How Cannabis Terpenes are Tested and Why You Should Care
You’ve likely spotted the colorful posters in our sales room, perhaps
even spoken to a budtender about the terp color wheel...
suddenly terpenes are everywhere. But why?
Terpenes are the aromatic oily compounds found in most plants, even some
animals, making them one of the most abundant compounds in the world. Plants
such as rosemary, lavender and cannabis are full of terpenes, and are much
more commonly known and referred to as essential oils. These organic
hydrocarbons provide a plant's characteristic scent. In nature they also provide
protection from herbivores, attract pollinators and help them resist disease
among other functions.
For human use, you will find terpenes in makeup, cleaning products, inks,
varnishes... even beer, particularly IPA’s. Many cultures and religions burn sage
for its antimicrobial properties, others use resins like frankincense and myrrh. All
of these examples are used for the terpenes within, and the effects they provide.
Just like growing grapes to make a fine wine, climate conditions such as
humidity, temperature, direct sun and shade, as well as many other factors all
contribute to terpene development in cannabis plants. Terpenes are what give
each individual cannabis strain its aroma: fruity, cheesy, citrus, pine, diesel,
woody and spicy are all examples of the descriptors we use when looking for
cannabis strains that we like and don't like, when really we are talking about the
plants terpenes.
HOW ARE TERPENE LEVELS TESTED?
Terpenes are extremely volatile and very sensitive to their environment, each
even having their own unique boiling point. This makes testing sometimes difficult
and requires knowledgeable and skilled lab technicians to ensure no
contamination makes it into the material samples. There are a few methods that
are used to test terpene profiles, the most commonly used is Gas
Chromatography/ Mass Spectrometry or GC/MS.
Product (cannabis) samples are placed into a GC/MS system. Here the material
is dissolved into a solution, then vaporized in order to separate the molecules.
Next, they are burned using flame ionization. This causes an electrical signal to
be emitted and “read” by the machine to determine the percentages of each
present terpene, cannabinoid, etc.
These tests can be adjusted to reflect the method of delivery, so the results are
accurate for each category, whether you choose to smoke, eat, swallow or
topically apply your cannabis products.
OK, I GET IT... BUT, WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT TERPENES WHEN I
JUST WANT A HIGH THC LEVEL?
When cannabis is properly dried and cured, its terpenes are preserved as well as
its cannabinoids. Upon consumption, these terpenes help to provide a wide
variety of effects in our mind and body, interacting with the tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC), Cannabinol in cannabis, this creates what is known as the entourage
effect.
This therapeutic synergy between cannabinoids and terpenes allows nature to
help intensify their individual benefits while balancing any potential side effects.
Relaxation, improved appetite, ability to focus, motivation, pain relief and stiff
joints along with any number of other experiences that you seek to recreate with
your cannabis product, is due entirely to the combination of cannabinoids and
terpenes. No THC level alone can accomplish these results without the
assistance of terpenes, nor can consuming terpenes alone create the various
“head or body highs” as well as the many other desired effects associated with
cannabis, without the supporting role of cannabinoids.
Resources:
https://acslabcannabis.com/blog/wellness/terpene-potency-testing-why-and-what-to-test-for/
https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/understanding-cannabis-testing
https://www.cannabistech.com/articles/gas-liquid-chromotography-ftir-spectrosco
py-testing-terpenes/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/what-are-terpenes
https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/509733#:~:text=If%20the%20question%2
0is%20what,1).