Terpenes

Terpene Spotlight: Guaiol

Posted on by TJ

Terpenes are garnering more attention recently, and for good reason. With the federal legalization of industrial hemp and the state-by-state legalization of THC cannabis, we’re learning that it’s not just the cannabinoids, THC and CBD, that we need to pay attention to. Terpenes, responsible for hemp’s pleasant aroma, are also responsible for modulating user experiences. The rest of this post will be dedicated to one such terpene called guaiol (pronounced g-why-ee-ol) and, 

  • Where you can find it in nature
  • What we currently use it for
  • And, guaiol’s potential benefits

What Are Terpenes?

Terpenes are a diverse group of organic compounds that contribute both to a plant’s aroma and its self-defense.¹ In flowering hemp plants terpenes deter deer and other herbivores by giving the flowers an overwhelmingly bitter taste. 

The cosmetic and food industries love terpenes for their aroma, and by extension, their taste. If you open your medicine cabinet or fridge right now, you’ll likely find something containing terpenes. You’ve likely encountered terpenes in, 

  • Beer contains humulene— a terpene found in hops
  • Household cleaners many of which contain pinene
  • Many household herbs like basil contain ocimene

What Is Guaiol

Guaiol is a sesquiterpene alcohol (meaning it’s made of three isoprene units) found in various plants and some animals. Guaiol’s distinctive aroma lends itself to a handful of hemp strains as well as the guaiacum plant where it was first isolated from and subsequently named after. 

Guaiacum has a long history of medicinal use, including helping with menstruation, soothing sore throats, and as a stimulant. 

Fun fact: Scientists at CERN believe that sesquiterpenes, like guaiol, may play a major role in cloud formation! 

Guaiacum Officinale tree flower. Purple petals with yellow anthers.
Flowers of the Guaiacum Officinale tree. Image courtesy of Inna from Pixabay

What Is Guaiol Used For?

Aside from its years of medical use via the guaiacum plant, the terpene guaiol can also be found in nutmeg, cumin, lilacs, and tea trees. 

Its unique scent, a mix of woodiness, pine, and rose, makes guaiol a highly sought-after terpene. 

Guaiol’s Potential Benefits 

As mentioned, guaiol has historically been used for its medicinal qualities. But as we’ve been able to isolate and study each terpene, academics are publishing studies about guaiol’s applications. 

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

In a 2010 study, both guaiol and beta-caryophyllene exhibited statistically significant anti-inflammatory effects. As this study was performed in vitro, the results warrant further study.²

Antimicrobial & Anti-parasitic Properties

A few studies published in the last two decades found that guaiol is effective in combating parasites and harmful bacteria.³⁴ We should note that guaiol was just a part of the essential oils used in both studies and not isolated. Still, these results are interesting and could lead to new antimicrobial products using guaiol. 

Anti-tumor Properties 

Perhaps one of the most interesting studies about guaiol was published in 2016 in the Journal Oncotarget.⁵ Researchers isolated guaiol and found that the terpene inhibits tumor cell growth and proliferation. We will note that these results are from studies carried out in vitro, but even so, they are an exciting jumping-off point for further guaiol research. 

Sunset Lake CBD Cultivars Featuring Guaiol

At Sunset Lake CBD, we pride ourselves on our approach to sungrown hemp. Not only do we think that producing hemp flowers outdoors is better for the environment, but some studies show that natural light increases terpene production in the flowers. This year we’ve got a handful of CBD hemp flower cultivars that prominently feature guaiol including, 

Sources:

  1. Divekar, Pratap Adinath et al. “Plant Secondary Metabolites as Defense Tools against Herbivores for Sustainable Crop Protection.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 23,5 2690. 28 Feb. 2022, doi:10.3390/ijms23052690
  2. Apel, Miriam A et al. “Anti-inflammatory activity of essential oil from leaves of Myrciaria tenella and Calycorectes sellowianus.” Pharmaceutical biology vol. 48,4 (2010): 433-8. doi:10.3109/13880200903164386
  3. Andrade, Milene Aparecida et al. “Essential oils: in vitro activity against Leishmania amazonensis, cytotoxicity and chemical composition.” BMC complementary and alternative medicine vol. 16,1 444. 8 Nov. 2016, doi:10.1186/s12906-016-1401-9
  4. Choudhary, Muhammad Iqbal et al. “Microbial transformation of (-)-guaiol and antibacterial activity of its transformed products.” Journal of natural products vol. 70,5 (2007): 849-52. doi:10.1021/np068052a
  5. Yang, Qingyuan et al. “(-)-Guaiol regulates RAD51 stability via autophagy to induce cell apoptosis in non-small cell lung cancer.” Oncotarget vol. 7,38 (2016): 62585-62597. doi:10.18632/oncotarget.11540

Terpene Spotlight: Ocimene

Posted on by TJ

Hemp is a mind-bending plant when you think about it. Not only does hemp flower produce over 100 compounds called cannabinoids, but it also produces hundreds of different organic compounds called terpenes. Today, we’ll be looking at one that lends itself to some very delicious herbs: Ocimene. 

In the rest of this post, we’ll cover, 

  • What Ocimene is 
  • Where you can find it in nature
  • Ocimene’s potential benefits

What Are Terpenes?

Terpenes are a diverse grouping of organic compounds primarily responsible for the aroma of many plants. Terpenes also play a crucial role in a plant’s self-defense by deterring pests and herbivores, while simultaneously attracting pollinators.1 In hemp, terpenes give the flowers a bitter taste which deters deer and other would-be crop eaters. 

The cosmetic and food industries covet terpenes for their aroma and taste. If you open your fridge right now, you’ll likely find something that contains some form of terpene. Terpenes you’ve likely encountered include: 

What Is Ocimene?

Ocimene is a naturally occurring monoterpene found in a variety of plants, though it derives its name from the word “ṓkimon,” the Greek word for Basil. 

There are three different forms of ocimene found in nature: alpha-, cis-beta-, and trans-beta; all found at relatively similar levels in nature.

You’ll find ocimene in many different plants like basil, parsley, mint, kumquats, and, of course, hemp. In a way, Mediterranean cooking owes a lot to this terpene. Its earthy and herbaceous aroma profile lends itself to many regional dishes. 

Fun fact: The plant genus name Ocimum also derives its name from “ṓkimon.” Many of the plants inside contain some level of ocimene. 

What Is Ocimene Used For? 

Outside of the kitchen, we already use ocimene for quite a few things. In cannabis products, it’s thought to have uplifting effects on users.

Cleaning agent

While ocimene doesn’t boast any cleaning abilities, it is often added to cleaning products as an aromatic agent as we humans find its scent quite pleasant. You can find ocimene added to deodorants, hard-surface cleaners, and even laundry detergents. 

Insect Repellant 

Some studies suggest that ocimene may act as a natural insect repellent and in some cases an insect inhibitor, meaning that it may be able to stunt the development of insect aphids.2

If true, these findings could be a huge breakthrough for organic and no-spray farmers. 

Ocimene’s Potential Benefits

Outside of the kitchen, the house, the garden, and IN the lab, ocimene may have some pretty fantastic benefits that we have yet to fully understand. Below is a non-exhaustive list of potential benefits that it may have. 

Anti-fungal

A 2015 study published in the Journal of Natural Medicines found that when combined with alpha-pinene, ocimene was a powerful anti-yeast and anti-fungal agent.3 

Anti-inflammatory

A 2013 study published in the Food and Chemical Toxicology journal noted that ocimene may have strong anti-inflammatory properties.4 This study, like the study above, did not observe ocimene on its own. Ratherit was part of a larger blend of essential oils from the Water Hemlock (Oenanthe crocata L.) plant. 

Anti-viral

A 2008 study published in a Chemistry & Biodiversity report studied and analyzed several Lebanese tree species and their essential oils.5 Ocimene, working together with other terpenes, was found to have inhibitory effects against the herpes simplex virus and a SARS-CoV virus (not COVID-19)

Sunset Lake CBD Cultivars Featuring Ocimene

At Sunset Lake CBD, we pride ourselves on our approach to sungrown hemp. Not only do we think that producing hemp flower outdoors is better for the environment, but it’s also been shown to increase terpene production in the flowers. This year we’ve got a handful of cultivars that prominently feature ocimene including, 

We report terpene content based on dry weight of the flowers.

Terpene Spotlight: Humulene

Posted on by TJ

Not only does hemp produce more than 100 compounds called cannabinoids, but it also produces a multitude of aromatic compounds called terpenes. Humulene, the topic of this post, lends itself to one of the world’s most popular consumer products: beer. 

In this post, we’ll cover, 

  • What humulene is 
  • Where you can find humulene, both in nature and in manufactured products, 
  • And, what potential benefits humulene might have

Continue reading “Terpene Spotlight: Humulene”

Terpene Spotlight: Pinene

Posted on by Rev Baker

Humans have coexisted with hemp for millennia. We are only now beginning to understand all of its chemical constituents. Besides producing more than 100 cannabinoids, hemp also produces between 300-400 terpenes. Pinene [pie-neen] is the most common terpene found in nature and is one of the most commonly found terpenes in hemp flower. Besides adding a pleasant aroma to soaps and cosmetics, pinene is being researched for its potential therapeutic applications.1

In this post, we’ll discuss:

  • What Pinene is 
  • Where pinene can be found in nature 
  • And, what applications for pinene are being investigated by researchers

Continue reading “Terpene Spotlight: Pinene”

Terpene Spotlight: Linalool

Posted on by Rev Baker

Hemp is a majestic plant rich in active compounds like cannabinoids— CBD, THC, and CBN— flavonoids, and molecules called terpenes. Terpenes have been thrust into the spotlight thanks to some new promising findings. But as it turns out, humans have used some terpenes for centuries in folk medicine practices. One such terpene is linalool, a primary component of lavender that has been used for healing the body and mind.

Linalool (“li-nal-oh-awl”) is rarely the dominant terpene in hemp, but it still plays a significant role in hemp’s aromatic profile. In addition to hemp and lavender, linalool can be found in many fruits and spices including some varieties of citrus, mint, and hops.

A note about pronunciation: Linalool looks like it should be pronounced “lin-ah-lewel,” but the correct pronunciation is “li-nal-oh-awl.” This odd pronunciation is due to the fact that the word is a combination of lináloe, a family of trees found in Mexico, and the suffix -ol, indicating that it is an alcohol molecule1.

In this post we’ll discuss:

  • What linalool is 
  • Where linalool can be found in nature 
  • And, what research has been done on linalool’s potential benefits

Continue reading “Terpene Spotlight: Linalool”

Terpene Spotlight: beta-Caryophyllene

Posted on by Rev Baker

You may already know about the cannabinoids CBD and THC, but there are hundreds of other compounds that hemp produces. One such class of compounds gaining attention is terpenes. Researchers are looking into how terpenes affect humans when consumed and what possible uses they might have. beta-Caryophyllene (“bay-tah carey-oh-fi-leen”) is one of the major terpenes found in hemp and plays a big role in how hemp smells. You probably have some beta-caryophyllene in your kitchen and might not know it. Many spices in your kitchen, like black pepper and cinnamon, contain beta-caryophyllene.

In this post, we’ll discuss:

  • What beta-caryophyllene is 
  • Where beta-caryophyllene can be found in nature 
  • And, what research says about beta-caryophyllene’s potential benefits

Continue reading “Terpene Spotlight: beta-Caryophyllene”

Terpene Spotlight: Limonene

Posted on by Rev Baker

You may have come across the term “terpenes” while shopping for hemp CBD products and wondered, “What’s that?” Hemp plants produce hundreds of active compounds. Research into said compounds beyond just CBD and THC is ramping up. Terpenes not only play a major role in how hemp smells but they’re also believed to change how you feel when using different hemp cultivars. Limonene (“lie-muh-neen“) is a commonly found terpene in hemp and cannabis. You may already be familiar with limonene but didn’t know its name. All citrus fruits contain limonene as it’s a major component of citrus’s aromatic profile.

In this post we’ll discuss:

  • What limonene is 
  • Where you can find limonene in nature 
  • And, what research says about its potential benefits

Continue reading “Terpene Spotlight: Limonene”

Terpene Spotlight: Terpinolene

Posted on by Rev Baker

As research explores all the potential benefits of hemp, there is an increased public interest in learning more about the active compounds beyond just CBD and THC. Terpenes feature prominently in the discussion about how hemp can make you feel and they play a major role in how hemp smells.

There are dozens of terpenes found in hemp flowers, and one of the least common terpenes is called terpinolene (“ter-pin-oh-leen”). But just because it’s not typically found in high concentrations, doesn’t sideline it. In fact, some of Sunset Lake CBD flower cultivars like the 2021 Sour Lifter and 2021 Super Sour Space Candy are quite high in terpinolene!

In this post we’ll discuss the following:

  • What is terpinolene 
  • Where terpinolene can be found in nature 
  • And, what research says about its potential benefits

Continue reading “Terpene Spotlight: Terpinolene”

Terpene Spotlight: Myrcene

Posted on by Rev Baker

As public attention and research continue to explore all the potential benefits of hemp, there is an increased interest in learning more about the active components beyond just CBD and THC. Terpenes feature prominently in the discussion about how hemp smells and how it makes you feel. There are dozens of terpenes found in hemp flowers, and the most common terpene in hemp is Myrcene (“mur-seen”).

In this post, we’ll discuss,

  • What Myrcene is,
  • Where you can find it in nature,
  • And, what its potential benefits may be.

Continue reading “Terpene Spotlight: Myrcene”

What Are Terpenes? Terpenes 101

Posted on by TJ

As hemp and CBD grow in popularity, there is more interest in other components of the cannabis plant beyond just cannabinoids like CBD and THC. You may have heard people discussing the “terpene” profile of this or that hemp cultivar. But what are terpenes and what do they do?

In this post, we’ll explore,

  • What terpenes are
  • How they modulate hemp and your experience
  • Which terpenes are present in Sunset Lake CBD hemp flower

Continue reading “What Are Terpenes? Terpenes 101”