The entourage effect may sound unfamiliar to some less experienced cannabis users, but this phenomenon has been studied for quite some time by scientists.

The entourage effect refers to a synergistic effect achieved by different cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. Cannabis breeders believe that this synergy can boost the therapeutic effects of marijuana and reduce the potential side effects of taking too much THC.

In other words, whole buds and whole-plant extracts are more effective than isolated-cannabinoid concentrates and can mitigate the anxiety-driven behavior induced by delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, as cannabis advocates suggest.

Interestingly, the hypothesis supporting the synergy between different marijuana compounds finds explanation in science. There are three significant studies that refer to the cannabis entourage effect.

The first study, conducted by E. A. Carlini and I.G. Karniol, have found that cannabis strains with equal or higher levels of CBD and CBN to THC enhances the effects of marijuana up to for times than THC content alone. Moreover, the double-blind study found that smoking twice as much of a THC-only strain brings no difference to the overall cannabis experience, save for the fact that the “high” was described as lacking character.

The findings of that study were later reinforced by research run by J.D. Wilkinson. The aim of the study was to determine whether whole-cannabis extracts allow users to achieve better therapeutic effects thant isolated THC. A cannabis extract of THC, CBD and CBN was compared with pure THC and a THC-free extract on mice models of brain slice models of epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.

The comparative study showed that regardless of the examined cae, THC, although active, might not be necessary to achieve the desired effects. The result of the study clearly demonstrated that the therapeutic actions of cannabis herb are not limited to the THC content.

And finally, we have Dr. Ethan Russo with his scientific evidence to support the theory that non-cannabinoid cannabis compounds such as terpenes and flavonoids can inhibit THC’s intoxicating effects while increasing the therapeutic index of the substance at the same time. Russo calls this effect “phytocannabinoid-terpenoid synergy”, meaning that the chemical compounds in marijuana increase the plant’s potential to treat infections, anxiety, depression, epilepsy, substance-dependence, pain, inflammation, and even cancer.