Investigating Terpenes for Chronic Pain Management with John Stretcher, PhD

Dr. John Streicher is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology in the College of Medicine at the University of Arizona. He has built a long-term research program focused on finding improved treatments for pain. This has encompassed multiple approaches over the years, including testing cannabinoid and non-cannabinoid constituents of Cannabis sativa, identifying new ways to target opioid receptor signaling, and identifying new receptor targets in the body for pain relief. His lab works on both the basic science knowledge of how these systems work and also works to create new drugs for human therapy.

During our conversation, we discussed:
* The basics of terpenes. What they are and their role in cannabis
* The cannabimimetic effects of terpenes and their synergistic effects with cannabinoids
* What levels of terpenes are needed to get a therapeutic effect
* A recent study showing terpenes can relieve chronic neuropathic pain
* Combining terpenes with other drugs, such as opioids, to get better pain relief at lower doses
* Which terpenes provide the best pain relief

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Additional Resources:
* Terpenes are Cannabimimetic and Enhance Cannabinoid Activity: https://www.nature.com/articles/s4159...
* Terpenes Relieve Chronic Pain: https://journals.lww.com/pain/fulltex...
* A Review Article of Terpenes in Pain: https://pharmrev.aspetjournals.org/co...
* A Screen of Minor Cannabinoids in Pain: https://jpet.aspetjournals.org/conten...
* The University of Arizona Comprehensive Center for Pain and Addiction: https://painandaddiction.arizona.edu/