Quick Answer: Flavonoids and terpenes both appear in cannabis, but they play very different roles in formulation. Terpenes are volatile, aroma-driving compounds present at higher levels (3–8% in extracts), making them essential for vapes and sensory-focused products, though they require cold storage and late-stage addition due to heat sensitivity.
Flavonoids are stable polyphenols found at much lower concentrations (<1%), contributing mainly to pigmentation, antioxidant support, and structural effects rather than smell. In practice, terpenes dominate commercial formulation value because they’re bioavailable via inhalation and economically scalable, while flavonoids remain harder to isolate and use at meaningful levels.
Key Takeaways
- Terpenes are volatile, lipophilic aromatic compounds present at higher concentrations (3–8% in extracts) and are primarily used for sensory impact and inhalation-driven bioavailability.
- Flavonoids are non-volatile polyphenolic compounds typically present at <1% dry weight, contributing pigmentation, antioxidant activity, and structural stability rather than aroma.
- Inhalation delivers 54–76% terpene bioavailability, while oral absorption is significantly lower; flavonoids exhibit limited systemic bioavailability but may support localized effects.
- Terpenes require cold storage and late-stage addition due to volatility and thermal degradation above 80°F, whereas flavonoids tolerate pasteurization and standard manufacturing heat.
- Vape and concentrate applications prioritize terpenes for volatility and sensory delivery, while flavonoids remain difficult to isolate economically at commercial scale.
- Entourage-related effects are more strongly supported for terpenes due to higher concentrations and documented cannabinoid receptor interactions, including CB2 activation.
- Looking for stable, strain-authentic terpene inputs optimized for formulation performance? Partner with Terpene Belt Farms for wholesale today and evaluate profile integrity in your target delivery system.
Product developers working with cannabis extracts face a recurring sourcing question: which secondary metabolites actually matter for their specific application?
Marketing materials from suppliers often blur the lines between terpenes and flavonoids, claiming both contribute equally to product quality. Meanwhile, your R&D team needs concrete data on bioavailability, processing stability, and concentration thresholds to make defensible formulation decisions.
The confusion stems from legitimate complexity. Both compound classes appear in full-spectrum extracts, both get mentioned in entourage effect discussions, and both carry premium price tags when labeled “cannabis-derived.” Yet their molecular behavior during manufacturing couldn’t be more different.
Terpenes evaporate during routine processing above 80°F. Flavonoids remain stable through pasteurization at 180°F. One delivers 54-76% bioavailability via inhalation; the other barely absorbs through oral routes. These technical details directly determine which compounds justify investment for vape cartridges versus edibles versus topicals.
For formulators, this availability gap means working with the compounds actually accessible rather than theoretical ideal profiles. Here’s everything you need to know about terpenes and flavonoids.
What Are Terpenes in Cannabis?
Terpenes are volatile organic compounds composed of isoprene units (C5H8) that create the aromatic profile of cannabis products. These hydrocarbons function as the primary source of strain-specific sensory characteristics while contributing to functional effects through documented interactions with cannabinoid receptors and endocannabinoid system pathways.
The sheer number of terpenes in cannabis creates sourcing decisions for formulators. Cannabis produces over 200 identified terpenes, though commercial formulations typically focus on 8-15 major compounds that occur at concentrations exceeding 1% in dried flower material.
The most abundant cannabis terpenes, myrcene, limonene, caryophyllene, pinene, and terpinolene, collectively represent 60-80% of total terpene content in most strains. This concentration pattern creates practical advantages for extraction and formulation compared to minor terpenes that occur at trace levels. You can actually isolate enough material to work with at a commercial scale.
Primary Functions in Plant Biology
Terpenes evolved as multipurpose defense and survival compounds rather than aromatic accessories. Their biological roles in the plant directly influence the terpene profiles available for extraction, as environmental stress responses alter which compounds accumulate and at what concentrations.
- Pest and Pathogen Defense: Volatile terpenes create aromatic barriers that deter insects and browsing animals. Compounds like alpha-pinene and limonene demonstrate direct antimicrobial activity against fungal and bacterial infections. Pest pressure during cultivation shifts terpene ratios compared to protected growing environments.
- Thermal Stress Response: Cannabis increases terpene production under heat stress, with evaporation creating cooling airflow across plant surfaces. Outdoor cultivation in high-temperature regions produces distinct terpene profiles compared to climate-controlled indoor production, creating predictable seasonal variation in extraction yields.
- Pollinator Attraction: Specific terpene combinations function as chemical signals attracting pollinating insects to flowers. This biological function shaped which profiles evolved in different genetic lineages, explaining the aromatic diversity observed across modern cannabis strains despite commercial production preventing actual pollination.
Extraction and Isolation Methods
Once you’ve harvested terpene-rich material, the extraction methodology determines what you actually capture.
Commercial extraction is done through several methodologies with different efficiency profiles and product characteristics. Steam distillation captures volatile terpenes at relatively low temperatures (100-120°C) without hydrocarbon solvents, producing food-grade terpene fractions suitable for most applications.
However, this method can alter sensitive terpene ratios through differential volatilization rates. Lighter compounds like limonene distill first while heavier sesquiterpenes require extended processing.
Solvent-based approaches offer different trade-offs. Hydrocarbon extraction simultaneously captures cannabinoids and terpenes in a single process. While operationally efficient, high-temperature purging steps required for solvent removal can degrade thermally sensitive monoterpenes. Cold-ethanol extraction preserves more terpenes than warm ethanol methods but sacrifices overall extraction efficiency, creating throughput trade-offs for production facilities.
What Are Flavonoids in Cannabis?
Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds that contribute pigmentation, UV protection, and functional properties to cannabis plants.
Unlike volatile terpenes, flavonoids are non-volatile secondary metabolites that remain stable during standard processing and storage conditions. These compounds participate in plant cellular structure and provide antioxidant functions that protect against environmental oxidative stress.
For formulators, this stability difference means flavonoid-containing extracts won’t lose potency sitting on a shelf the way high-terpene products do.
Flavonoid Classes in Cannabis Sativa
The flavonoid category isn’t monolithic. Different subclasses behave differently in formulations. Cannabis produces approximately 20 identified flavonoids across several chemical subclasses, each with distinct properties that affect formulation decisions.
- Flavones (Cannflavins A, B, C): Cannabis-exclusive compounds with documented anti-inflammatory activity 30x more potent than aspirin. Occur at approximately 0.014% dry weight, making commercial extraction economically challenging despite functional properties.
- Flavonols (Quercetin, Kaempferol): Common plant flavonoids also found in many fruits and vegetables. Contribute antioxidant properties and demonstrate moderate water solubility compared to other flavonoid classes, potentially simplifying beverage integration.
- Flavanones: Less studied in cannabis but present in measurable concentrations. Generally more lipophilic than flavonols, affecting their compatibility with oil-based versus aqueous formulations.
Where these compounds concentrate in the plant matters for sourcing decisions. Research in Cannabis sativa biosynthesis shows flavonoids concentrate in flowers and leaves while remaining undetectable in roots and seeds.
This tissue-specific accumulation creates sourcing implications for processors selecting input material. Trim and flower materials yield different flavonoid profiles compared to seed or stem fractions.
Cannflavins: Cannabis-Exclusive Compounds
Within the flavonoid category, cannflavins represent the most distinctive compounds for cannabis formulation. Cannflavins A, B, and C are prenylated flavones found exclusively in Cannabis sativa.
University of Guelph research published in Phytochemistry identified the prenyltransferase enzyme responsible for cannflavin biosynthesis, confirming these compounds’ unique occurrence in cannabis rather than appearing in other plant species.
Why the research interest? The functional properties of cannflavins have attracted significant scientific attention. Studies on cannflavin anti-inflammatory activity demonstrate these compounds inhibit prostaglandin E2 production with approximately 30 times the potency of aspirin on a weight-for-weight basis in cell culture models.
Cannflavins achieve this through dual inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) enzymes, a broader mechanism than typical NSAIDs that target only COX pathways.
The catch here is that commercial application faces substantial obstacles. Cannflavins occur at approximately 0.014% of plant dry weight, requiring massive plant volumes to extract meaningful quantities.
This concentration challenge has limited cannflavin integration in commercial formulations despite their documented functional properties. You’d need to process roughly 7,000 grams of dried flower to extract a single gram of cannflavin. The economics simply aren’t profitable here.
Chemical Structure Comparison
The molecular architecture of these compound classes determines how they behave in formulations and whether they’ll survive your manufacturing process.
Molecular Composition Differences
Terpenes are built from isoprene units (C5H8) linked in various configurations, creating molecules ranging from monoterpenes (C10) to sesquiterpenes (C15) and diterpenes (C20).
This hydrocarbon structure makes terpenes lipophilic and highly volatile, with most cannabis terpenes exhibiting boiling points between 150-220°C. The absence of oxygen atoms in basic terpene structures explains their volatility and hydrophobic characteristics. They want to evaporate, and they won’t mix with water.
Flavonoids possess a fundamentally different molecular architecture that changes everything about working with them.
These polyphenolic compounds feature two benzene rings connected by a three-carbon bridge with multiple hydroxyl groups and sometimes glycoside attachments.
This structure creates significantly higher molecular weights than terpenes (typically 300-400 g/mol vs 136-204 g/mol for common terpenes) and incorporates oxygen atoms that increase polarity and reduce volatility. In practical terms, flavonoids stay put during processing while terpenes evaporate.
Volatility and Stability Factors
These structural differences create wildly different storage and handling requirements that directly impact manufacturing workflows and margin preservation.
- Terpene Storage Requirements: Begin evaporating at room temperature, with monoterpenes like limonene and pinene showing particularly high volatility. Require cold storage (4-8°C), sealed containers, and minimal headspace to prevent concentration loss. Leave a terpene bottle open on your bench, and you’ll lose 10-15% concentration in a few hours.
- Terpene Thermal Limits: Degradation begins above 80°F, accelerating during heated mixing, emulsification, or pasteurization. Must be added at final manufacturing stage after thermal processing. This constraint complicates quality control and requires specialized late-stage addition protocols.
- Flavonoid Stability Advantages: Tolerate standard food processing temperatures up to 180°F without significant degradation. Resist oxidation better than volatile terpenes during storage. Maintain consistent concentrations during shelf life more effectively than terpene formulations.
- Flavonoid Degradation Factors: UV light exposure can degrade certain flavonoids over extended storage periods. Require appropriate packaging (amber glass, UV-blocking materials) rather than refrigerated storage. The stability differential simplifies logistics but commercial availability remains the limiting factor.
Solubility Characteristics
Water compatibility determines which product formats work with each compound class.
Terpene solubility patterns reflect their hydrocarbon nature. These compounds dissolve readily in oils, alcohols, and non-polar solvents but show minimal water solubility without emulsification or complexation.
This lipophilicity creates formulation challenges for aqueous products, including beverages and water-based topicals, requiring nanoemulsion or complexing agent strategies to achieve stable dispersions. Every beverage formulator encounters this problem early in development.
Flavonoids exhibit intermediate solubility that offers slightly more formulation flexibility.
Basic flavone and flavonol structures show limited water solubility but dissolve moderately in alcohols and other polar organic solvents. Glycosylated flavonoids demonstrate improved aqueous solubility compared to their aglycone forms.
This solubility profile makes flavonoids slightly easier to incorporate in diverse formulation matrices compared to highly lipophilic terpenes. But, the commercial scarcity of isolated flavonoids means this theoretical advantage rarely matters in practice.
Formulation Performance: Terpenes Vs Flavonoids
How efficiently these compounds reach their target determines whether they’re worth the investment in your formulation. Here’s how these substances perform in your day-to-day formulations:
Bioavailability Considerations
Delivery method massively impacts terpene performance. Research on terpene pharmacokinetics demonstrates inhalation provides 54-76% bioavailability for compounds like alpha-pinene and limonene, making vapor-based delivery the most efficient route.
The pulmonary absorption bypasses hepatic first-pass metabolism, allowing direct systemic entry. This explains why vape formulations justify premium terpene investments. You’re actually delivering what you’re paying for.
The oral route tells a different story. Oral terpene absorption report 4-12% bioavailability due to extensive first-pass hepatic metabolism. This efficiency difference means oral formulations require 5-10x higher terpene concentrations compared to inhalable products, which quickly becomes cost-prohibitive.
Flavonoid bioavailability research remains limited, creating uncertainty for formulators. Available evidence suggests poor oral absorption with significant first-pass metabolism. However, local effects in the digestive tract don’t require systemic absorption, potentially explaining some documented functional benefits.
Processing Stability
Temperature sensitivity creates the primary formulation constraint for terpenes. Monoterpenes begin degrading above 80°F, with accelerated loss during heated mixing, emulsification, or pasteurization.
Formulation guidelines for cannabis products recommend adding terpenes at the final manufacturing stage after thermal processing. Your production schedule needs to accommodate late-stage terpene addition, or you’re literally watching margin evaporate.
Flavonoids demonstrate stability advantages that simplify manufacturing logistics, if you can source them. These compounds tolerate standard food processing temperatures without degradation and resist oxidation better than volatile terpenes. UV light exposure can degrade certain flavonoids over extended periods, requiring appropriate packaging rather than specialized storage conditions.
Delivery System Compatibility
Different product formats demand different compound selections based on physical chemistry and bioavailability profiles.
- Vape and Concentrate Applications: Terpenes represent the primary compound choice due to volatility and inhalation bioavailability. Technical data on vape formulation shows optimal concentrations between 5-8% for cartridge applications, balancing sensory impact against viscosity requirements and hardware compatibility. Higher concentrations cause wicking issues or excessive viscosity that impairs vaporization.
- Edible and Beverage Formulations: Require lower terpene concentrations (0.1-0.5%) due to oral bioavailability limits and regulatory restrictions on flavoring compounds. Reduced absorption efficiency means terpenes function primarily as flavoring agents. Flavonoids face similar low-concentration requirements but potentially contribute functional benefits through local gastrointestinal activity.
- Topical and Transdermal Products: Accommodate both compound classes through distinct mechanisms. Terpenes function as penetration enhancers, increasing cannabinoid permeation through dermal barriers. Flavonoids contribute antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties without requiring systemic absorption.
Entourage Effect: Synergistic Interactions
The entourage effect concept suggests these compounds work better together than isolated, but the evidence varies by compound class.
Cannabinoid Receptor Interactions
Some terpenes do more than smell good. They directly activate cannabinoid pathways. Research on cannabimimetic terpenes found certain terpenes, including beta-caryophyllene, directly activate CB2 cannabinoid receptors, producing pharmacological effects independent of cannabinoid presence.
When formulators talk about “effect-specific” terpene profiles, this receptor binding provides the mechanistic basis.
Flavonoids interact through distinct mechanisms that remain less characterized. Studies show cannflavins interact with the endocannabinoid system through enzyme inhibition rather than direct receptor binding, potentially enhancing endogenous cannabinoid signaling without directly activating receptors.
The practical challenge is getting enough cannflavins into a formulation to test whether these effects matter at commercial concentrations.
Documented Synergies in Formulations
Products containing diverse terpene and flavonoid profiles demonstrate different activity than cannabinoid isolates. However, attribution of enhanced effects specifically to terpenes versus flavonoids remains technically challenging given the chemical complexity. You’re working with dozens of compounds simultaneously, making controlled variables nearly impossible.
Product developers working with cannabis terpene formulations report perceivable differences in consumer experiences when terpene profiles change while maintaining consistent cannabinoid ratios. Flavonoid contributions to these synergistic effects require additional investigation, given their low concentrations in commercial products.
Ratio Optimization Strategies
Optimizing terpene-to-cannabinoid ratios requires balancing sensory intensity against functional objectives. Most concentrate formulations target 5-7% terpene content, providing aromatic character without overwhelming hardware or causing harsh sensory experiences.
This ratio range consistently appears across vape cartridges, dabbable concentrates, and terpene-enhanced flower. Consumer testing has repeatedly validated these concentrations as the optimal zone.
Flavonoid ratio optimization faces practical constraints that prevent systematic testing. Extracting sufficient cannflavins for standard manufacturing batches remains economically prohibitive. Until flavonoid isolation technologies mature and costs decrease, formulators work with whatever trace flavonoid levels happen to carry through in full-spectrum extracts.
Closing Thoughts — Partnering with Terpene Belt Farms for Terpene Sourcing
The technical distinctions between flavonoids and terpenes directly inform product development decisions across cannabis formulation categories. While both compound classes contribute to full-spectrum cannabis experiences, their different molecular properties, bioavailability profiles, and commercial availability create distinct application scenarios for product developers.
Terpene Belt Farms specializes in cannabis-derived terpene production that addresses the critical formulation requirements outlined throughout this technical comparison.
Our Fresh Never Frozen extraction methodology preserves complete terpene profiles from California-cultivated Cannabis sativa, capturing the molecular complexity that differentiates authentic cannabis terpenes from simplified botanical alternatives.
Product developers seeking consistent terpene inputs for vape cartridges, concentrate enhancement, or beverage formulation can access our terpene profile collection featuring strain-specific compositions with detailed analytical characterization.
Ready to source authentic cannabis terpenes for your next product launch? Request terpene samples to evaluate our profiles in your specific applications.
Frequently Asked Questions About Flavonoids Vs Terpenes in Cannabis Formulation
Can Flavonoids Be Extracted Separately from Terpenes During Cannabis Processing?
Yes, flavonoids and terpenes can be isolated through different extraction methodologies. Terpenes are captured via steam distillation or as volatile fractions during hydrocarbon extraction, while flavonoids remain in decarboxylated fractions and require solvent extraction for isolation. The compounds' different physical properties, volatility versus stability, enable selective separation.
Why Aren't Cannflavins More Common in Cannabis Products Despite Their Documented Properties?
Cannflavins occur at approximately 0.014% of cannabis dry weight, requiring extraction from massive plant volumes to obtain meaningful quantities. This concentration limitation creates cost barriers that currently make cannflavin isolation economically prohibitive for most commercial applications.
Do Terpenes or Flavonoids Contribute More to the Entourage Effect in Cannabis Products?
Current evidence suggests terpenes play a larger role due to their higher concentrations (3-8% in products) versus flavonoids (<0.1% in most formulations). However, research on cannabimimetic compounds indicates both classes interact with endocannabinoid system components through distinct mechanisms. Definitive attribution requires additional controlled studies.
Which Compound Class Better Withstands Manufacturing Processes Like Pasteurization or Heat Sealing?
Flavonoids demonstrate superior thermal stability, tolerating temperatures up to 180°F without degradation. Terpenes begin degrading above 80°F, requiring addition after thermal processing. This stability difference makes flavonoids theoretically better suited for heat-intensive manufacturing, though their limited availability constrains practical application.
For Topical Formulations, Should I Prioritize Terpenes or Flavonoids for Functional Benefits?
Terpenes provide penetration enhancement that increases cannabinoid absorption through skin barriers. Flavonoids contribute antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties through local dermal activity. Optimal topical formulations theoretically incorporate both compound classes, though transdermal research focuses primarily on terpene enhancement effects due to commercial availability.
Sources Used for This Article
- PMC: "Flavonoids in Cannabis sativa: Biosynthesis, Bioactivities, and Biotechnology" - pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7931196/
- ScienceDirect: "Biosynthesis of cannflavins A and B from Cannabis sativa L." - sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031942218303819
- Inverse: "Pain-Killing Compound 30 Times Stronger Than Aspirin Revealed in Cannabis" - inverse.com/article/58027-cannflavins-a-and-b-in-cannabis-anti-inflammatory
- PubMed: "Bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of natural volatile terpenes in animals and humans" - pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10985073/
- PMC: "A closer look at cannabimimetic terpenes, polyphenols, and flavonoids: a promising road forward" - pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8284286/
