that it has solvent properties and is the principal ingredient to the product turpentine1. Which is why its not a good idea to store cannabis in "soft" plastic bags, as it can break down the plastic itself1. Pinene is generally associated with cannabis strains such as Diamond OG, Tropicana Banana, and Forbidden Zkittlez according to the Leafly website and can be found in several other plants, such as the pine tree, balsamic resin, rosemary, basil, and eucalyptus2. There's been some good research completed on pinene, from both the plants mentioned previously and the cannabis plant2. Pinene has the potential to be useful in several different ways, for inflammation, as a bronchodilator, expectorant, possible pain reliever, and potentially increasing energy and alertness 2. This terpene has some unique properties according to an article written in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases; it shows that there has been an interest in pinene for its anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic (preventing the breakdown in cells) properties3. Now, this particular article was looking specifically at neuro-inflammation and apoptosis that play an essential role after a person has experienced an ischemic stroke3, so let's talk about strokes really quick. First and foremost, everyone should know the signs or symptoms of a stroke because if someone is experiencing a stroke, time literally equals brain. Meaning the longer a person goes between the first symptom of a stroke and getting to an ER, the greater the chances are that they will experience deficits after the fact. Definitely go to the American Stroke Association website to read up on how to recognize stroke symptoms and what to do in the that situation4. The findings from this article were really interesting in that the researchers were able to show that pinene had a positive affect on the brain after an ischemic stroke. To be clear though, these researchers were NOT looking at pinene as a rescue med during a stroke, they were looking at the effects of the inflammation after the fact. So, if you or a loved one is experiencing the signs or symptoms of a stroke, get to your nearest ER immediately. But to talk about inflammation a bit more, another article in the National Library of Medicine shows that over 50% of all deaths can be attributed to inflammation-related diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, and some autoimmune and neurodegenerative conditions5. That seems to be a lot of inflammation that we're dealing with as a whole and if pinene could help reduce that.....
The next terpene we'll look at is ocimene. Ocimene is a slightly lesser known terpene that can help out with a variety of issues and we might learn more as research continues on. This particular terpene isn't expressed in cannabis as often as it is found in other plants like basil, mint, parsley, allspice, and tarragon6. Some have described ocimene's aroma as sweet, fruity, and skunky1, while others have described it as herbaceous and woody6. Some of the research that is being done on ocimene has shown it has possible uses as an anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral. Something really interesting about the ocimene terpene is that it's one of the terpenes that is associated with the general sense of well-being that we feel if we participate in activities like forest bathing or hiking. I found a really interesting article in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health that provided a more in depth view on the functions of ocimene as it relates to health benefits. This article was also looking at other factors aside from ocimene, but did show that at least 2 hours spent inhaling the scents of the forest, like ocimene, and participating in forest bathing could increase the number of natural killer cells within a body7. According to the National Cancer Institute, a natural killer cell is a type of immune cell that has granules with enzymes that can kill tumor cells or cells infected with a virus8. Another interesting article I read about ocimene was actually written back in 2014 and focused on the essential oil that is found within citrus peels. Those researchers found that the essential oil from citrus peels had about 5.6% ocimene within and showed promise suppressing the function of inflammatory cytokines9. Cytokines are a protein that are made by our own bodies and is actually a really broad term, but generally, they can function in one of two ways, pro-inflammation and anti-inflammation10. Research has shown that there is a connection between certain cytokines and the persistence of pathologic pain10. Strains that might be high in ocimene include: Skunk #1 and Pincher Creek1, as well as Durban Poison, OG Kush, and Strawberry Cough6. While there is still much to learn about the terpene ocimene, what we do know now shows a lot of promise for health benefits in the future.
So to wrap this up, the health benefits of the ocimene and pinene terpenes cannot be overstated. These natural compounds, which can be found in various plants and herbs, including cannabis, can offer a wide range of benefits for physical and mental health. From potentially helping to reduce inflammation and relieve pain to helping with cognitive function, ocimene and pinene have been shown to have potentially significant effects on the body and mind. Finding strains higher in pinene and ocimene within your preferred cannabis product can be an interesting process, but by doing your research before going to the dispensary and then asking to see the certificate's of analysis for the product, you can make a more informed decision. You can also include the foods that pinene and ocimene are high in, into your diet. Cooking with rosemary and basil can add more pinene to your diet, while using basil, mint, parsley, allspice, and tarragon can include more ocimene. Overall, these terpenes offer a natural and more holistic approach to improving your health and well-being. If anyone has any questions about this post or cannabis in general, please reach out to me. I'd love a chance to talk about how cannabis could be of potential help in different situations.
References
Backes, M., Weil, A. and McCue, J.D. (2017) “Cannabis as Medicine,” in Cannabis Pharmacy: The practical guide to medical marijuana. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, pp. 43–47.
Clark, C.S. (2021) “Cannabis Pharmacology,” in Cannabis: A handbook for nurses. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer, pp. 126–127.
Khoshnazar, M., Parvardeh, S. and Bigdeli, M.R. (2020) “Alpha-pinene exerts neuroprotective effects via anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic mechanisms in a rat model of focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion,” Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, 29(8), p. 104977. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2020.104977.
Types of stroke (no date) www.stroke.org. Available at: https://www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke/types-of-stroke (Accessed: April 27, 2023).
Furman D, Campisi J, Verdin E, et al. Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span. Nat Med. 2019;25(12):1822-1832. doi:10.1038/s41591-019-0675-0
Ocimene - terpenes and Cannabinoid Research (2021) Cannakeys. Available at: https://cannakeys.com/ocimene-terpene-research/ (Accessed: April 27, 2023).
Antonelli M, Donelli D, Barbieri G, Valussi M, Maggini V, Firenzuoli F. Forest Volatile Organic Compounds and Their Effects on Human Health: A State-of-the-Art Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(18):6506. Published 2020 Sep 7. doi:10.3390/ijerph17186506
NCI Dictionary of Cancer terms (no date) National Cancer Institute. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/natural-killer-cell (Accessed: April 27, 2023).
Kim MJ, Yang KW, Kim SS, et al. Chemical composition and anti-inflammation activity of essential oils from Citrus unshiu flower. Nat Prod Commun. 2014;9(5):727-730.
Zhang JM, An J. Cytokines, inflammation, and pain. Int Anesthesiol Clin. 2007;45(2):27-37. doi:10.1097/AIA.0b013e318034194e
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