Terpene explorer

What labs actually measure in flower. Lab data: Smith et al. 2022 (CC0) and 2014–2026 state testing records. Most effect claims about terpenes are untested in people at the doses in smoked flower. We grade each one.

Reference

Myrcene

Dominant terpene in 988 strains · typical level when dominant 0.53% of flower weight

Aroma: sweet balsamic (JECFA), balsamic, fruit, geranium, herb, must (FEMA flavor profile), pleasant terpene odour (HSDB)

Also found in: hops (Humulus lupulus), bay / West Indian bay (Pimenta racemosa), lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), verbena, mango (Mangifera indica), thyme, basil, cannabis (Cannabis sativa)

Boiling point: 167 °C (760 mmHg)

Reported effects and how strong the evidence is

  • preclinicalSedation/motor relaxation and prolonged barbiturate sleeping time in mice at 100–200 mg/kg i.p.; slight anxiogenic-type effect (not anxiolytic) at higher doses (animal)
  • preclinicalAntinociception in mice (10–20 mg/kg i.p.), reversed by naloxone and yohimbine (animal)
  • preclinicalAnxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant properties — review concludes promise in animals but human studies are lacking (animal)
  • contestedNo activation of human CB1/CB2 and no change to THC's CB1/CB2 response; no effect on TRPA1/TRPV1 (in vitro)
  • moderateClear evidence of carcinogenic activity in male rats (kidney) and male mice (liver) at 0.25–1 g/kg/day by gavage for 2 years — a toxicology finding at doses far above dietary or inhaled exposure (animal)

Not supported: Myrcene above some threshold (often quoted as 0.5%; origin not traced) makes a strain 'indica' or causes 'couch-lock' — no controlled human study; Russo 2011 presents the sedation link as speculative and based on rodent data; Eating mango before smoking intensifies the high — no controlled study found; Myrcene increases THC passage across the blood–brain barrier — no human evidence found

Highest-testing strains (≥10 lab tests)

  1. 1Aliens On Moonshine1.62%n=11
  2. 2Piescream1.56%n=14
  3. 3Ghost Vapor OG1.55%n=17
  4. 4Omg1.43%n=13
  5. 5Head Cheese1.41%n=502
  6. 6Alpha Blue1.41%n=12
  7. 7Royal Gorilla1.39%n=17
  8. 8Frosted Cherry Cookies1.37%n=42
  9. 9Crazy Glue1.35%n=53
  10. 10Remedy1.30%n=38
  11. 11The Real McCoy1.30%n=11
  12. 12Lavender Jones1.26%n=12
All Myrcene-forward strains