Cannabis Terpenes Offer New Hope for Chronic Pain

New research has discovered that cannabis-derived terpenes — the compounds that give plants their distinctive aromas and flavors — to be effective treatments for post-surgical pain and fibromyalgia, according to a University of Arizona Health Sciences study published in Pharmacological Reports.

In preclinical mouse models, the terpenes geraniol and linalool significantly reduced chronic pain, providing a potential alternative to opioid medications and avoiding the psychoactive effects from tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

The terpenes appear to act through the adenosine A2a receptor, indicating a possible sedative mechanism. These findings open the door to developing novel, non-opioid therapeutic options for chronic and post-operative pain management.

“Our research is showing that terpenes are not a good option for reducing acute pain resulting from an injury, such as stubbing your toe or touching a hot stove; however, we are seeing significant reductions in pain when terpenes are used for chronic or pathological pain,” said Streicher, who is a professor in the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson’s Department of Pharmacology.

They found that each of the terpenes resulted in high levels of pain relief in mouse models of post-operative pain and fibromyalgia. Geraniol provided the most significant level of pain relief, followed by linalool, beta-caryophyllene and alpha-humulene.