The Cannabis Terpene that Can Kill Cancer Cells – Terpineol
With terpene science becoming more and more prevalent in our regular lives in the cannabis community, there is more scientific research, developments and innovation being done with terpenes, which is great for medical professionals and even greater for medical patients looking for natural alternatives to synthetic and toxic pharmaceuticals.
Of all the terpenes—and there are over 30 different terpenes found in the cannabis plant—there is one that stands out as one of the most beneficial and most powerful; powerful enough to even kill cancer cells and tumors. Alpha terpineol has been proven to be an anticancer agent in multiple studies. In August 2000, June 2010 and July 2016, alpha terpineol was proven to not only be a powerful cancer-killing agent, it was also proven to be a powerful antioxidant, antibiotic, antidepressant and it was proven to reduce inflammation and pain.
Terpineol creates a floral aroma, often resembling lilacs, clove and citrus, or even apple blossoms. It can also remind one’s olfactory senses of eucalyptus sap. From a flavor perspective, terpineol tastes like mint and anise. Alpha terpineol has also been proven to have sedative properties, great for relaxing and helping people to sleep. Along with CBN, it is one of the terpenes and cannabinoids that help some strains of cannabis provide a couch-lock effect, sedating and relaxing consumers to the point that their bodies feel heavy and immovable.
The medical journal Anticancer Research published a Swedish research study in June 2010, led by Dr. Saadia Bashir Hassan, and the team found alpha terpineol to be an anticancer and antitumor agent. The Swedish research from the University Hospital in Uppsala, Sweden revealed that alpha terpineol might be especially helpful for patients with small cell lung carcinoma. “The results suggest that alpha terpineol inhibits the growth of tumour cells through a mechanism that involves inhibition of the NF-?B pathway,” the study stated.
The study from August 2000 was published in the journal Phytotherapy Research and found 4-terpineol to be a powerful antioxidant with “respectable radical scavenging property” as well.
The study from 2016, published in Chemico-Biological Interactions concluded that alpha terpineol (?TPN), when combined with ?-cyclodextrin (?CD) efficiently reduced hyperalgesia and chronic muscle pain, proving that terpineol can be used for serious inflammation treatment and pain treatment, and specifically could treat patients suffering from fibromyalgia.
An additional study from 2014 found that ?-terpineol kills cancer cells and induces apoptosis in patients with liver cancer that also suppresses tumor cell growth. Science Direct published a study from June 2015 that found alpha terpineol kills cancer cells and inhibit tumor growth as well.
Terpineol is just one of the many beneficial plant-based medicinal compounds that is being studied currently to try and utilize more natural medicines in the treatments of serious illnesses, but so far it is one of the most powerful. It is exciting to see the scientific community support cannabinoid research and cannabinoid therapies over pharmaceuticals; now we just need the FDA and DEA to get behind this science so the majority of the public can not only know about this information but have safe access to alternative natural therapies that utilize cannabinoids, and the cannabis plant.
