Myrcene: What the Research Says (and Doesn’t)
Myrcene is the most abundant terpene in many hemp cultivars. Here’s a neutral tour of what researchers have actually studied — none of which supports product claims, and none of which is medical advice.
What researchers have examined
Myrcene has been examined in rodent studies since the 1990s, including nociception models and high-dose sedation experiments. It is abundant in hops and lemongrass, both plants with long folk histories. A 2011 pharmacology review popularized interest in myrcene’s possible role in the character differences between cultivars — a hypothesis, not a finding.
Open questions
Whether myrcene at the levels present in hemp flower has any measurable effect in humans has not been established. The folk shorthand that myrcene equals sedation is not supported by controlled human research.
Sources
- Rao VS, Menezes AM, Viana GS. (1990). Effect of myrcene on nociception in mice. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 42(12):877–878. [doi]
- do Vale TG, et al. (2002). Central effects of citral, myrcene and limonene in mice. Phytomedicine, 9(8):709–714. [doi]
- Russo EB. (2011). Taming THC. British Journal of Pharmacology, 163(7):1344–1364. [doi]
More in the library: all research summaries · the terpene guide