Caryophyllene
Definition: Beta-caryophyllene is a sesquiterpene with a peppery, spicy, woody aroma found in black pepper, cloves, cinnamon and many cannabis strains. It is unusual among terpenes because laboratory studies show it binds to the CB2 cannabinoid receptor. It frequently ranks among the top three terpenes in commercial cannabis, often alongside limonene.
How Caryophyllene works
Most cannabis terpenes are ten-carbon monoterpenes. Caryophyllene is a fifteen-carbon sesquiterpene, a bigger, heavier molecule that evaporates more slowly. That is one reason its spicy note often survives drying and curing better than lighter citrus or pine scents.
Key facts
- Aroma: cracked black pepper, clove, warm spice, wood.
- Also found in: black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, oregano, basil and hops.
- Close relative: humulene, an isomer that often appears with it.
- Commonly described as: calm and grounded, often in Kush-leaning and dessert-style hybrids.
The CB2 connection
In 2008, researchers reported that beta-caryophyllene selectively binds the CB2 receptor, part of the same endocannabinoid system that cannabinoids act on. That earned it the label dietary cannabinoid, since people eat it in pepper and spices. CB2 receptors are found mostly outside the brain, and caryophyllene does not cause intoxication. What its receptor activity means for people is still being studied.
Spotting it
A peppery tickle in the nose when you open a jar, or a spicy finish on the exhale, usually signals caryophyllene. Lab results often list it as the first or second terpene in modern hybrids.