Can the Mycrene in Mangos Take You Higher?

It’s a substance called mycrene, a terpene that allows cannabis to cross the blood/brain barrier more efficiently, abundantly found in mangoes that does the trick. The normal blood-brain rate is seven seconds—with the help of the mango that time can be cut in half. Marijuana.com reports that “eating fresh mangos or even drinking a fresh mango smoothie one hour prior to smoking will dramatically increase the euphoric feelings felt by marijuana and help medical marijuana patients to ease their pain even more so. This is because a chemical compound known as myrcene terpenes, which is most often used for fragrances, can be found within cannabis as well other plants such as lemon grass, hops and, of course, mangos.”

Rev. Dr. Kymron de Cesare who works with our buds over at Oakland’s Steep Hill Labs, one of the first cannabis testing laboratories in the world, backs up this claim with science. He says that eating a fresh mango 45 minutes before inhaling cannabis will increase the effects of that cannabis, for most people. Myrcene makes THC more effective because of what he calls “overlapping synergies” between myrcene and other terpenes.

A 1997 study conducted in Switzerland analyzed the terpenes found in various cannabis plants and discovered that myrcene was the most abundant. It can amount to more than half the total terpene content in some marijuana strains. Other terpenes include Pinene, Limonene, Carene, Humulene, Bergamotene, Terpinolene, and Caryophyllene.

Very high concentrations of mycrene can also be found in basil and hops. It’s responsible for the super pungent aroma in many of today’s heavily hopped beers. It’s described as having an earthy, fruity, clove-like odor and also shows up heavily in cannabis, of course. So it’s no surprise that hops and cannabis are cousins—both members of the family Cannabaceae. You can also find doses of mycrene in innovative products like CouchLock that can boost the length and intensity of your high.

Myrcene gets its name from Myrcia sphaerocarpa, a medicinal shrub from Brazil that contains very high amounts of myrcene. There it’s been used for ages as a folk remedy. Mycrene delivers several medical benefits. It can help relieve pain, slow bacterial growth and mitigate the effects of diabetes. It also reduces inflammation, suppresses muscle spasms and inhibits cell mutation—including cancer cells. It’s also a great sleep aid.