Limonene is one of the most common terpenes in the natural world, and if you have ever peeled an orange and caught that sharp, bright hit of scent, you already know it. It is the dominant aroma compound in citrus peel, and it shows up across a huge range of cannabis strains. It is also, according to Russo's 2011 review in the British Journal of Pharmacology, among the most heavily studied terpenes in the plant.

Where you find it in nature

Lemon, orange, grapefruit, and lime peel, plus juniper and peppermint. It is so central to citrus that "limonene" and "lemon" share a root.

Aroma and flavor

Bright, zesty, unmistakably citrus. Think fresh-cut lemon and orange rind with a clean, slightly sweet snap. In our chews, limonene is the backbone of the citrus-forward profiles, the part of the flavor that reads as sunshine.

What the research says

Limonene has drawn real scientific attention, mostly in animal models. Here is a fair summary of what has been reported, and the limits of it.

• In a 2006 study in Behavioural Brain Research, Komiya, Takeuchi, and Harada reported that limonene produced anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) activity in mice, and linked the effect to serotonin (5-HT1A) signaling.
• A 2021 study by Song and colleagues in Phytomedicine described anti-anxiety activity in mice, and proposed a mechanism involving the adenosine A2A receptor and its regulation of dopamine and GABA.
• On the human side, the evidence is thinner and older. A small 1995 study by Komori and colleagues in Neuroimmunomodulation followed hospitalized patients with depression and reported that exposure to a citrus fragrance was associated with improved depression-rating scores, and allowed some patients to reduce their antidepressant dose.

A few honest caveats. Most of this work is in mice, not people. Several of the findings involved inhaling or injecting the compound, not eating it. The one human study was small. This is early, interesting science about the molecule, and it is not the same thing as a claim about what a piece of taffy will do for you.

Where limonene shows up in MONDAYS

Our citrus-leaning profiles lean on limonene. If bright and zesty is your thing, look at Main Squeeze (Lemon Cherry Gelato x Ponderosa Lemon) and The Daily Commute (Pineapple Express x Kona Pineapple).

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. Russo EB. Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects. British Journal of Pharmacology. 2011;163(7):1344-1364.
2. Komiya M, Takeuchi T, Harada E. Lemon oil vapor causes an anti-stress effect via modulating the 5-HT and DA activities in mice. Behavioural Brain Research. 2006;172(2):240-249.
3. Song Y, et al. Limonene has anti-anxiety activity via adenosine A2A receptor-mediated regulation of dopaminergic and GABAergic neuronal function in the striatum. Phytomedicine. 2021;83:153474.
4. Komori T, et al. Effects of citrus fragrance on immune function and depressive states. Neuroimmunomodulation. 1995;2(3):174-180.