The entourage effect is a proposed mechanism by which compounds present in cannabis which are largely non-psychoactive by themselves modulate the overall psychoactive effects of the plant (these resulting principally from the action of the main psychoactive component of cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Cannabidiol (CBD) is believed to be the major modulatory component of cannabis, mitigating some of the negative, psychosis-like effects of THC, and is included in some medicinal formulations alongside THC. CBD co-administration also reduces the negative effects of THC on memory. Myrcene, which is recognized as a sedative component in hops, may be responsible for the sedative effects (“couch lock”) of certain cannabis strains (sedative effects are commonly ascribed to the indica cannabis type). Linalool may also contribute to the entourage effect, modulating the glutamate and GABA neurotransmitter systems to produce sedative and anxiolytic effects.