Scientists Have Discovered The Reason Behind The Cannabis Having 'Skunky' Smell

Scientists are coming closer to figuring out which of cannabis' numerous compounds is responsible for distinct'strains,' and why they appear to give individuals varied highs when mixed in various ways. Despite the fact that the number of Americans who smoke, eat, or apply the psychoactive drug has more than doubled in the previous decade and they still lack basic knowledge about the plant.

As per the latest report of 13 cannabis strains, the pungent odour is caused by a family of volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) that have never been detected in nature but closely resemble those found in garlic. Several volatile organic chemicals, such as terpenes, have also been discovered to give cannabis its characteristic aroma.

Terpenes are commonly found in other aromatic plants like lavender and rosemary, but past study estimates they only represent approximately half of the overall perfume of cannabis, and there is very little proof linking them to a skunky scent. The OG Kush strain, for example, has a woody or lemony aroma rather than a sulfury one due to high levels of terpinolene.

Researchers tested and evaluated the numerous strong-smelling compounds discovered in cannabis flowers as well as concentrated cannabis retrieve to discover the chemical roots of the skunk aroma in particular.

The discoveries led to the discovery of a slew of new VSCs linked to the infamous cannabis scent. The compounds, dubbed VSC3 through VSC7, have a structural arrangement that is comparable to that of garlic VSCs, as seen in the graphic below. This is significant because certain chemicals in garlic may have health benefits such as anticarcinogenic effects and enhanced cardiovascular health.

The researchers were specifically hunting for VSCs, which can also be found in skunk spray and other pungent plants like hops and garlic. There appears to be a substantial link between VSC3 concentrations and the'skunk-like' scent observed by the panel in particular.

When the skunk scent was present, other VSCs appeared in lower concentrations, however the compounds were substantially different amongst strains.

Several were exclusively detected in a single cultivar, while VSC3 was consistently associated to the skunk odour across all breeds. That isn't to say that VSC3 is the only one that has a sulphurous odour. The effect of these chemicals in odour is complex and dependent on the presence of other VSCs.

When researchers produced cannabis strains in a greenhouse, they discovered that when the plant began to blossom, VSCs increased dramatically. When the flower was being cured and dried, these chemicals were at their maximum quantities. VSC concentrations began to diminish a week afterwards storage.