Terpinolene

Terpinolene (δ-terpinene) is a monoterpene (C₁₀H₁₆) and one of four terpinene isomers. It is among the least common dominant terpenes in cannabis—only about one in ten strains feature terpinolene as its primary terpene (Leafly, 2023)—making terpinolene-dominant strains relatively rare and sought after. Beyond cannabis, it occurs in tea tree oil, nutmeg, cumin, marjoram, and lilacs.

Despite being classified as a sativa-associated terpene (it appears frequently in strains like Jack Herer and Dutch Treat), research suggests terpinolene may have mildly sedative properties alongside antioxidant activity (Ito & Ito, 2013). This apparent contradiction—uplifting in character yet chemically sedating—illustrates why the entourage effect of multiple terpenes and cannabinoids working together matters more than any single compound in isolation.