Caryophyllene Oxide
The oxidation byproduct with staying power
Terpene
What is caryophyllene oxide?
Caryophyllene oxide is the oxygenated form of caryophyllene — the same spicy terpene, with an added oxygen atom. It's found in cloves, black pepper, and hops, and it's the compound drug-sniffing dogs are trained to detect.
Effects
Because it's a sesquiterpene, caryophyllene oxide holds up through higher temperatures and longer storage than most monoterpenes. Research points to anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving potential, and it's cited in the entourage literature as one of the more pharmacologically interesting minor terpenes.
Why it lingers
Its reputation as a long-lasting, grounding terpene is partly about chemistry — sesquiterpenes are simply more stable than the volatile monoterpenes. When you smell a spicy, peppery note in well-cured flower, this is a big part of what's lingering.
Conditions that cite this compound
These condition guides point here — they cover the same compound from the patient side.