Caryophyllene, often written beta-caryophyllene, is the terpene behind the warm bite of black pepper. If you have ever ground fresh pepper over a plate and felt that little catch in the back of your nose, that is caryophyllene at work. It shows up throughout cannabis and across the spice rack, and it holds a genuinely unusual place in terpene science.

Where you find it in nature

Black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, basil, oregano, and rosemary. It is one of the most common terpenes in the food you already eat.

Aroma and flavor

Warm, spicy, and peppery, with a woody edge. It adds depth and a little heat to a flavor profile, the savory counterpoint to brighter, sweeter terpenes.

What the research says

Caryophyllene is the terpene scientists point to when they want to show that terpenes can do more than smell nice.

• In a landmark 2008 study in PNAS, Gertsch and colleagues reported that beta-caryophyllene binds to the body's CB2 receptor, and described it as a "dietary cannabinoid." That is unusual: a terpene that interacts with the endocannabinoid system, without any of the intoxicating activity tied to the CB1 receptor.
• The same and later work, such as Klauke and colleagues in 2014 in European Neuropsychopharmacology, explored anti-inflammatory and pain-related effects in mice linked to that CB2 activity.
• Worth knowing: caryophyllene is widely used as an approved flavoring ingredient in food, which is part of why it is so well characterized.

The honest frame is the same as always. The receptor-binding finding is real and genuinely interesting, but the follow-on effect studies are largely in mice, and none of this is a statement about what a chew will do for you. It is what makes caryophyllene a fascinating molecule to read about.

Where caryophyllene shows up in MONDAYS

Caryophyllene brings peppery depth to spicier, dessert-leaning profiles. Look for it in Wild Things (Animal Mints) and Main Squeeze (Lemon Cherry Gelato).

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References

1. Gertsch J, et al. Beta-caryophyllene is a dietary cannabinoid. PNAS. 2008;105(26):9099-9104.
2. Klauke AL, et al. The cannabinoid CB2 receptor-selective phytocannabinoid beta-caryophyllene exerts analgesic effects in mouse models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. European Neuropsychopharmacology. 2014;24(4):608-620.
3. Russo EB. Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects. British Journal of Pharmacology. 2011;163(7):1344-1364.