If you've read any cannabis news articles or blog postings in the last several years, you've probably heard of the "entourage effect."
No, it doesn't refer to a bunch of weed aficionados who hang out together and follow a cannabis plant around. The term "entourage" is utilised as a metaphor rather than a literal interpretation in this circumstance.
Simply explained, the entourage effect refers to the synergistic effects of combining different chemical components found in cannabis. The interaction of THC/CBD with other cannabinoids or terpenes is the most prevalent example.
Terpenes and Cannabinoids
Let's review some basic concepts that explain the chemical composition of cannabis before going into too much depth about the entourage effect.
Cannabinoids
The Entourage Effect and Cannabinoids
THC and CBD are well-known cannabinoids, but did you know that there are over 120 cannabinoids found naturally in the cannabis plant?
Cannabinoids interact with the Endocannabinoid System (ECS), a system made up of chemical messengers (endocannabinoids) and binding sites (receptors) that regulates a myriad of processes in the body, including pain, sleep, and appetite.
THC is intoxicating and psychoactive. The cannabinoid is responsible for the “high” sensation that many users get after inhaling or ingesting cannabis.
CBD, on the other hand, has no psychoactive properties. This explains why CBD is becoming more popular in the medical community, as many people who want to use cannabis for medicinal purposes don't want to get high.
THC and CBD have shown a wide range of potential medicinal applications on their own2. However, in some circumstances, they are most effective when used simultaneously. Continue reading to learn why.
Terpenes and the Entourage Effect Terpenes and the Entourage Effect
Have you ever opened a cannabis container and smelled citrus right away? Maybe you detected a whiff of pine, pepper, or lavender.
Terpenes are the compounds responsible for this wide diversity of scents and are now being used for terpene infused herbal tobacco alternatives!
Terpenes are aromatic flavour chemicals that can be found in a variety of plants, fruits, herbs, and spices.
They also have some therapeutic effects, which is interesting.
Pinene (found in pine trees) has anti-inflammatory properties, while linalool (found in lavender) has anti-anxiety properties3.
What Is the Entourage Effect and How Does It Work?
We already know that cannabinoids and terpenes have different effects on their own. But what about combining cannabinoids and terpenes, or mixing different cannabinoids with terpenes?
As it turns out, the equation 1 + 1 = 2 isn't as simple as it appears. That is, mixing THC and CBD does not merely combine the effects of CBD and THC. THC and CBD, as well as other cannabinoids including THCV, CBN, and CBG, and terpenes, interact to produce a synergistic effect known as the entourage effect.
You might be wondering which cannabinoids and terpenes combination is best for treating a specific ailment. Unfortunately, due to decades of cannabis prohibition and stigma, research into the entourage effect is just getting started. As a result, we don't know much about which cannabinoids and terpenes go well together.
However, some ground-breaking research has shed light on how the entourage effect works.
Cannabinoids and the Entourage Effect
One study compared the efficacy of THC vs THC and CBD combined in relieving cancer-related pain, finding that “the THC:CBD combination revealed a more promising efficacy profile than the THC extract alone4.”
These findings are fascinating because they add to the growing body of evidence that combining multiple cannabinoids produces an entourage effect.
CBD has been proven to lessen the euphoric effects of THC, in addition to perhaps increasing THC's analgesic characteristics.
The exact method is unknown, but it's assumed that CBD interacts indirectly with the body's CB1 receptors (part of the ECS) in a way that inhibits THC's capacity to bind to these receptors5.
These are only a few examples of the entourage effect when cannabinoids are combined. However, keep in mind that most cannabis strains have been intentionally grown to maximise THC or CBD levels. As a result, little is known about the other 118+ cannabinoids, so you can picture the plethora of additional possible cannabinoid entourage effects that exist but have yet to be investigated.
Terpenes and the Entourage Effect
Dr. Ethan Russo's seminal study work, Taming THC: possible cannabis synergy and phyto-cannabinoid terpenoid entourage effects, is essential reading for anybody interested in the entourage effect.
Dr. Russo's paper includes a persuasive synopsis of studies that have proved the medicinal effects of cannabinoids and terpenes, as well as an explanation of some of cannabis' most well-known (and well-researched) chemical constituents.
Because each terpene has a particular chemical composition, each one has a different set of actions. Because most cannabis strains include a range of terpenes, determining which cannabinoid-terpene combinations trigger a terpene entourage effect is practically impossible.
With that in mind, terpene research can provide some answers.
“Data would support the concept that myrcene is a dominant sedative terpenoid in cannabis, and when paired with THC, may create the ‘couchlock' phenomenon of certain chemotypes3,” says Dr. Russo.
What other terpene entourage effects are feasible if THC + myrcene = couchlock?
Only time will tell, as research into the entourage effect is still in its early stages. However, it's very feasible that, in the future, we'll think of cannabis strains in terms of their chemotype (chemical profile), which is a far more accurate predictor of the strain's effects than physical traits (i.e. sativa versus indica).
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