The tell-tale aromas of cannabis are largely due to the power of terpenes such as linalool. This aromatic compound is responsible for the lovely flowery scent that makes lavender such an attractive flower. That explains why linalool is often used in cosmetics, detergents, and other fragrant products. This terpene has much more in store than wonderful aromas, though. Research shows that the substance has analgesic and antimicrobial properties, and can boost resistance to stress. In addition to these medical options, linalool also has interesting consequences for the cannabis high you experience. This blog explores the possibilities of linalool, and lists our best high linalool cannabis strains.
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Why Do Plants Produce Terpenes?
Terpenes are compounds produced by all plants, from flowers to trees, and even by certain animal species. Cannabis plants alone generate over 100 different terpenes, including linalool. These terpenes are made in special resin glands called trichomes. Along with cannabinoids and flavonoids, terpenes are responsible for the characteristic herbal scents of cannabis; however, their effectiveness goes well beyond smell alone.
No matter how attractive we find the aromas of pants and herbs, to plants, terpenes are crucial for survival. Their main purpose is protection, as terpenes repel insects that could otherwise decimate specimens by predation. On the other hand, many plants employ terpenes to attract pollinator insects to propagate the species.
Humans have used plants and herbs with high linalool content for centuries. Even today, the substance is often found in cleaning products, soap, shampoo, and skin creams. Currently, however, there is growing scientific interest in the medical applications of linalool.
Linalool In Cannabis: How Do Terpenes Alter The Effect Of Weed?
Of course, it’s all well and good to know how useful terpenes are for plants, but – to put it bluntly – what’s in it for us? Firstly, true gourmets will appreciate the tremendous variety of cannabis aromas and flavours. Linalool gives a subtle, yet exceptional twist to a strain’s bouquet, which is a true joy for connoisseurs.
Still, linalool is also involved in another set of special cannabis effects. There is increasing scientific attention for the health potential of terpenes, as they can be instrumental in a number of medical applications. That also makes terpenes worth considering for anyone keen on growing medical marijuana, which is cannabis with particular medicinal properties.
The Entourage Effect
The current focus on linalool is all about potential health effects caused by the compound itself. Still, some of the most interesting properties of linalool are linked to the entourage effect. This is the name for a mechanism by which cannabis ingredients mutually influence and even reinforce each other’s effects. This is usually due to the way in which cannabinoids work together with your endocannabinoid system (ECS). This is an important biological mechanism that safeguards the balance in your body.
All day long, your body is at work to maintain a dynamic equilibrium while the environment keeps on changing. This sense of balance is called homeostasis. Terpenes and cannabinoids exert all sorts of subtle influences on the ECS, and on the way in which active cannabis components interact with it.
Linalool In Cannabis: The Effects
Scent And Flavour
The scent of linalool is similar to that of lavender: a refreshing, flowery, yet herbal scent. It is often hard to pinpoint the scent in a cannabis bouquet, mainly because there are so many other terpenes that determine the smell of weed. Other well-known plants and herbs containing linalool include coriander, basil, blood orange, and laurel.
The Effect Of Linalool On Your Cannabis High
Linalool is known to enhance the relaxing effects of THC-rich cannabis strains. That produces a stress-busting entourage effect. In sativa-dominant strains, linalool can increase the sense of mental alertness that cerebral highs produce. Furthermore, linalool can improve quality of sleep after consumption, making high-linalool strains particularly suited as an evening-time nightcap. Adde bonus: the scent of linalool is reputed to keep mosquitoes away!
Medical Applications
Traditionally, plants containing lots of linalool have been used as herbal sedatives and tranquilizers to help people relax. The compound was known for ability to improve sleep, as well as for its anti-inflammatory capacity. We all know the sachets of lavender people put under their pillow to help them fall asleep. Herbal extracts containing linalool are also used in skincare products.
We have learned much since the early days of herbal medicine. Myrcene turns out to have antimicrobial properties in addition to its usefulness as a relaxant. Clearly, linalool is useful to humans as well as to plants. Among the medical applications of linalool are the following:
- Anxiety and stress;
- Alzheimer’s disease;
- Pain and inflammation;
- Bacterial infections
Mental Effects Of Linalool Cannabis Strains
Soothing And Calming
Linalool has always been regarded as a herbal source of calm and tranquillity. For many people, the scent of lavender alone is enough to trigger a relaxed mood. That makes high linalool strains an obvious choice for anyone dealing with tension, stress, and anxiety. Still, the uplifting qualities of this fresh and flowery terpene should not be underestimated either. That gives researchers ample reason to study the effects of linalool, whether combined with cannabis or not.
Clearly, attention to the soothing properties of linalool in on the rise. So far, however, all available studies were performed on mice. This limits their general applicability for use by people, even though they did demonstrate how linalool can help calm down the mind in case of fear and anxiety. In one study, mice were kept in a space where linalool was evaporated. One hour later, the mice were compared in terms of sleep duration, body temperature, coordination, and movement. It was clear that the linalool group individuals spent less time moving while they slept more. The most positive finding, though, was the complete lack of coordination impairment. Apparently, linalool can have relaxing effects without influencing coordination or perception. That’s more than most synthetic tranquilizers can claim!
Resistance To Stress
Linalool can help make the immune system more resistant to the negative consequences of stress. Stress reveals itself by changes in white blood cell counts throughout the body. The percentage of lymphocytes drops, while neutrophile levels (another type of white blood cell) rise at the same time.
After receiving linalool, rats showed no such changes to their immune systems. This allowed the terpene to prevent stress-induced changes to the expression of DNA traits. In other words: even if you are genetically predisposed to respond in stressful ways, linalool sems able to prevent that genetic trait from determining your behaviour. That seems to make linalool an interesting option for anyone facing a stressful test, exam, or presentation.
Scientists assume this effect is caused by linalool’s ability to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the part of the nervous system that is active while you rest and relax. The system operates almost entirely at an unconscious level, which prevents you from controlling it on purpose. That makes a compound such as linalool all the more useful, since it gives us a way to actively control autonomous responses to stress. This is how linalool may help counter the harmful effects of stress.
Medical Cannabis: Physical Effects Of Linalool
Health, Stress, And High Linalool Cannabis
Some would say that the link between stress regulation and high linalool cannabis strains is reason enough to consider this substance. Still, there is much more to explore by further research into the potential of linalool. We’ll provide a brief summary of some of the possibilities currently under review.
Alzheimer’s Disease
Linalool just might prove highly promising in the battle against Alzheimer’s. A 2015 study involved elderly mice suffering from Alzheimer-like conditions, which were given a dosis of linalool once every three days. It turned out that those mice that received the terpene showed improved learning and spatial memory performance as well as better risk awareness. Moreover, their brains showed considerably less inflammation markers.
As the researchers point out, these findings seem to imply that linalool may help revert the progress of Alzheimer’s disease. It can help restore cognitive and emotional functions by its anti-inflammatory properties. Even though this study only involved mice, prohibiting any generalizations towards humans, the results are promising nonetheless.
Linalool As A Cannabis Painkiller
Linalool also appears to produce various effects on muscle and nerve tissue, which makes it an interesting painkiller candidate. It can function as a muscle relaxant by dampening the signal strength of acetylcholine. This compound is necessary for muscle contraction.
Linalool can also have sedative and analgesic properties by desensitizing the cells of the spinal cord. This effect prevents these nerve cells from relaying pain impulses to the brain.
Amsterdam Genetics Top Linalool Strains
Adding up all of these interesting traits makes linalool an interesting factor in any grower’s decision-making. Anyone looking for high-linalool cannabis strains has ample choice at Amsterdam Genetics, but the following two strains make the top of our linalool-heavy terpene profiles.
Top Linalool Strain 1: Amnesia Haze
Without a doubt, the world’s most famous high linalool cannabis strain is Amnesia Haze. The taste of Amnesia Haze is as complex and multi-layered as it is legendary. Although it is impossible to prove, Amnesia Haze may be a real contender for World’s Most Appreciated Strain Ever.
Without a doubt, the high linalool value of this strain has been a factor in that appreciation. After all, we have included a feminized and regular variant of this strain to our seeds range for a reason. Amnesia Haze is renowned for her deeply relaxing sativa headbuzz. That is partly due to her 70% sativa background, but do not underestimate the twist that linalool gives to this cannabis classic. That is equally true for the high of the strain as for the herbal scent that any connoisseur can tell from twenty feet away!
Top Linalool Strain 2: Blue Amnesia Haze
Blue Amnesia Haze is a new addition to the Amnesia dynasty, with direct descent from our linalool champion strain. Blue Amnesia Haze manages to camouflage the flavour of linalool among the spicy and sweet citrus aromas that dominate the terpene profile. The effect of the high linalool content makes itself felt, though, particularly in the pleasantly relaxing high she conveys. Such a refined headbuzz is a tell-tale sign of a terpene entourage effect. That’s probably for the better, because at about 24% THC, Blue Amnesia Haze is no strain for the faint-hearted.
Blue Amnesia Haze is a great innovation that provides a new spin on the Amnesia effect. A fine choice for anyone in search of some R&R, as well as for growers looking for a relaxed way to work with sativa genetics. Her ten-week flowering period is relative manageable for a sativa hybrid, and Blue Amnesia tends to do even better in outside conditions than indoors. If the weather plays along , the yield of Blue Amnesia Haze is yet another reason fro a relaxed smile across the face – and that’s before the linalool begins to take effect, mind you!
Buy Weed Seeds With High Linalool Content Online
With all the benefits that linalool has to offer, it’s no surprise to see many growers choose to order cannabis seeds with high linalool content. Anyone aiming to grow weed for medical reasons should pay extra attention to its potential. But whether for recreational or medical purposes, buying weed seeds is always a matter of finding quality genetics.
The great news is that you’ll find plenty such quality in our Amsterdam genetics seeds collection. Be sure to check our collection of handy Grow Blogs to casually make the most out every grow. Even though the popularity of Amnesia Haze just about says it all, you’ll find that no matter which linalool strain you pick, AG makes stress-free growing start way before you smell the first scent of linalool.