The distinct aroma of cannabis isn’t due to your favorite cannabinoids. The terpenes, on the other hand, are responsible for the distinctive smell and taste of cannabis. They may also impact how cannabis feels and might reflect some of its medicinal potential. You can buy this product in our boutique.
Myrcene is one of the most prevalent terpenes in cannabis. Myrcene is present in hops and contributes to the pungent, spicy aroma of beer. It’s also found in lemongrass, which has been used in folk medicine for thousands of years.
How Common Is Myrcene In Cannabis?
The most prevalent terpene in today’s commercial cannabis is myrcene. We see this clearly when we look at hundreds of cannabis flower samples. On average, myrcene makes up roughly 20% of the terpene profile in modern commercial strains, however individual samples can differ considerably.
The most common cannabis terpene is myrcene, which occupies about 30 percent of the profile by volume. In fact, myrcene is the most prevalent cannabis terpene in flower. A souche‘s “dominant” terpene is simply the terpene at the highest concentration level. Even though there are several more cannabis terpenes in a strain’s overall profile, only a limited number of them appear as dominant in modern commercial cannabis.
If you picked a random flower product off of a shelf in a legal state, it’s likely to be myrcene-dominant about 40% of the time. Modern commercial cannabis has a significant lack of chemical diversity, as reflected by the haut percentage of myrcene dominance. Breeders have plenty of room to experiment with increasing the chemical variety of strains, which may lead to entirely new strains with terpene profiles that are unlike anything presently accessible on the market.
What Does Myrcene Smell Like?
Higher myrcene levels in cannabis strains have been linked to a more pungent, spicy, earthy, and musky odor. Myrcene also contains subtle sweet undertones that have been compared to ripe mango, juicy guava, and other exotic tastes.
What are the Effects of Myrcene?
Myrcene has a long and illustrious history in aromatherapy. Myrcene, like other terpenes, is regarded to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, sleep-supportive, and other health advantages.
Traditional Uses of Plants High in Myrcene:
- Improve sleep
- Reduce pain
- Promote relaxation
- Enhance mood
- Relieve anxiety
- Relieve Stress
- Strengthen the immune system
How Common is Myrcene in Cannabis?
Myrcene is present in hundreds of cannabis strains, and it makes up approximately 20% of the terpene content in the more popular strains available today.
Myrcene Is Also Thought To Be the Dominant Terpene Found In Many Cannabis Strains.
The dominant terpenes are simply the terpenes in that strain with the most concentration. There are many different types of terpene within a single cannabis strain, but only a select few are known as “dominant.”
There’s a lot of discussion about whether or not eating mangos before smoking or consuming cannabis will enhance its effectiveness. This is due to the myrcene content in mango and its synergistic interaction with cannabinoids.
Myrcene is believed to aid in the absorption of THC and other cannabinoids, making them more effective while reducing the dose.
What Is β-Myrcene
Beta-myrcene is a cyclic monoterpene that may be found in plants (along with other terpenes) in the essential oil of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), hops (Humulus lupus), verbena (Verbena Officinalis), mangoes (Mangifera Indica), thyme (Thymus Vulgaris), bay leaves, and Cannabis Sativa.
Myrcene is a volatile hydrocarbon and, as a result, difficult to use alone. It is commonly used as an intermediate by the fragrance industry for the creation of derivative terpenes.
It has been extensively studied for safety, with genotoxicity of the monoterpene and salmonella/microsome testing to ensure that it is not a mutagen.
Biosynthesis Production of β-Myrcene
The stereospecific condensation of two isomeric five-carbon units, isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMADP), generates terpenes in plants. Geranyl diphosphate (GPP) is formed by the condensation of IPP with DMADP, via geranyl diphosphatase (GPPS). Geraniol is subsequently hydrolyzed by a prenolpyrophosphatase to form β-myrcene as a result of dehydration and isomerization.
Industrial Synthesis of Myrcene
β-Pinene is a precursor to the synthesis of β-myrcene. Prior to the 1950s, pine or spruce resins were tapped from trees and used to extract β-pinene. Nowadays, crude sulphate turpentine (CST) may be used to isolate β-pinene from paper waste streams, which can be distilled and desulphurised. The amount of β-pinene in CST is determined by a variety of factors including age, season, geographic location, and tree type.
The most common way to make myrcene industrially is through pyrolysis of β-pinene. Alternative methods for sustainable and ecologically responsible large-scale production of myrcene may be developed in the future using engineered microbial platforms.
Other Potential Benefits of Myrcene
myrcene can counteract the carcinogenic effects of aflatoxins produced by fungi that make their way into our meals. These anti-mutagen activities are due to myrcene’s inhibition of CYP2B1, an enzymes in the liver that produces aflatoxin’s ability to damage DNA. Myrcene also protects us against DNA damage caused by toxic chemicals like t-butylhydroperoxide. In line with other terpenes’ antioxidant and antibacterial properties, these anti-mutagen actions are similar.