The Entourage Effect Defined
Redeem Therapeutics 3.16.2020
The "entourage effect" is defined as the synergistic relationship between CBD and the other naturally occurring compound. It means that all cannabinoids and terpenes found in the Cannabis plant work together for optimal benefits, and that CBD isolated by itself will be less effective that when used in combination with other cannabinoids and terpenes.
The term “entourage effect” was first coined in 1998 by Dr. Ben-Shabat in his paper, An Entourage Effect: Inactive Endogenous Fatty Acid Glycerol Esters Enhance 2-Arachidonoyl-Glycerol Cannabinoid Activity. The concept has most notably been explained and expanded upon by Dr. Etahan Russo in his 2011 peer-reviewed article entitled, Taming THC: Potential Cannabis Synergy and Phytocannabinoid-Terpenoid Entourage Effects. In his article, Dr. Russo summarizes the results of dozens of research papers concerning medicinal uses of cannabis and the evident synergies between the various cannabinoids and terpenes found in Cannabis sativa.
One particular animal study published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacy in 2015 showed that CBD alone demonstrated a bell-shaped dose response in the treatment of inflammation-induced pain. The bell-shaped or biphasic dose response refers to the fact that increasing the dose of pure CBD without other cannabinoids or terpenes results in pain relief up to a point but actually showed reduced effectiveness once that dose was exceeded. However, increasing the dose of CBD that is combined with other cannabinoids and terpenes evidenced a consistent, more linear, increase in effectiveness.
The bottom line? CBD is more effective and predictable with its entourage. Synergy matters.