Marijuana leaf and lemon isolated

What is Limonene?

Marijuana leaf and lemon isolated

An informational guide to Limonene, the terpene or essential oil, found within MAC’s small batch cannabis.

Imagine this, you just picked up an eighth of Crumbled Lime. You get home and it’s time to take a look at what’s in the container. You pop the top and are smacked with the overwhelming aroma of citrus and lemon. Where did that scent most likely come from? Limonene.

Cannabis leaf photographed with sliced lemons.
Marijuana leaf and citrus lemon isolated on white background.

Limonene is one of the hundreds of terpenes found within the cannabis plant.

Limonene is one of the hundreds of terpenes found within the cannabis plant. Terpenes work with cannabinoids and additional present terpenes to boost a strain’s effectiveness, this is called the entourage effect. Limonene is one of the most common terpenes found in cannabis, also found naturally within the rinds of citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime) as well as seeds of caraway and dill, rosemary, mint and juniper.

If you missed last week’s post, or are new to cannabis, then you’re probably wondering, “What are terpenes?”. Terpenes are naturally derived chemicals found in the essential oils of the cannabis plant. The shiny, sticky, mushroom-shaped crystals found on the leaves and buds of the cannabis plant are called trichomes, where terpenes are made and stored.

Macro shot of Coughy Cake's Sister showing trichomes.
Macro shot of Mass Alternative Care’s house strain Coughy Cake’s Sister.

Limonene’s Potential Medicinal Effects & Benefits

In traditional medicine, limonene has been used as a component of remedies for bronchitis, heartburn and gallstones. Thankfully, there’s extensive research studying the effects of Limonene on the immune system. Studies have shown that Limonene possesses antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. These results are certainly promising in the combat against bacterial resistance, however additional studies are needed to better explain how this is achieved.

The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of Limonene may attribute to its analgesic (pain relief) properties. This is why the common terpene can be found within some topical pain relievers.

There is further research still being conducted for Limonene’s beneficial effects on mental and mood disorders. A 2013 study published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine found evidence that Limonene improved anxiety-like states by interacting with the brain’s serotonin system. MAC’s strains high in Limonene are reported to provide relief with stress and anxiety, creating an elevated mood.

Despite the research available, little is still known about how Limonene interacts in the brain and body, and what doses are required to achieve desired effects. Many studies use high doses, much higher than what’s naturally found within cannabis.

Macro shot of trichomes, where terpenes are stored.
Macro shot of cannabis plant showing trichomes isolated on black background.

MAC Strains High in Limonene

Many assume limonene is abundant in strains that smell like lemon or citrus, but this isn’t always the case. No matter how great your nose is, always refer to the test results on the container. MAC’s variety of small-batch cannabis offers high quality bud with full test results listed on the menu. The combination of terpenes found within a strain can create unique aromas making single terpenes difficult to distinguish, but not impossible to identify. Some of MAC’s favorite high Limonene strains are Crumbled Lime, Glue Zauce, Dosidos X Bully Kush, Wedding Crasher, Sour Power OG and Coughy Cake.

Stay tuned for upcoming blog posts that dive deeper into each individual terpene found within MAC’s house strains or come spark up a conversation with any of our agents!

come on in, the nugget’s fire

well-fed
flower

Shop Now Featured Strains

sign up and save with our shopper loyalty program

© 2024 Mass Alternative Care. All rights reserved.

We have to ask:

are you 21 or older?

You are not old enough to view this website.