<p><strong>Related: <a title="What Is A Tolerance Break?" href="https://weedzly.com/library/what-is-a-tolerance-break">What Is A Tolerance Break?</a></strong></p>
<p>The cannabis plant contains hundreds of chemicals, most of which fall under the category of cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that bind to cannabinoid receptors in the human brain and body. If you're new to cannabis and have <a href="https://weedzly.com/library">questions about the entourage effect</a>, don't worry &mdash; we've got answers for you right here!</p>
<p><img title="https://res.cloudinary.com/timj111/image/upload/v1673915721/articles/fbqvq1l0yfw4n1daugzx.jpg" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/timj111/image/upload/v1673915721/articles/fbqvq1l0yfw4n1daugzx.jpg" alt="Entourage" width="644" height="352" /></p>
<h2 id="0">The Entourage Effect Explained</h2>
<p>The Entourage Effect refers to the synergistic interaction between all compounds within cannabis. When using cannabis, consumers seek for these interactions to deliver a <a href="https://weedzly.com/library/what-to-do-when-youre-too-high">heightened experience</a>.</p>
<p>This is the idea that to achieve the desired result; everyone must work together. If you have an adequate support system of people working together, you will see results faster and better than if each person worked alone. The term was coined by Ethan Russo, MD, widely respected as an expert on terpenes and cannabis.</p>
<h3 id="1"><strong>How many cannabinoids are there?</strong></h3>
<p>There are over 100 known cannabinoids. The ones that are most well-known to consumers are THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). Cannabinoids found in hemp or cannabis are known as phytocannabinoids. Phytocannabinoids have a very similar structure to endocannabinoids, so they interact with the body in the same way.</p>
<p>The endocannabinoid system is a regulatory system within the human body designed to help balance the body's various functions. It plays a role in appetite, mood, immunity, and pain sensation.</p>
<p>Phytocannabinoids are plant-based cannabinoids that have been found to interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). These phytocannabinoids include:</p>
<ul>
<li>CBD (cannabidiol)</li>
<li>CBG (cannabigerol)</li>
<li>CBC (cannabichromene)</li>
<li>THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin)</li>
<li>THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid)</li>
<li>THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol)</li>
<li>Delta -8 THC</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="2"><strong><img title="https://res.cloudinary.com/timj111/image/upload/v1673915761/articles/m0fyxl5nrwyj8qsb10xx.jpg" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/timj111/image/upload/v1673915761/articles/m0fyxl5nrwyj8qsb10xx.jpg" alt="Tarpenes" width="384" height="384" /></strong></h3>
<h3 id="3"><strong>How does the entourage effect work?</strong></h3>
<p>Many people confuse the entourage effect with having different effects. While there are different effects, the actual science behind it is that cannabinoids work better together than they do alone.</p>
<p>For example, anandamide is a cannabinoid associated with pain and anxiety relief. When it binds to a cannabinoid receptor in our brain, it can help reduce the levels of excitatory neurotransmitters such as glutamate and serotonin (5-HT) (6).</p>
<p>However, this action alone isn't enough to produce effective pain relief; this is where terpenes come into play. Terpenes are found in cannabis plants alongside cannabinoids and can enhance their efficacy when combined in a medical setting.</p>
<p>When THC and CBD are combined, research shows a more vital interaction between them. That means that a lower dose of these two substances can effectively treat symptoms or illnesses when they are taken together rather than individually.</p>
<h3 id="4"><strong>What are terpenes, and what do they have to do with the entourage effect?</strong></h3>
<p>Terpenes are the naturally occuring chemicals found in different plants and herbs that give them their unique smell and flavor. Different plants have different terpene profiles, and when they're extracted from the plants and isolated, they have different effects on the body. Terpenes give cannabis its many different strains with varying kinds of impact. Some terpenes show great promise as an entourage because they enhance the effects of other cannabinoids like THC and CBD.</p>
<p><img title="https://res.cloudinary.com/timj111/image/upload/v1673915790/articles/ltxjffrailgz5ivzypbr.png" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/timj111/image/upload/v1673915790/articles/ltxjffrailgz5ivzypbr.png" alt="Entourage effect" width="541" height="303" /></p>