By Dr. Tim Sandle
April 20, 2025
Canada launched a long-awaited review of its cannabis regulations four years after legalizing its recreational use. — © AFP
Terpenes, derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, may be the basis of a medication for fibromyalgia and post-surgical pain relief. This is according to the University of Arizona Health Sciences.
According to lead scientist John Streicher: “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.”
Moving onto the current research, Streicher says: “This study was the first to investigate the impact of terpenes in preclinical models of fibromyalgia and post-operative pain and expand the scope of potential pain-relieving treatments using terpenes.”
Terpenes are the compounds that give plants their aroma and taste. In some cases, these offer an alternative path to pain relief. In terms of the Cannabis plant, this is without the unwanted psychoactive side effects of tetrahydrocannabinol.
Specifically, four terpenes are of interest, found in moderate to high levels in Cannabis sativa: geraniol, linalool, beta-caryophyllene and alpha-humulene. The mechanism of action of these different terpenes is through the adenosine A2a receptor – a receptor that caffeine targets and blocks.
Each of the terpenes resulted in high levels of pain relief in mouse models of post-operative pain and fibromyalgia. Of the different substances, geraniol provided the most significant level of pain relief, followed by linalool, beta-caryophyllene and alpha-humulene.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic musculoskeletal disorder that affects up to 5% percent of the world’s population. In the U.S. alone this translates to around 4 million U.S. adults. The condition affects women more than men.
Post-surgical pain falls between acute pain and chronic pain. While it is usually short in duration, it involves physiological changes such as increased inflammation and sensitization of the body’s pain system that contribute to the pain.
Going forwards there is more to discover. There are hundreds of unique chemicals that plants make, including the Cannabis plant. Many of these chemicals are unknowns when it comes to their abilities to aid in human health, diseases and disorders.
The research has been published in the journal Pharmacological Reports. It is titled “Select terpenes from Cannabis sativa are antinociceptive in mouse models of post-operative pain and fibromyalgia via adenosine A2a receptors.”
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