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Terpenoids — the volatile compounds that give many plants their smell — appear to confer some of the medical effects of cannabis. Caryophyllene (BCP) and its derivative caryophyllene oxide (BCPO) are particularly significant terpenoids found in many green leafy vegetables.

Terpenoids — the volatile compounds that give many plants their smell — appear to confer some of the medical effects of cannabis. Caryophyllene (BCP) and its derivative caryophyllene oxide (BCPO) are particularly significant terpenoids found in many green leafy vegetables. They activate the CB2 receptor, which, according to a recent study, prevents some of the harmful effects of drinking alcohol. The researchers gave varying dietary concentrations of BCP and BCPO to mice consuming alcohol. A high dose of BCP reduced some effects of alcohol. A much lower dose of BCPO reduced both the amount of alcohol the mice would drink as well as some of the addictive and behavioral effects of alcohol.

Read study: The sesquiterpene beta-caryophyllene oxide attenuates ethanol drinking and place conditioning in mice


Adrian Devitt-Lee is a research scientist and longtime Project CBD contributor. © Copyright, Project CBD. May not be reprinted without permission.


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