© 2025 The Cannabis Chemistry Collection

Understanding the chemical constituents of cannabis

TerpenesFlavonoidsEsters

Cannabis is more than just cannabinoids. In its raw state, cannabis contains terpenes, flavonoids, esters, sulfurs, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, and other chemical constituents. These constituents may contribute - in some cases significantly - to the experiential and therapeutic effects of certain cannabis products.


The Cannabis Chemistry Collection is a series of scientific textbooks that exhaustively details each of these chemical compounds, in particular where relevant to cannabis, and with a focus on the synergistic nature of these molecules. Please scroll down to see our current offerings, including The Big Book of Terps, The Formidable Book of Flavonoids, and our upcoming textbook, The Exceptional Book of Esters. Other textbooks to come in this series include The Tiny Book of Thiols, The Abridged Book of Aldehydes, The Substantial Book of Sulfurs, The Kingly Book of Ketones, and The Ancillary Book of Alcohols.

Our textbooks are used in universities and colleges around the world, and we also offer university-level classes and lectures including Terpenes 101, Terpenes 201, Flavonoids 101, Flavonoids 201, and Esters 101, among many more to come as the research and body of scientific literature on the chemical constituents of cannabis expands.

The Big Book of Terps

The world’s largest and most complete scientific textbook about terpenes and synergy in cannabis. This massive tome covers the top 43 terpenes and terpenoids in cannabis with a highly detailed chapter for each compound, as well as chapters dedicated to the chemical structure, biosynthesis, and isomerism of terpenes, and the occurrence of synergy among these and other chemical compounds. With Raphael Mechoulam, Ethan Russo, Ed Rosenthal, and Mitch Earleywine, The Big Book of Terps is a powerhouse reference book meant to be read cover to cover by anyone. Complete with 51 quizzes and 1 Final Exam, Edition 2 is available now in hardcover or paperback.

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The Formidable Book of Flavonoids

A companion textbook to The Big Book of Terps, this scientific textbook details the top 23 flavonoids in cannabis, including their chemical nature, biosynthesis, molecular variations, biological uses by plants, uses by insects, fungi, bacteria, and viruses, commercial and industrial uses, and exhaustive sections describing the potential medical and therapeutic uses of flavonoids common to cannabis. The Formidable Book of Flavonoids features additional chapters dedicated to top flavonoid researchers, synergy among these and other compounds, with 23 quizzes and 1 Final Exam. Edition 1 is available now in hardcover version only.

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The Exceptional Book of Esters

The third textbook in the Cannabis Chemistry Collection series, The Exceptional Book of Esters details the top 20 esters known or theorized to occur in cannabis. Individual ester compounds are described via highly detailed chapters for each molecule, which covers their biosynthesis, chemical structure, variations, biological uses by plants, uses by microbes, insects, and other entities, commercial and industrial uses, and potential and actual medical and therapeutic applications. Other stand alone chapters are dedicated to Esters 101 type education, a chapter covering top ester researchers, and a chapter describing the synergistic nature of these compounds among many other chemicals. COMING SOON! Click below to get on the Advance Order list:

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© 2025 The Cannabis Chemistry Collection and Russ Hudson.