Full-spectrum is a formulation term describing an extract in which the broad range of naturally occurring plant compounds is preserved. This typically includes major and minor cannabinoids, terpenes and other phytochemicals, and may include trace amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol where legally permitted.
The term is used to distinguish such extracts from broad-spectrum preparations, which have specific compounds removed, and from isolates, which contain a single purified cannabinoid. The distinction is primarily one of chemical composition.
Full-spectrum preparations are frequently referenced in discussions of the entourage effect, the hypothesis that plant compounds may act in combination. This remains an area of scientific debate rather than established fact.