// Science · Glossary

Sesquiterpenoids

⚗️ Science First mentioned: Ep. 025

A class of terpene-derived compounds built from three isoprene units (15 carbon atoms), as opposed to monoterpenes which contain only two units (10 carbons). In cannabis, key sesquiterpenoids include humulene (boiling point 107°C) and caryophyllene (boiling point 130°C). Caryophyllene is notably the only terpene known to directly activate CB2 cannabinoid receptors.

Mark Scialdone listed specific boiling points for key terpenes during the rosin pressing analysis: humulene at 107°C, caryophyllene at 130°C, pinene at 156°C, myrcene at 168°C. He described these values as the “ragged edge” of where you could potentially use terpene content within the bud itself to extract cannabinoids — at rosin pressing temperatures of 175°C+, these compounds vaporise, and their movement may serve as a transport mechanism carrying cannabinoids outward to the collection surface.

Ep. 025 The ROSINTECH Episode