Terpenoid

Terpenoids (sometimes used interchangeably with "terpenes" in loose cannabis-industry usage) are oxygen-containing or otherwise chemically modified terpenes — compounds derived from terpene skeletons by oxidation, rearrangement, or loss of methyl groups. Strict chemical usage reserves "terpene" for pure hydrocarbons (e.g., β-myrcene, α-pinene) and "terpenoid" for oxygenated relatives such as linalool (an alcohol), menthol, camphor, and the oxidized sesquiterpene caryophyllene oxide (the molecule to which drug-detection dogs are reportedly trained). Many cannabis "terpene profiles" reported on certificates of analysis actually comprise a mix of true terpenes and terpenoids. The distinction matters pharmacologically: oxygenation often changes receptor affinity and volatility. → See also: Terpene, Caryophyllene, Linalool.