Formula
C₁₅H₂₄
Terpene Atlas · Sesquiterpene
/kar-ee-OFF-ih-leen/ · (E)-β-Caryophyllene
Beta-Caryophyllene
The peppery sesquiterpene that breaks the rules · the one common terpene shown to directly activate the CB2 cannabinoid receptor, yet still not a proven treatment.
Black pepperCloveCinnamonDry woodFaint citrus
Weight
204.35 g/mol
Class
C15 · bicyclic (with a rare cyclobutane ring)
Form
Clear to pale yellow
Meet the molecule
One open chain, not a cage
Molecular class
Sesquiterpene · C15 · bicyclic (with a rare cyclobutane ring)
Formula · weight
C₁₅H₂₄ · 204.35 g/mol
Biosynthetic origin
A bicyclic C15 sesquiterpene derived from farnesyl diphosphate (FPP).
Structural trait
Carries a strained four-membered cyclobutane ring · chemically unusual in nature, and part of what makes this molecule distinctive.
Reported as caryophyllene (the trans/(E) form dominates); its oxidation product caryophyllene oxide is tracked separately on many panels.
Aroma spectrum
A qualitative sensory map
Relative prominence is illustrative, not a measured profile. Aroma is never produced by one molecule alone.
spice
woody
citrus
Physical identity
The isolated compound
Appearance
Clear to pale yellow.
Texture
Oily liquid.
Volatility
A heavier, less volatile sesquiterpene · it lingers well after the light monoterpenes have evaporated.
This describes the isolated chemical. It does not predict whether flower will be dense, sticky, purple, or frosty.
The resin, up close
Where it appears in nature
Beyond cannabis
Black pepper The classic peppery source.
Cloves
Copaiba
Cinnamon
Oregano
Hops
membered carbon ring
4
Caryophyllene carries a strained four-membered cyclobutane ring · a rare, unusual motif in the plant world, and a signature of this molecule. PubChem
Evidence ladder
What's known · and how well
Research is ranked by strength, not promised as effects. Isolated-compound findings are separated from whole-cannabis evidence throughout.
Established mechanism2 claims
Caryophyllene is a bicyclic C15 sesquiterpene from farnesyl diphosphate, notable for a rare four-membered cyclobutane ring.
Its primary established cannabinoid-system target is the CB2 receptor, not the strongly psychoactive CB1 · which is why it is sometimes called a ‘dietary cannabinoid’ though it is chemically a terpene.
Brain research1 claim
It is not considered intoxicating. Unlike THC it engages CB2 rather than the CB1 receptor most responsible for the cannabis ‘high’.
Body research1 claim
Through CB2 activation, isolated caryophyllene has shown anti-inflammatory, analgesic, gastroprotective, metabolic, and neuroprotective activity in preclinical research.
Preclinical, isolated-compound findings; not demonstrated as a treatment for a cannabis product in humans.
Recognized non-cannabis use1 claim
Widely used in food flavoring, fragrance, spice oils, and cosmetics.
Unproven / insufficient1 claim
No approved isolated-caryophyllene prescription treatment exists. It is being investigated for inflammatory pain, neuropathy, gastrointestinal inflammation, metabolic disease, and neuroinflammation.
Myth vs evidence
The “dietary cannabinoid” shortcut
The claim
Because caryophyllene activates CB2 like a cannabinoid, lore jumps to calling a pepper-forward product a proven anti-inflammatory. The receptor part is real · the treatment part is not.
The evidence
CB2 activation by isolated caryophyllene is established. That a caryophyllene-rich cannabis product treats inflammation or pain in people is not · those outcomes remain preclinical, and a panel does not predict a clinical benefit.
Where it sits
Beta-Caryophyllene against the field
Objective chemistry and how often it shows up · not effects. Every authored terpene is plotted on each track; Beta-Caryophyllene is lit, the rest stay faint. The picture fills in as the Atlas grows (10 plotted so far).
Dominant aroma family
Its strongest sensory class, brightest to deepest.
citrus
earthy
Beta-Caryophyllene
Prevalence in cannabis
How often it leads a profile. Qualitative, not measured.
rare
common
Beta-Caryophyllene
Volatility · boiling point
Lower boils off sooner, reading as an earlier top note.
more volatile
less volatile
Beta-Caryophyllene
Molecular weight
C10 monoterpenes are lighter than the C15 sesquiterpenes.
lighter
heavier
Beta-Caryophyllene
Read as a table
| Terpene | Dominant aroma family | Prevalence in cannabis | Volatility · boiling point | Molecular weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myrcene | Earthy | very common | 167 °C | 136 g/mol |
| Limonene | Citrus | very common | 176 °C | 136 g/mol |
| Pinene | Pine | common | 155 °C | 136 g/mol |
| Linalool | Floral | common | 198 °C | 154 g/mol |
| Beta-Caryophyllene this page | Spice | very common | 262 °C | 204 g/mol |
| Alpha-Humulene | Herbal | moderate | 270 °C | 204 g/mol |
| Terpinolene | Fresh | moderate | 186 °C | 136 g/mol |
| Ocimene | Fruity | uncommon | 177 °C | 136 g/mol |
| Alpha-Bisabolol | Floral | uncommon | 314 °C | 222 g/mol |
| Nerolidol | Woody | uncommon | 276 °C | 222 g/mol |
Prevalence is a qualitative ordinal, not a measured concentration. Boiling points are approximate atmospheric-pressure values; the heavier sesquiterpenes are usually distilled under vacuum, so those figures are extrapolated.
Terpene neighborhood
Sensory & structural relatives
Alpha-humulene Its structural sibling; the same synthase often makes both.
Caryophyllene oxide Its oxidation product.
Isocaryophyllene A geometric-isomer relative.
On a certificate of analysis
How it shows up on a COA
Name variants a lab may print
Caryophyllene · β-Caryophyllene · beta-Caryophyllene · trans-Caryophyllene
Isomer note
Labs report ‘caryophyllene’ (trans/(E) dominant); the oxide is separate.
Reading it
Reported as a percentage of product mass; absence from a panel can reflect the lab’s method or detection limit, not true absence. Batch values swing widely.
A terpene’s absence from a panel can reflect the panel’s method or detection limit · not true absence. Values swing batch to batch.
In products
Commonly reported · never guaranteed
Peppery, spice-forward chemovars
Safety & handling
Read this before you trust a label
Pure terpene isolates are concentrated industrial chemicals · not the trace amounts in flower. Do not ingest undiluted isolates or apply them to skin without an appropriate dilution.
A CB2-active terpene is still not a medicine. A product’s panel cannot predict an individual’s response; cannabinoid dose, route, tolerance, other medications, and personal biology usually matter more.
Caryophyllene can oxidize to caryophyllene oxide, which many labs report as a separate compound; heat and air drive the conversion.
◆THC and other cannabinoids usually influence intoxication more than any single terpene.
◆A terpene panel cannot reliably predict an individual patient’s response.
◆Pure isolates are concentrated industrial chemicals · not the trace amounts in flower.
◆Oxidation, heat, storage, and processing alter terpene chemistry.
◆Strain names do not guarantee a stable terpene profile across growers, harvests, or batches.
◆Discuss any cannabis decision, and other medications, with a qualified clinician.
Explore
Beta-Caryophyllene, three ways
Same molecule, three lenses. The information is identical in every mode.
Keep exploring
Where to next
← Terpene Atlas indexAll terpenes
Find productsLive menus rich in Beta-Caryophyllene
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Sources (4)
- TerpAlerts Cannabis Terpene Reference Guide reference
- PubChem CID 5281515 · (E)-β-Caryophyllene PubChem
- Terpene synthases from Cannabis sativa (PMC5371325) PMC
- β-Caryophyllene is a dietary cannabinoid (PMID 18574142) PMID
Last reviewed 2026-07-22 · TerpAlerts editorial
Educational information only · not medical advice, and not a claim that any cannabis product
treats, cures, or prevents any condition. Evidence labels describe the strength and scope of
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