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New Studies Show That Terpenes Have Cancer-Fighting Properties Too
Terpenes are an important organic compound found in many different types of plants. They are responsible for providing the plant or herb its unique flavor or aroma. Wait, what are terpenes, exactly?
Many popular plants contain terpenes – cannabis, even. Examples of other plants with terpenes include lavender and pine trees. Even citrus fruits contain terpenes too: these compounds give off that tangy citrus flavor that many of us love. However, they also contain therapeutic and medicinal benefits. Terpenes have been found to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and painkilling properties.
In nature, terpenes also serve an important function: they help keep predators away, attract pollinators, and protect the plant from potential stressors around the environment. Currently, we have identified approximately 20,000 different types of terpenes. Each of them has its unique flavor profile and therapeutic benefits.
The marijuana plant is a potent source of terpenes. These compounds help us identify various strains through smell or aroma. Terpenes have also been found to play all these important roles and more. Recent studies have shown that terpenes can even actually help fight cancer.
A recent study out of China found that the hemp plant, which contains humulene and caryophyllene terpenes, can help kill cancer and pain. The Chinese researchers tested the painkilling and tumor-reducing properties of hemp oil on mice subjects. They found that administering hemp oil extracts to the mice helped decrease neuropathic pain as well as tumor growth.
“These results reveal that HEO [hemp essential oil] plays a role not only in tumor chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy treatment, but also in anti-tumor treatment which offers key information for new strategies in cancer treatment and provides reference for the medicinal development of hemp,” they said.
Many people, like famous cannabis-healer Rick Simpson, have stressed THC is the key to fighting cancer.
Additionally, a review from 2021 highlighted the potential of a popular terpene, limonene, in preventing cancer. The medical review was among the first of its kind to study the cancer-inhibiting properties of limonene. For the review, researchers synthesized other similar papers that analyzed the cancer-fighting characteristics of limonene in animal subjects.
They found that limonene helped address several factors related to cancer growth: tumor size, volume, weight, and number. The researchers even discovered that limonene boosted the presence of antioxidant enzymes while improving survival rates among the rodents.
Another study showed that limonene may be helpful for breast cancer. In the study, women who had breast cancer saw a 22% decrease in expression of breast tumor cells after consuming 2g of limonene daily for 6 weeks.
Other terpenes that have been studied for cancer and inflammation include phytol, which is usually found in green tea. However, in marijuana strains, potent amounts of phytol can be found in Sour Diesel and Cheese strains. Research has shown that phytol plays an important role in health and oncology, primarily for its pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies showed that it can help treat breast cancer and even liver cancer, since it potentially induces apoptosis.
The Therapeutic Potential of Terpenes In Fighting Cancer and Inflammation
Currently, we know that several compounds in marijuana have strong anticancer properties. Research and studies show that the major cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) both help fight cancer in different ways, primarily by inducing apoptosis or programmed cell death. They may also help inhibit tumor growth while preventing the spread of cancer cells.
Meanwhile, other cannabinoids such as cannabichromene (CBC) and cannabigerol (CBG) are among the few that can also have potent anti-inflammatory and thus, cancer-fighting properties.
It must be said, though, that there no guarantee: while many of these marijuana compounds can indeed help prevent or treat cancer, there is still much more we need to understand. Additionally, there is no standard solution when it comes to cancer and cannabis so it’s always best to listen to your doctor.
While we need more studies to better understand how terpenes fight cancer, we do know that some terpenes are effective in inhibiting the production of enzymes and cytokines that reduce inflammation. They work even more efficiently when combined with the therapeutic benefits of THC and CBD, thanks to the entourage effect.
After all, inflammation is the body’s response to dangerous and harmful stimuli – whether in the environment or ingested in the human body. Toxins, chemicals, and poison may accumulate over time to cause cell and DNA damage, inflammation, infection, tumor growth, and cancer cell proliferation. In time, chronic inflammation may end up causing cancer. Early detection, lifestyle changes, and proper medication including strategic use of marijuana can help reduce the risk of cancer.
Conclusion
Terpenes certainly do much more than provide delicious, aromatic smells and flavors to our marijuana smoking experience. These are extremely valuable compounds that are also found in hemp, fruits, and other plants which have been studied and proven to contain important therapeutic properties which may one day even help us in the fight against cancer.
Research on terpenes and cancer is still in its early stages, though what we see is certainly promising. Despite decades of ‘medical breakthroughs’ in Western medicine, we have failed to find effective cures for cancer. It’s notoriously difficult to treat for many reasons, which is why any study suggesting that compounds in marijuana can help is truly welcome. The plant has shown to be a panacea, though not a miracle cure – though more studies and clinical trials will help shed light on it in the near future.