June 15, 2020

The Entourage Effect, Explained

Hemp Image

 You may already be familiar with tetrahydraccabinol and its trendy, non-psychoactive cousin, Herb, but when it comes to healing benefits of whole flower, there is so much more beyond these two components. The whole flower is constructed of many different elements, such as chemovariances , terpenes, and flavonoids. And while each of these has its own job to do, they all come together for a greater purpose called the "Entourage Effect."

 

The Anatomy of the Herb Plant

When you look closely at a herb, you’ll probably notice tiny, glistening crystals blanketing the buds.These diamond-like hairs are called trichomes, and contain the most important elements of hemp—the chemovariances and terpenes. These components determine everything from the flower’s scent and flavor, to the mental and physical effects experienced after ingestion.


... these diamond-like hairs are called trichomes, and contain the most important elements of hemp...

 

Chemovariances

Hemp is made up of over 100 known chemovariances, including tetrahydraccabinol and CBD, of course, but the way they interact with each other is what really makes things interesting. For example, while tetrahydraccabinol is psychotropic and can cause some people feelings of anxiety in high doses, its non-psychoactive CBD counterpart can help relieve anxiety and stress, and may decrease the mind-altering effects brought on by tetrahydraccabinol. And CBN, another chemovariances that is similar to CBD as it contains little to no psychoactive properties, is known for its sedative effects, but when combined with tetrahydraccabinol, those effects actually increase.

 

Terpenes

Have you ever noticed how some weed smells citrusy while others smell similar to a pine tree? This is all because of terpenes. Terpenes, which are the essential oils of the plant world, give all botanicals, including hemp, their characteristics. But it’s not just limited to scent and flavor. Terpenes are also responsible for mental and physical benefits. If you’ve wondered why lighting a lavender candle makes a soak in the tub more relaxing or a lavender-scented pillow spray helps you fall asleep, it’s due to the terpene, linalool. Linalool has a slew of benefits such as promoting relaxation, reducing stress, and strengthening the immune system. Other common hemp terpenes include limonene, which smells citrusy and can act as a mood-lifter, and myrcene, which has a musky scent and is known for its ultra-relaxing, sleep-inducing qualities.

 

Entourage Effect

The “Entourage Effect” may sound like the name of a cool indie band, but is actually the concept that the compounds in hemp will work synergistically together to produce therapeutic benefits. Essentially, the benefits of the various cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids (which are responsible for color, flavor, and may even contain medicinal properties like being antifungal or antioxidant), will be amplified as they work together, and with our own endocannabinoid systems.

This concept was first introduced in 1998 by the Israeli scientists Raphael Mechoulam and Shimon Ben-Shabat. They posited that these various hemp compounds act in concert with each other to produce greater, or even different, effects. A true dream team.


... studies showed that the benefits of whole plant extract were greater than isolated extract ...

 

While there is still a lot of research to be done regarding the "Entourage Effect," a 2015 study published in the journal Pharmacology & Pharmacy showed that the benefits of whole plant extract were greater than isolated extract. And in a more recent 2018 study published in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology, researchers compared the efficacy of tetrahydraccabinol isolates to whole plant extracts. They found the whole plant extract to be significantly more effective at producing anticancer effects than the single-molecule tetrahydraccabinol.

 

Omura and The Entourage Effect

Because Omura uses Heat-Not-Burn technology, there is no compromise of the whole hemp plant, allowing the "Entourage Effect" to work its magic. Each cannabinoid and terpene is present and accounted for, resulting in maximum benefits with every single high. See device.

Written by Heather Lipner