What Makes an Aroma? A Terpene Story
Description
It feels like there are new developments every day in the usage and analysis of cannabis products. Terpenes have been a topic of great interest lately as people are trying to develop a deeper understanding of the roles they play in cannabis. They certainly impact aromas and flavors, but there are growing beliefs that they may also enhance or suppress therapeutic benefits through what is called the “entourage effect.” Accordingly, analytical techniques like gas chromatography are increasingly used for terpene analysis.
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Transcript
You know the strong, sweet piney smell of a stand of evergreen trees? That aroma is thanks to a group of chemicals called “terpenes,” in this case, alpha-pinene & beta-pinene. But alpha- and beta-pinene aren’t just found in pine trees. They’re also in cannabis, and so are a bunch of other terpenes, and those terpenes combine to give cannabis strains their unique and distinctive aromas and flavors—aromas and flavors that help the plant repel predators, as well as attract pollinators (and some humans, too)!
There’s also a hypothesis that terpenes in the plant work in conjunction with other components found in cannabis to create a combined effect—an idea widely called “the entourage effect.” So, for their effect on the taste and smell of a product, as well as their possible medicinal value, scientists and growers alike are very interested in learning more about terpenes of all shapes and sizes. Terpenes with a molecular formula of C10H16 are called “monoterpenes.” Myrcene is an example of a monoterpene. The next size up are terpenes with the molecular formula C15H24, which are called “sesquiterpenes.” Humulene is an example of a sesquiterpene. And terpene groups get bigger and bigger, each by a C5 unit, although mono- and sesquiterpenes are the most common in cannabis. Within a size group, those C5H8 units can combine in lots of different ways, making many different terpenes with the same molecular formula but with very different structures – some linear, some with rings. And with such variety, it’s great that chromatography can come to the rescue!
Given their volatility, headspace sampling coupled to gas chromatography is a great choice for analyzing terpenes in complex samples, separating terpenes from each other for identification and quantification. This is especially important since some cannabis regulatory agencies require any label claims about terpene content be verified analytically.
So, the next time you are enjoying the scent of pine while on a hike or analyzing cannabis samples for quality or characterization, just think of all the terpenes that contribute to the smells and tastes around us.