A Guide To Peppery Terpene Beta-caryophyllene And Cannabinoids

By Author: Rosiey Bliss
Total Articles: 268
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Cannabis is an incredibly intricate medicinal plant with hundreds of compounds that give it flavor, scent, and effects.

The "pepper terpene," also known as beta-caryophyllene (BCP), is the compound that gives some cannabis strains their warm, woodsy, and spicy aromas, which are reminiscent of black pepper and cloves. However, beta-caryophyllene, which connects cannabinoids and other substances in the cannabis plant, is more complicated than other terpenes. It contains anti-inflammatory properties and may be helpful for a variety of ailments, including nerve pain and arthritis.

This article explores the unique properties of beta-caryophyllene, its physiological effects, and the ailments it may help alleviate.

The Reasons Behind the Terpene and Cannabinoid Status of Beta-Caryophyllene

The terpene beta-caryophyllene, also known as caryophyllene, has a warm, woodsy, and spicy aroma. It contains essential oils of hops, black caraway, rosemary, oregano, cinnamon, basil, black pepper, and clove. Because beta-caryophyllene has such a distinctive fragrance, drug-sniffing dogs are trained to detect it.

Why ...
... is Beta-Caryophyllene Special?

Unlike other terpenes, beta-caryophyllene targets the CB2 receptors in the body's endocannabinoid system and functions as a cannabinoid. In many respects, beta-caryophyllene serves as a crucial reminder that terpenes and cannabinoids are not distinct from one another and that they act in concert.

Terpenes change the behavior of cannabinoids and the amount of THC that penetrates the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Terpenes can control the synthesis and breakdown of neurotransmitters including serotonin and dopamine.

Terpenes, such as beta-caryophyllene, have a flavor-enhancing impact in addition to combining with flavonoids and cannabinoids to have special medicinal properties (the entourage effect). While distinct terpenes and cannabinoids have different effects at varying dosages and in different combinations, it's important to keep in mind that they are all interconnected.

Health Advantages

Beta-caryophyllene has been linked to numerous medical diseases as a helpful possible treatment, including the following:

Anxiety

The CB1 receptor has been found to be important in the treatment of anxiety. Anxiety increases if the CB1 receptor gene is removed or if the CB1 receptors in the amygdala of the brain are blocked.

CB2 receptors are found on dopamine neurons, therefore blocking or eliminating these receptors can influence anxiety-like behaviors. This is due to increased CB2 receptor expression in the brain caused by inflammatory conditions. Therefore, beta-caryophyllene and other selective CB2 agonists are useful for alleviating anxiety.

Depression

Other neuropsychiatric conditions including schizophrenia and depression are linked to the overexpression of CB2 cannabinoid receptors. Overexpressed CB2 receptors on dopamine neurons also affect eating problems and alcohol use. As a CB2 agonist, beta-caryophyllene helps lessen depression symptoms and other neuropsychiatric diseases.

Neuropathic (Nerve) Pain and Chronic Pain

Because of its anti-anxiety, antidepressant, and anti-inflammatory effects, beta-caryophyllene has the potential to be a very effective treatment for neuropathic and chronic pain. It has been demonstrated that beta-caryophyllene possesses both analgesic and anticancer properties.

In the short term, doctors frequently prescribe potent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs), such as celecoxib (trade name: Celebrex), for arthritic pain and nerve discomfort. Celecoxib does, however, have a number of unpleasant side effects, such as diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pain.

Celecoxib's negative effects at higher doses may include anaphylaxis, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes, gastrointestinal perforation, and gastrointestinal bleeding (a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction). In place of such NSAIDs, beta-caryophyllene and CBD may be an option.

Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease are Examples of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Potential treatment targets for a variety of neurodegenerative diseases include CB2 receptors. Parkinson's sufferers' brains have been shown to have a downregulation of CB2 receptors, which causes inflammation and brain deterioration.

In the brain, beta-caryophyllene reduces excessive inflammation by interacting with CB2 receptors. It is thought that CB2 receptor activation and overexpression prevent the neurodegenerative alterations that Parkinson's disease patients experience (PD).

Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients had higher levels of CB2 receptors, "mostly in microglia surrounding senile plaques, and their expression levels correlate with the amounts of [specific] plaque formation," according to research.

The aforementioned study suggests that beta-caryophyllene may aid in removing the plaques linked to Alzheimer's disease and reducing inflammation of the brain's neurons.

Possibly Adverse Effects

A strong anti-inflammatory and pain reliever, beta-caryophyllene may be helpful for inflammation and neuropathic pain. Additionally, beta-caryophyllene may have anti-anxiety properties.

Beta-caryophyllene does not bind to CB1 receptors and does not have any psychedelic effects, despite having physiological consequences. Studies have revealed that beta-caryophyllene has few to no negative side effects despite all of its advantages.

What is Beta-Caryophyllene Used For?

How you intend to utilize cannabis as medication will determine how to use beta-caryophyllene. Since it is a component of medicinal marijuana, it is challenging to administer a terpene dosage correctly if only the entire plant is consumed.

However, when mixed with significant levels of pinene, limonene, THC, and THCV, beta-caryophyllene may make anxiety symptoms worse. Starting with lesser doses may be the most effective strategy to determine how the entourage effect affects your usage. Cannabinoids and terpenes together may be beneficial for:

Neuropathic diabetes pain
Depression
ADD/ADHD

Beta-caryophyllene may work better when coupled with the following terpenes and cannabinoids to treat chronic muscular and joint pain, anxiety, and insomnia:

Myrcene
Linalool
Terpineol
CBD
THC

Again, regardless of beta-caryophyllene, we advise starting with lower THC potencies and boosting them if necessary to help with a particular disease. Ask your Leafwell doctor for advice on dosage if you require more information.
Cannabis Species and Varieties with High Beta-Caryophyllene Content

Beta-caryophyllene is present in many cannabis strains, with some strains having higher concentrations than others.

A strain's beta-caryophyllene content is influenced by the genetics, the environment in which it was cultivated, and how it was grown. You are more likely to learn this from the test results on the box than from the strain name.

However, it has been discovered that the following cannabis strains from the Girl Scout Cookies (GSC) family regularly have high levels of beta-caryophyllene:

Cookies and Cream
Candyland
Platinum GSC
And, of course, GSC itself

Beta-caryophyllene has also been found in some cannabis strains with Kush genetics, including:

Master Kush
Bubba Kush
OG Kush
Purple Kush

But once more, a name alone won't provide you much information. Varieties are frequently mislabeled, thus it's always preferable to examine the test findings rather than rely on exact dosages.

Conclusions Regarding Beta-Caryophyllene

All things considered, beta-caryophyllene is a very promising cannabinoid with a variety of health advantages in addition to its function in the entourage effect of cannabis. Beta-caryophyllene is unquestionably deserving of consideration for addition to your medicinal cannabis toolset, despite the fact that much more research is still required to understand it.

Beta Caryophyllene has a woody, spicy smell of cloves, pepper, has 130 degrees celcius, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties. For more information about Beta Caryophyllene, visit https://sativabliss.ca!