24 Mar Terpenes from Cannabis May Be Useful for Pain Relief
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Streicher
John M. Streicher, PhD
Professor, Neuroscience – GIDP
Professor, Pharmacology
College of Medicine Tucson
Pharmacology
University of Arizona
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: We first started studying terpenes around 2019, when my student Justin LaVigne became interested in these molecules and their potential interaction with cannabinoids and other chemicals in cannabis, the so-called “entourage effect.”
The literature at the time showed that terpenes could be beneficial in pain relief and other indications, in both animal and human studies; however, there were limits to the literature, such as a lack of investigation into therapeutic features like side effects and a relative lack of detailed molecular mechanisms. We started by testing 5 purified terpenes in mice, geraniol, linalool, beta-caryophyllene, alpha-humulene, and beta-pinene. We found they had a “cannabimimetic” effect in that they produced behaviors much like cannabinoids, but not through the cannabinoid receptors. This was published in 2021.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
Response: Since that first published study, we’ve turned our attention to our primary interest, the potential use of terpenes to treat chronic pain. We found that our tested terpenes were highly effective in relieving neuropathic pain produced by chemotherapy drugs, and they did so through activation of the Adenosine A2a Receptor, the same molecular target as the drug caffeine. More importantly, we found the terpenes had low side effects and no detectable abuse or addiction potential, suggesting they could be used as effective therapies for pain. This work was published in 2024.
Most recently, we’ve turned to testing these terpenes in more models of chronic pain, trying to explore the extent of pain types they might be used for. In our recent publication, we tested the terpenes in mouse models of fibromyalgia and post-surgical pain. The terpenes were just as effective in pain relief in these models, and they also did so through the same molecular target as before, the Adenosine A2a Receptor.
Taken together, our work shows that terpenes might be effective very broadly in chronic pain, as we’ve shown their effectiveness in 4 chronic pain types (post-surgical, fibromyalgia, neuropathic, inflammatory) and all through the same molecular mechanism. They also do so with low side effects and no abuse potential, suggesting a future new path to the treatment of chronic pain.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: Terpenes could be a new and very effective way to treat chronic pain without the side effects and drawbacks of drugs like opioids or cannabinoids. Terpenes themselves are not cannabinoids even though they can be found in cannabis and other plants, and they are not mind-altering or intoxicating. They are also commercially available right now, and due to their status as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by the FDA, they are recognized as safe to consume. Talk to your doctor before changing your treatment plan, but if you have chronic pain, you can give these a try now! Just be sure to find a reputable vendor that maintains high quality and purity of their products, makes their quality control data publicly available, and similar. Because terpenes are considered a supplement by the government, they are not strongly regulated.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a results of this study?
Response: There are many future directions we are pursuing on using terpenes for chronic pain.
First, we are working to get these into clinical trials. Due to their GRAS status mentioned above, this can be done fairly quickly, and we are setting this up now. Clinical trials are the ultimate test that will show that terpenes are effective in managing pain, what their side effects may be, the best dose and route of administration, and similar.
Second, we are continuing our analysis of terpenes in animal studies, including testing more pain types and exploring potential side effects in greater depth. Third, we recently found that the terpene beta-caryophyllene can selectively block opioid reward while enhancing opioid pain relief. This is an exciting finding that suggests beta-caryophyllene could be an opioid co-therapy that would make analgesia more effective while preventing addiction of patients to their pain medication. We are exploring this finding in greater detail to determine how and why this terpene blocks opioid reward, and as above, moving this forward to potential clinical trials to prevent opioid addiction.
Lastly, we are exploring the mechanisms by which terpenes produce pain relief in greater detail to show exactly how they have their beneficial effects. We are finding the neuronal circuit in the spinal cord that is activated by terpenes, exploring how terpenes activate the Adenosine A2a Receptor, and more. These studies will provide a scientific foundation to build their use as human therapies for chronic pain.
Disclosures: I am a consultant and scientific advisor for the company Napreva, which manufactures a terpene product for chronic pain (https://napreva.com/). I also hold equity in Botanical Results and Teleport Pharmaceuticals, but these companies are not directly involved in creating terpene products. My work on terpenes was funded by the National Institutes of Health in the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH/NCCIH; grant R01AT011517).
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Citation: Seekins, C.A., Welborn, A.M., Schwarz, A.M. et al. Select terpenes from Cannabis sativa are antinociceptive in mouse models of post-operative pain and fibromyalgia via adenosine A2a receptors. Pharmacol. Rep 77, 172–181 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43440-024-00687-1
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Last Updated on March 24, 2025 by Marie Benz MD FAAD