Cannabinoids are a group of active compounds found in cannabis and are responsible for cannabis’ effects on the body and are the reason why cannabis works to alleviate so many symptom related ailments. Endocannabinoids are produced by humans, whereas the cannabinoids from a plant like cannabis are known as phytocannabinoids Phytocannabinoids are a perfect fit for specialised receptors found throughout the brain, nervous system, and immune system of the human body. 

Cannabinoids have been found to work synergistically with the human body and, more specifically, the endocannabinoid system and can act independently to deliver a particular therapeutic effect and also work together to regulate one another or create a unique effect.

Terpenes contribute to the scent, flavor, and color of the cannabis plant, and are referred to as terpenoids when denatured by oxidation (drying and curing the flowers). Terpenes share a precursor with phytocannabinoids and interact 

synergistically with cannabinoids to provide for a range of different effects. The terpenoid profile can vary considerably from strain to strain. Patients who abandon a suitable strain for one with higher THC and/or CBD content may not get more relief if the terpenoid profile is significantly different. 

Endocannabinoid System

The endocannabinoid system is known as "the body’s own cannabinoid system," and is involved in a variety of physiological processes including appetite, pain sensation, mood, and memory, and in mediating the psychoactive effects of cannabis. Two primary endocannabinoid receptors have been identified: CB1, first cloned in 1990; and CB2, cloned in 1993.

While THC has received most of the attention since being discovered in 1964, recent studies have demonstrated that many of the secondary cannabinoids and non-cannabinoid compounds found in the cannabis plant or its extracts interact synergistically to produce the “entourage effect.”  The “entourage effect,” magnifies or enhances the therapeutic benefits of the plant’s individual compounds so that the medicinal impact of the whole plant is far greater than individual compounds or isolated cannabinoids on their own.