CARYOPHYLLENE · PROFILE 01 / 08 · WD-TERP-V1

Caryophyllene.

β-Caryophyllene · sesquiterpene · C₁₅H₂₄

"Peppery, spicy, woody. The molecule that makes black pepper smell the way it does."

Marketplace prevalence

26,8 %

The most-prevalent terpene in the Weed.de pharmacy ledger. Tagged on 140 175 dispensed product-orders across the network.

REF · WD-TERP-CARYO-V1 · GEPRÜFT 04 / 2026

I · CHEMISTRY

The molecule. What it is, what it weighs, how it behaves.

A bicyclic sesquiterpene with the unusual cyclobutane ring — the structural feature that gives it its identity in the terpene family.

C₁₅H₂₄· 204,35 g/mol

FamilyBicyclic sesquiterpene
Molecular weight204,35 g/mol
Boiling point268 °C · decomposes above 320 °C
Density0,9052 g/cm³ (20 °C)
Refractive index1,5005 (20 °C)
SolubilityInsoluble in water · soluble in ethanol, ether, oils
Isomersβ (most abundant in cannabis) · cis · trans · α-Caryophyllene = α-Humulene (the structural sibling)
CAS registry87-44-5
BiosynthesisBuilt from farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) by the enzyme β-caryophyllene synthase, in glandular trichomes during late-stage flowering.
StabilitySensitive to heat, light, and oxidation. Degrades in open containers at room temperature within 4–6 weeks. Storage in opaque, sealed packaging at < 20 °C is recommended.

II · AROMA & ORIGIN

Eight kitchen-shelf molecules. Where else caryophyllene shows up in nature.

Caryophyllene is not unique to cannabis — it is the dominant aromatic compound in several common spices and herbs. Concentrations below are approximate, drawn from published essential-oil chromatography.

Black pepper

Piper nigrum

14–20 % of essential oil

Cloves

Syzygium aromaticum

7–10 %

Cinnamon (leaf)

Cinnamomum verum

6–8 %

Hops

Humulus lupulus

5–14 %

Oregano

Origanum vulgare

3–6 %

Rosemary

Rosmarinus officinalis

2–5 %

Basil

Ocimum basilicum

1–4 %

Copaiba balsam

Copaifera officinalis

35–55 %

When a patient asks "what does this cultivar smell like?" — the most useful pharmacist answer is to point at a kitchen analogue. Black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon are the three most universally recognized references for caryophyllene-led cannabis.

III · IN CANNABIS

140 175 product-orders. What this terpene looks like in the Weed.de ledger.

Top caryophyllene-led SKUs by sales across the Weed.de pharmacy network. All names, prices, and distribution counts are real and pulled live from the order ledger.

Caryophyllene-led SKUs in catalog

Aggregate volume

80 453 g

Aggregate sales

€426 918

SKU	Lineage	€/g	Volume	Distribution
TRUU GT 30:01 Cookies OG	Cookies × OG Kush	€5,94	16 279 g	125 pharmacies
LIT 29/1 MKU Master Kush	Kush family	€5,34	8 006 g	37 pharmacies
NICE 32/1 CHM GMO	GMO Cookies	€5,20	5 778 g	48 pharmacies
NICE 30/1 TRG GMO	GMO Cookies	€5,14	4 200 g	34 pharmacies
Canopy KMI 30/1 Kush Mints	Kush Mints	€5,49	2 665 g	36 pharmacies
Demecan MC GMO × Jet Fuel Gelato	GMO × Gelato	€5,70	2 420 g	34 pharmacies

Caryophyllene dominates the Cookies / Kush / GMO lineages — the genetics behind most "dessert-named" cultivars on the market. These six SKUs alone represent €199 535 / period of dispensed sales across 309 pharmacy placements.

IV · THE TWO READERS

Same molecule. Two readings.

A patient leaving the pharmacy and a pharmacist preparing for the next conversation read this page differently. Both readings are answered below.

For the patient

What you are holding Your cultivar's terpene profile is led by caryophyllene — the same compound found in black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon. The aroma will lean peppery and slightly woody.
What it might taste like Patients often describe caryophyllene-led cultivars as having a peppery top note with a sweet-spicy finish. Comparable kitchen reference: a clove-studded orange.
How to store it Caryophyllene degrades with heat and light. Keep your prescription in its original opaque packaging, at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. Use within four weeks of opening for the most consistent profile.
Questions worth asking your prescriber If you respond well to this profile, ask whether other caryophyllene-led cultivars (Cookies, Kush, GMO lineages) might be a logical next step in your treatment plan.

For the pharmacist

Recognition cue at counter If the SKU name contains Cookies, GMO, Glue, Kush, Mints, Cake, Biscotti, default assumption is caryophyllene-led until the COA says otherwise.
Substitution-first match Closest profile: Humulene (matrix score 92) — biosynthetic isomer, almost always co-dominant. When OOS, pull the next caryophyllene-or-humulene-tagged SKU from in-stock catalog.
What to hand the patient The Weed.de patient education card for this SKU + this terpene reference. Both are HWG-cleared. Do not narrate effects.
Storage advisory Caryophyllene is the most heat-sensitive of the eight major terpenes. Educate the patient on storage; degraded SKUs cause patient dissatisfaction even when the COA was clean at dispense.

V · PROFILE-MATCH SUBSTITUTION

When the prescribed cultivar is out of stock. Where to look first.

Match scores from the Brand-Integrity Toolkit's substitution console. 90+ indicates the substituting profile carries close to the same primary aromatic signature.

Humulene

α-Humulene · sesquiterpene

92/ 100

Myrcene

β-Myrcene · monoterpene

68/ 100

Linalool

61/ 100

Limonene

D-Limonene

42/ 100

Ocimene

β-Ocimene

40/ 100

Pinene

α-Pinene · β-Pinene

38/ 100

Terpinolene

36/ 100

Caryophyllene

self

—

Reference profile

Default substitution path: caryophyllene → humulene (92). The two are biosynthetic isomers and nearly always co-occur in the same cultivar. A pharmacist substituting away from a caryophyllene-led SKU should pull the highest-stocked humulene-prominent alternative before considering any other path.

VI · RESEARCH NOTES

Published observations. Not clinical advice.

Peer-reviewed scientific observations relevant to the chemistry of β-caryophyllene. Reproduced verbatim where possible. The pharmacist may discuss these as scientific context but may not extrapolate them to patient-facing claims.

Disclaimer. The observations below are scientific descriptions from in-vitro, animal-model, or analytical-chemistry research. They are reproduced as published context for the molecule and do not constitute clinical advice, do not imply therapeutic efficacy, and do not establish a recommended use for any patient or condition. Reviewed under §3 HWG (Heilmittelwerbegesetz).

Three published observations

Gertsch J, Leonti M, Raduner S, et al.

"Beta-caryophyllene is a dietary cannabinoid."

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 2008. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0803601105

The authors characterize β-caryophyllene as a selective full agonist of the cannabinoid type-2 (CB2) receptor in vitro, distinguishing it from other dietary terpenes which lack CB2 affinity. The paper describes a binding observation in cellular assay; it does not establish clinical efficacy in any patient population.

Sharma C, Al Kaabi JM, Nurulain SM, et al.

"Polypharmacological properties and therapeutic potential of β-caryophyllene: A dietary phytocannabinoid of pharmaceutical promise."

Current Pharmaceutical Design, 2016. DOI: 10.2174/1381612822666160311115226

A literature review summarizing in-vitro and animal-model studies of β-caryophyllene. The authors discuss its receptor binding profile and chemical stability. The review describes the molecule as a candidate for further investigation; it does not establish approved clinical uses.

Russo EB.

"Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects."

British Journal of Pharmacology, 2011. DOI: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2011.01238.x

Reviews chemical interactions between cannabis-derived terpenes (including β-caryophyllene) and cannabinoids in laboratory settings. The paper describes hypothesized "entourage" mechanisms; it does not validate any specific patient indication.

VII · COMPLIANCE SCRIPT FOR THIS TERPENE

Phrasings the pharmacist may use — and may not — for caryophyllene specifically.

Tailored to caryophyllene from the general HWG-cleared template. The pharmacist may quote any line on the left verbatim and may not say anything resembling the right.

A pharmacist may say

"This cultivar's terpene profile is caryophyllene-led."
"Caryophyllene is the same compound found in black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon."
"Patients often describe caryophyllene-led cultivars as peppery, spicy, slightly woody in aroma."
"The dominant lineages carrying this terpene are Cookies-line, GMO, and Kush genetics."
"This cultivar's structural sibling is humulene — they almost always appear together."
"If your prescription is out of stock today, the closest profile match in our system is a humulene-prominent cultivar — match score 92."
"Store this SKU in its original packaging, away from heat and direct light."
"Here is the Weed.de product information sheet for this cultivar."

A pharmacist may not say

"Caryophyllene helps with inflammation."
"This binds the CB2 receptor — it should help with [condition]."
"Patients with [condition] do well with this profile."
"This is more effective than the cultivar your doctor prescribed."
"I would recommend this for your symptoms."
"Caryophyllene reduces / treats / prevents / cures [anything]."
"Other patients with your diagnosis use this one."
Any direct or implied therapeutic claim — including via gesture, comparative phrasing, or qualified statement.

VIII · RELATED READING