What Does Myrcene Do? Effects, Strains, and How to Use It
Myrcene is the terpene tied to couch lock and earthy cannabis aroma. Learn what myrcene does in the body, its boiling point, top strains, and safety.
Quick answer
Myrcene is a monoterpene found in cannabis, hops, lemongrass, and mango. Users report relaxation, drowsiness, and a heavier body feel from cultivars with high myrcene. The evidence for these effects comes from mouse studies and lab work. Human trials on myrcene alone are few.
What Does Myrcene Do? Effects, Strains, and How to Use It
What myrcene is
Myrcene (beta-myrcene) is a hydrocarbon terpene. Its formula is C10H16. Its molecular weight is 136.23 g/mol. It boils at 167 C (334 F). The compound is a major part of hop oil and lemongrass oil. It also shows up in thyme, basil, parsley, and mango. In cannabis, myrcene is one line on a terpene panel, reported in mg/g or as a percent of total terpenes.
Reported effects
- Calm and relaxation at low to moderate amounts.
- Sleepiness and couch-lock at high amounts, per user reports.
- Lower pain response in animal tests.
- Muscle relaxation and loss of motor control in mice at high doses.
Animal studies from the 1990s report that myrcene raised sleep time from a barbiturate and lowered response to a pain stimulus. One report noted sedation at a high dose and alertness at a low dose. That dose pattern has not been confirmed in people.
Myrcene Effects for Pain: Evidence, Doses, Limits
The couch-lock claim
Myrcene is the terpene most often tied to indica-style sedation. Lab data does not match that label. Terpene profiles overlap between cultivars sold as indica and sativa. Myrcene alone does not control the THC effect. THC content, dose, route, and the mix of other terpenes and cannabinoids all play a part.
The mango claim
Mango holds myrcene. The amount in one fruit is small, in the low milligrams. No human study has measured whether eating mango before cannabis changes the high. Treat the claim as unproven.
Entourage effect
The entourage effect is the idea that terpenes and cannabinoids change each other's action. Reviews find support in lab work and mixed results in humans. No human trial has shown that myrcene alone alters the THC high at a set dose.
How to read a terpene report
- Find the total terpenes number. A common range for flower is 1 to 3 percent of weight.
- Find myrcene. Compare it to pinene, limonene, and caryophyllene.
- Check the lab name and the harvest date.
- Compare the THC number to the myrcene number. THC drives the high more than any terpene.
Safety and labeling
Myrcene is on the FDA list of synthetic flavoring substances permitted in food (21 CFR 172.515). That status covers small amounts in food. It does not cover inhaling concentrated terpene oils. Concentrated terpenes can irritate skin, eyes, and airways. No standard dose for myrcene effects exists.
Buy from licensed sellers. Ask for a certificate of analysis that lists terpenes and cannabinoids. Check the lab name and the test date. Numbers on a jar with no lab report are marketing.