Extracts are concentrated aromatic compounds derived from various plants. They have been used in multiple industries, ranging from aromatherapy to flavoring. Cannabis extracts, in particular, have gained significant attention due to the unique profile of cannabinoids and terpenes that define the plant’s scent and contribute to its therapeutic potential. The term “nature-equivalent” denotes extracts that closely replicate the plant’s natural composition but are of artificial origin, more likely synthetic.
Defining “Nature Equivalent” Extracts
The idea behind nature-equivalent extracts is to produce an extract that mimics the plant’s natural, full-spectrum profile. In many cases, this means maintaining not only the primary aromatic compounds (terpenes such as myrcene, limonene, and α-pinene) but also the minor cannabinoids, flavonoids, nutrients, and sterols. This complete replication is vital for cannabis, where the “entourage effect” is believed to amplify therapeutic benefits.
The starting reference is Natural Extract, which contains all bioactives like terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids in the original strain proportions. Although many commercially available extracts are derived through steam, ethanol, or CO2 processing, they often fall short of capturing the complete spectrum of actives in the original cannabis strain. As of the current state of the art, only the hydrocarbon and aerosol extraction (nonflammable hydrocarbon gas) can maintain close natural ratios.
Moreover, the lack of stringent regulatory definitions for “nature equivalent” means that products can range from close synthetic imitations to reconstructions using isolated natural compounds. This variability underscores the need for extraction processes that preserve the plant’s natural balance.
Extraction Methods
Traditional Approaches and Their Limitations
Historically, aromatic plant extraction has been achieved through methods such as the following:
Steam Distillation and Hydrodistillation
These methods pass wet steam through plant material, causing volatile compounds to evaporate. While safe and widely used, they can result in the loss or alteration of heat-sensitive terpenes and minor cannabinoids due to the high temperatures required(often above 100°C). As a result, these methods usually yield oils with diminished therapeutic potential.
CO2 Extraction
CO2 extraction is performed at high pressure to make the low-density CO2 behave as a solvent. There are two main conditions that CO2 can extract cannabis actives. When the CO2 is below 80 bars in subcritical mode, it extracts the terpenes only. However, it is only for the large terpene molecules, as the smaller terpene molecules with less than 15 carbons are destroyed. That is why the CO2 terpenes contain more sesqiterpenes and not many monoterpenes.
The supercritical mode of CO2 is to extract the larger oleoresin molecules between 100 and 300 bars. This mode destroys all the terpenes and only extracts the cannabinoids. However, due to the low selectivity, those cannabinoids come out with a lot of wax that needs to be removed in a secondary ethanol-driven winterization. Therefore, the best CO2 extract should pass through a secondary ethanol processing and be combined with the first-stage terpenes.
Ethanol Extraction
Ethanol extraction is easy, as it is an ambient process, and it looks very safe, but what is the catch? First, if you extract cannabis at ambient temperature, you will end up extracting the cannabinoids along with a lot of ethanol-soluble compounds like chlorophyll, wax, and lipids. There will be no much terpenes except a small fraction of the high-molecule-weight 20+ carbon sesquiterpenes.
According to the current cannabis market, the quality of the ethanol extraction is low. In general, it is used only to obtain distillates that are additionally enriched by other compounds to become market-attractive. The only way to minimize wax and chlorophyll component is to make the extraction cryogenic, i.e. at -40C at least to avoid secondary post processing. That is how the term “nature equivalent” extracts was created.
Hydrocarbon Extraction
Compared to ethanol and CO2, the hydrocarbons are nonpolar, which in chemical language means that molecule structure is identical to the low molecular terpenes and they are extracted with high clarity. In general the hydrocarbons will extract much better natural identical extracts. Although the hydrocarbons as every other flammable solvent have the same problems as ethanol. At ambient temperature they extract too many fats, wax and lipids and in order to limit them into a single run the process needs to be cryogenic at at least -40C which males it long and energy hungry.
Novel Approaches to Flavor
Aerosol Extraction
This extraction method explored by PURE5 is created in 1996-2000 for fragrance and flavor plants due to its unique features to pull the right oleoresin compounds and create best tasting and aroma extracts. The method solves all critical issues of the listed platforms. In general it is a fluorinated hydrocarbon which is non flammable gas with smaller molecular size than hydrocarbon and pulls all terpene sub components in a nice matching original plant profile.
In General the aerosol extraction can extract everything hydrocarbon extraction can do + much richer and better terpene profile with ISO, mono, sesqi and tri terpenes. Will behave faster than CO2 in a single run liquified gas process at sub critical stage and will be an ambient process like ethanol that does not need winterization of the oil. The oils come as a complete consistency of the terpenes, flavonoids and cannabinoids where the cannabinoids are at around 80-85% potency, terpenes at around 10-15% potency an flavonoids at 2-3% potency which complete the 100% natural compound resembling the flower profile.
Solventless Methods
Methods such as rosin pressing, ice water hash, and dry sifting are mechanical methods that are recently developed to avoid chemical solvents. Although all mechanical methods lack selectivity and have an yeld problem as they only rely on the externally located oil vessels – trichomes. The trichomes are waxy compounds which penetrate through the extract as well. These approaches are favored for their simplicity but their yield is much lower as example the efficiency of the aerosol extraction is 97% the efficiency of the solventless is around 30% from which around 10% is high quality. That is why their implementation turns to quite expensive product to the customer.
What is Aerosol R134a Extraction?
The aerosol R134a extraction method has been developed from PURE5™ few decades ago to serve originally the fragrance and flavor markets. This method meets and exceeds the basic standards for producing natural extracts regulated by their CAS classifications. The aerosol R134a extraction utilizes 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane which is highly efficient hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) that is non-toxic, non-flammable, and FDA recognized as GRAS to extract and purify natural compounds and full spectrum oil-soluble extracts also be used in pharmaceutical aerosol products. Operating at room temperature (approximately 25-30°C) and under mild pressures (around 5–10 bar) in airless environment, this method prevents thermal degradation and oxidation, thereby preserving heat-sensitive terpenes, cannabinoids, and other minor components essential for the entourage effect.
Key advantages include:
- Preservation of Natural Composition
Operating under gentle conditions ensures that delicate compounds remain intact, with independent lab analyses reporting extracts from strains like White Fire yielding 80.10% THC, 0.62% THCA, 1.34% CBD, and a terpene profile totaling 2.18% (yielding 26.28%). Pineapple Chunk extracts showing 63.80% THC, 7.00% THCA, 1.84% CBDA, and 5.48% terpenes (yielding 14.26%).
- Solvent Characteristics and Safety
In a closed-loop system, liquid R134a fully evaporates after extraction (boiling point of –26.3°C at atmospheric pressure), leaving no residual solvents and reducing the need for extensive post-processing.
- Energy Efficiency and Environmental Considerations
The R134a process requires significantly low energy, as example up to 1000% less compared to CO₂ extraction and 500% less than ethanol and hydrocarbon, making it cost-effective, fast and operational safe. Because R134a has a high global warming potential (GWP) of 1,430, PURE5™ machines are full closed loop and recover the gas up to 100%.
- Enhanced Yield and Product Integrity
By selectively extracting oil-soluble compounds and leaving behind water-soluble impurities e.g., chlorophyll, mold, yeast, colors, etc. Due those facts the method delivers a high potent extract that mirrors the plant’s natural chemical profile.
Aerosol R134a Extraction Process
Research and independent lab analyses have validated the efficiency of R134a extraction. The process can be summarized in the following steps:
- Preparation of Plant Material
The cannabis plant, often dried and ground to increase surface area, is loaded into a closed-loop extraction system.
- Solvent Application
Liquid R134a, maintained at around 25°C and under a pressure of 5-10 bar, is passed through the plant material. Its unique solvating power gently dissolves the oil-soluble fractions while preserving heat-sensitive compounds.
- Extraction and Separation
Once the desired compounds have been dissolved, the system is depressurized. R134a evaporates rapidly (at below –26.3°C its boiling point), leaving behind a concentrated extract with no solvent residues.
- Solvent Recovery
The evaporated R134a is captured and recycled, ensuring that residual levels in the final product are effectively reduced to below 20ppm.
This method, sometimes called Pure Botanical Extraction (PBX), highlights PURE5’s commitment to preserving the natural “soul” of Cannabis sativa, ensuring each drop of extract reflects the authentic aromatic and therapeutic profile of the plant.
Chemical Composition of the Extract
The Natural Cannabis extracts are known for their rich chemical composition, which includes a diverse range of terpenes and trace cannabinoids. The plant’s complete chemical profile can consist of over 140 cannabinoids and 120 terpenes, in addition to flavonoids, sterols, hydrocarbons, and phenolic compounds. Key components typically found in these oils include:
- Monoterpenes
Compounds such as myrcene (18.23%-67%), limonene (around 16%), and α‑pinene (7.2%-14.6%) are pivotal in defining the aroma and therapeutic qualities of the oil. In hemp essential oil, myrcene and β‑caryophyllene are frequently dominant. The terpene profile, however, can vary significantly depending on the cannabis strain and growing conditions, such as indoor versus outdoor cultivation. These terpenes are not only responsible for the distinctive scent of cannabis but also contribute anti-inflammatory and mood-enhancing effects.
- Sesquiterpenes
β‑Caryophyllene (18.7%-26.75%) and humulene (6.1%-15.17%) play essential roles in pain modulation and further support the entourage effect by synergizing with cannabinoids. Their presence adds depth to the therapeutic potential of the oil.
- Additional Compounds
Flavonoids, sterols, and other minor components enhance the therapeutic profile, ensuring that every drop of extract maintains the complete spectrum of natural constituents.
The dynamic nature of cannabis essential oil means that its composition can be affected by factors such as drying and storage. The R134a extraction process excels at preserving these compounds. By maintaining low operating temperatures and pressures, the process prevents the loss of these volatiles, ensuring that the final product is a true nature equivalent essential oil that mirrors the original plant composition.
Applications and Market Perspectives
Cannabis extracts, with their enriched terpene profiles and minimal cannabinoid content, offer versatile applications:
The complex profile of terpenes provides a natural means of enhancing mood, reducing stress, and promoting relaxation. Studies have shown that certain terpenes can influence brain wave activity and the autonomic nervous system.
- Wellness
Based on the endocannabinoid studies the major cannabinoids and some of the terpenes have direct influence in the metabolism in our body. THC activates CB1 receptors related to the nervous system and CBD activates the CB2 receptors related to the cell level metabolism. Therefore by knowing that the proper strain characteristics can be applied directly to a proper medical condition treatment.
- Topical & Cosmetic Formulations
With anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, these oils are increasingly incorporated into skincare products, balms, and perfumes. With the CBD effectiveness of collagen recovery the use of hemp derived products in cosmetics is rapidly increasing.
- Food & Beverage Industry
The unique flavor profiles supported by emulsified cannabinoid textures by cannabis extracts make them suitable in culinary applications as natural flavor enhancers and medical supplements for the endocannabinoids in our body.
- Therapeutic Applications
Research continues to explore the potential for cannabis extracts to aid in pain relief, anxiety reduction, and even as adjunctive treatments for certain inflammatory conditions. The preservation of the entourage effect via R134a extraction ensures that these oils offer a holistic range of benefits closer to the plant’s natural state.
Conclusion
Market leaders have traditionally relied on CO₂ or hydrocarbon extractions. However, given the superior preservation of delicate compounds, high energy efficiency, lower CapEx, lower maintenance costs, and no special training needed, R134a extraction positions itself as the preferred method for producers aiming to deliver high-quality, full-spectrum extracts. Pure For Life™ leverages this advanced extraction technology to craft premium cannabis products that consistently meet high standards of purity and performance.
