The Future of Medicinal Cannabis - Isolated Terpenes
- Isolation of both individual and combined terpenes is a very popular innovation in the cannabis industry
Terpenes are substances that form the basic building blocks of all aroma occurring in nature. Terpenes can naturally be found in all aroma-producing plants, including medical cannabis. The pursuit of perfect fragrance is ubiquitous across the entire cannabis community, and it makes sense that specialized companies focused on extracting medicinal cannabinoids are starting to concentrate on terpenes.
Medical cannabis contains more than 100 (currently discovered) aromatic substances that shape the final aroma of our favorite strains.
(More in articles "Terpenes 1" and "Terpenes 2")
Fortunately for recreational users, patients treating themselves with cannabis, and the cannabis community overall, terpene isolation from medicinal cannabis is not only "figured out", but has become a new mania in the modern cannabis industry.
With a bit of "know-how" borrowed from colleagues in the perfume industry and the hard work of many bright minds, we now have both the methodology and technology needed for quality cannabis terpene extraction.
Take the popular strain Sour Diesel. Beyond physical properties that help us recognize the strain (color, shape, flower density, etc.), we can identify Sour Diesel by its specific terpene profile. For the resulting aromatic mix, which is characterized by a fuel, earth, and citrus scent, we can thank the terpene synthesis process that the plant produces in various proportions. This fragrant mix contains not only very prominent myrcene, caryophyllene, or limonene, but also a range of less known and less prevalent terpenes.
Together, this mix is the true fragrance of Sour Diesel, as we know it. To "extract" and use this complex aroma in its precisely preserved form, we must use the terpene isolation technique.
First Terpene Extraction
Terpene extraction and isolation is not an entirely new technology. The cannabis industry has borrowed most of its knowledge from the long-developed perfume industry.
Kenneth Morrow from Trichome Technologies is largely responsible for implementing the terpene extraction technique, who as such belongs to the elite club of pioneers and innovators in the cannabis industry.
Morrow, a very prolific cannabis advocate and educator, receives positive feedback from all sides. He stumbled upon cannabis terpene isolation by pure chance while attempting to extract essential oils from a large number of cannabis flowers. During this process, he noticed that terpenes were essentially "clogging" the pump used to remove oils. After some research and thinking, Morrow successfully managed to attach his own improvement to the entire device, capturing terpenes before oil removal, thus beginning today's excitement around terpene isolation.
Methods of Extracting and Isolating Cannabis Terpenes
The process and technology of extracting terpenes from cannabis is still in a rather rudimentary state, at least regarding essential components. Moreover, there are multiple ways to achieve the desired extracted terpenes, each with its pros and cons.
As an example, let's take extraction via steam distillation. Despite being relatively effective, heat and oxidation can degrade the final product.
A more popular and perhaps more efficient method is isolation using gaseous nitrogen and distilled water. The technology and methodology are available and easily accessible to any cannabis enthusiast or patient needing slightly specialized treatment means.
Cannabis Products Based on Terpenes
In states where cannabis is fully legal for both recreational and medicinal purposes, continuous innovation and new product introduction are ongoing. Regarding terpene extracts, two main types are currently available. One consists of individual terpenes, such as limonene or pinene, which can be used like any other essential oils - for example, as an additive in ointments or scented candles.
On the other hand, there are companies attempting to mix different terpene proportions to precisely imitate the terpene consistency of a given strain. The overall goal here is to isolate and transfer the exact essence of a strain into another product, such as edibles or hash oil.
However, the process of imprinting an absolutely precise terpene profile is still quite imperfect, especially since mapping and understanding terpenes is not yet complete. Nevertheless, the terpene sector has a very promising future in the cannabis and medicinal industry, and the day when a completely accurate terpene imprint of the aforementioned Sour Diesel is available on the market is not far off.
Translation: Filip Maral
Author: Patrick Bennett
Source: leafly.co