Limonene

TERPENE AWARENESS

Did you know Limonene is the second most abundant terpene in all cannabis strains that have been tested so far? It gives a fresh aroma and several strains have their names inspired by this smell. But even so, some cannabis strains actually have no Limonene at all in them. Limonene is not only found in cannabis, but in a wide range of other plants. It’s one of the most abundant terpenes in nature as well, not just in cannabis. . Limonene is most commonly know to be found in citrus fruits,
and is used to add a fresh smell and/or add a extra medisinal use to a lot of different products.

Limonene has many therapeutic purposes, it’s long known to improve mood and reduce stress. It also seem to have antifungal and antibacterial properties,  according to studies.  It might even be beneficial for some cancer treatments as it has been documented as helping reducing tumors with high amounts and have shown no toxicity. .  There are many ancient remedies from all over the world containing Limonene, and many of these are still being used by people who swear by them.

Getting a good amount Limonene in your cannabis oil can be very beneficial, and you can also add more along your treatment to boost it’s properties even more.

Here are some more benefits:

1. Boosts immunity. D-limonene is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.[3][4]
   
   
2. Improves gallbladder health. Being a solvent of cholesterol, d-limonene has been used clinically to dissolve cholesterol-containing gallstones and clean out “fat sludge” in the gallbladder.
   
   
3. Provides indigestion relief. Because of its gastric acid neutralizing effect and its support of normal peristalsis (digestive movement), it has also been used for heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) relief.
   
   
4. Prevents and fights cancers. D-limonene has well-established chemopreventive activity against many types of cancer including breast cancer and colorectal cancer.[5]
   
   
5. Prevents fatty liver and insulin resistance. It helps prevent build-up of fat that results in a fatty liver while also preventing insulin resistance (pre-diabetes and diabetes).[6]
   
   
6. Kills pathogens/infections. D-limonene is naturally used by plants to kill pathogens; therefore, d-limonene has antibacterial and antifungal properties.[7]
   
   
7. Aids in weight loss. D-limonene acts as a mild appetite suppressant and prevents weight gain.[8][9]
   
   
8. Decreases anxiety and insomnia. It has an anti-anxiety effect, both calming nerves and improving sleep patterns.[10][11]
   
   

Some Limonene Studies:

Limonene protects osteoblasts against methylglyoxal-derived adduct formation by regulating glyoxalase, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial function.
.- These results demonstrate that limonene may prevent the development of diabetic osteopathy.

Inhibition by D-limonene of gastric carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in Wistar rats.
-The multiple antitumorigenic effects of limonene are attainable at a high therapeutic ratio, suggesting that limonene and related monoterpenes may be efficacious in the chemoprevention and chemotherapy of human malignancies.

Evaluation of acute toxicity of a natural compound (+)-limonene epoxide and its anxiolytic-like action.
-These findings suggest that acute administration of the (+)-limonene epoxide exerts an anxiolytic-like effect on mice, and it could serve as a new approach for the treatment anxiety, since it practically does not produce toxic effects.

Inhibition of DMBA-induced mammary cancer by the monoterpene d-limonene.     ( Pets)
-For example, rats fed 10 000 p.p.m. of d-limonene had a 72% reduction in mammary tumors when compared to controls at 18 weeks post DMBA treatment. In addition to inhibiting the appearance of mammary tumors, d-limonene was also found to cause the regression of frank mammary tumors. No toxicity was evident in these rats even at the highest d-limonene dose.

Inhibition by d-limonene of gastric carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in Wistar rats
-These findings indicate that limonene inhibits the development of gastric cancers through increased apoptosis and decreased DNA synthesis of gastric cancers, but not through ras oncoprotein plasma membrane association.

Studies from Benefit Section:

[1] Phytother Res. 2012 Sep;26(9):1314-9.
[2] J of Pharm Sciences and Research, 2(11): 752-75.
[3] J Periodontol. 2006 Jun;77(6):963-8.
[4] J Oleo Sci. 2010;59(8):415-21.
[5] Altern Med Rev. 2007 Sep;12(3):259-64.
[6] Eur J Nutr. 2012 Feb;51(1):57-68.
[7] Food Chem Toxicol. 2010 Jun;48(6):1734-40.
[8] Int J Med Sci. 2007; 4(4): 209–215.
[9] Phytother Res. 2010 Dec;24(12):1893-7.
[10] Brain Res. 2012 Apr 11;1448:56-62.
[11] Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2011 Jan 7;404(1):345-8.



Sources:
Universityhealthnews
PubMed