ArticleMedical cannabis and cannabinoids
The Individual and Interactive Effects of Alpha-Pinene and Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in Healthy Adults.
Article in Medical cannabis and cannabinoids. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- The monoterpenes ⍺-pinene and limonene augment or mitigate THC-induced impairments in sustained attention in rats.Psychopharmacology · 2026Article
- In Silico Models Using Simple Molecular Descriptors Predict Placental and Breast Milk Transfer of Cannabinoids fromInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- Vaping ΔExpert review of clinical pharmacologyReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: Cannabis contains hundreds of chemical constituents beyond delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), which is thought to be the primary driver of most of its acute pharmacodynamic effects. The entourage effect theory asserts that the pharmacological and therapeutic effects of cannabis are not solely attributable to Δ9-THC but are influenced by other constituents, such as minor cannabinoids and terpenes, through distinct pharmacological action. However, empirical studies that have systematically evaluated this theory in humans remain limited. This study tested the hypothesis that the terpene α-pinene can attenuate the acute memory-impairing effects of inhaled Δ9-THC in humans. Methods: Participants ( Results: Administration of 15 mg α-pinene alone produced no significant pharmacodynamic effects compared to placebo. Administration of 30 mg Δ9-THC alone elicited subjective, cognitive, and physiological effects consistent with acute Δ9-THC-dominant cannabis exposure, including impairment of cognitive performance and working memory ability compared to placebo. The co-administration of α-pinene with Δ9-THC did not mitigate Δ9-THC-induced memory impairment or significantly alter other acute subjective, cognitive, or physiological effects. Conclusions: Inhaled α-pinene, at doses at and above those naturally found in cannabis flowers, did not mitigate Δ9-THC-induced cognitive impairments as hypothesized or influence other common acute effects of Δ9-THC in this sample of healthy adults. This result is inconsistent with some cannabis industry claims and speculation by some cannabis researchers. By systematically varying both Δ9-THC and terpene exposure and assessing their interaction across multiple pharmacodynamic domains, this work provides a model for future investigations into Δ9-THC-terpene interactions. As cannabis use continues to expand for both medicinal and non-medicinal purposes, more research is needed to better understand the acute effects of lesser studied chemical constituents of the plant and how they interact with predominant phytocannabinoids like Δ9-THC. This can inform cannabinoid drug development and product regulations.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.