Study: Marijuana Terpenes Have Anti-inflammatory Potential

Study: Marijuana Terpenes Have Anti-inflammatory Potential

Terpenes derived from marijuana may have strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, according to a new study.

The study, titled “Anti-inflammatory Potential of Terpenes Present in Cannabis sativa L.”, was published in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience. It was published ahead of print by the U.S. National Institute of Health.

“Cannabis sativa L. (C. sativa) contains an array of plant-derived (phyto) cannabinoids and terpenes that are predominantly located in the trichome cavity of the plant”, states the study. “Terpenes, aromatic organic hydrocarbons characterized for their role in plant protection/pollination, are gaining attention for their potential as novel therapeutics in many areas of biomedicine.”

The study explored “the exciting recent evidence that terpenes have anti-inflammatory/antioxidant propensity by targeting inflammatory signaling mechanisms relevant to human disease.”

This, of course, isn’t the first study to find that terpenes may have positive effects.

A 2018 study published in the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry found that cannabis terpenes have attributes that are “anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, anticonvulsive, antidepressant, anxiolytic, anticancer, antitumor, neuroprotective, anti-mutagenic, anti-allergic, antibiotic and anti-diabetic”.

The full and short abstract of the new study can be found below:

Researchers state that “Given their anti-inflammatory properties, terpenes may contribute to the effects of current cannabinoid-based therapies.”
Cannabis sativa L. (C. sativa) contains an array of plant-derived (phyto) cannabinoids and terpenes that are predominantly located in the trichome cavity of the plant. Terpenes, aromatic organic hydrocarbons characterized for their role in plant protection/pollination, are gaining attention for their potential as novel therapeutics in many areas of biomedicine. This Viewpoint will explore the exciting recent evidence that terpenes have anti-inflammatory/antioxidant propensity by targeting inflammatory signaling mechanisms relevant to human disease. Given their anti-inflammatory properties, terpenes may contribute to the effects of current cannabinoid-based therapies.