By now, most people have heard about CBD products and their benefits. Cannabidiol (CBD) may be helpful for those who suffer from arthritis, insomnia, epilepsy, and gastrointestinal disorders. Did you know there is a long list of many other different cannabinoids that may have therapeutic properties? Unlike delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), most of these cannabinoids are not psychoactive and not federally illegal. Thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, which distinguishes between hemp and cannabis, you can find these hemp-derived products in shops around the country.
What are cannabinoids, and just how many are there? There are over 100 of these different chemical bonds in the hemp plant. We don’t have time to cover all of these substances in one post, but here is a brief overview of the cannabinoids that are often used in nutraceutical products.
Cannabinol (CBN) for appetite stimulation
When THC ages in hemp, CBN is created as a by-product. The older the hemp, the more CBN will be present. While old hemp may not sound that enticing, CBN could prove to be an effective new treatment for those who struggle with a low appetite. A 2012 rodent study published in the Psychopharmacology journal from the European Behavioural Pharmacology Society (EBPS) compared the effects of different cannabinoids on the appetite. After ingesting CBN, the rodents became hungry more quickly and ate more food for a longer duration. CBN could be a welcome alternative to patients who take THC as an appetite stimulant but do not want to experience its psychoactive effects.
Cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) for diabetes complications
One might consider CBGA as the grandfather of all cannabinoids. It sits at the top of the reaction hierarchy that produces THC, CBD, and CBC. Due to its role as the main precursor, most CBGA research has focused on using it to sustainably produce THCA in a laboratory setting. More recently, researchers are exploring CBGA’s properties for treating diabetes complications like cardiovascular disease. Fitoterapia, a medicinal plant research journal, published a 2018 study that found CBGA inhibits an enzyme associated with heart problems. Traditional pharmaceutical inhibitors have a track record of adverse side effects. CBGA could be a welcome gentler nutraceutical alternative.
Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) for inflammation
THCA is a non-psychoactive precursor to THC, its psychoactive cousin. Hemp produces more THC as the plant dries and THCA breaks down. The research is still young, but there are already a few studies that suggest THCA could be used to treat inflammation. Peer-reviewed medical journal Biochemical Pharmacology published a 2019 study that demonstrated how THCA could reduce inflammation that causes metabolic diseases. Another 2017 study from the Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research journal supported using THCA rather than CBD as an anti-inflammatory aid to treat illnesses in the colon like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
The exciting future of cannabinoid research
The 2018 Farm Bill has opened up new opportunities for researching some of these lesser-known hemp-derived cannabinoids. The main challenge is the profitability of extracting some of these substances that exist in small amounts. As medical researchers compile more data on how these cannabinoids can treat different illnesses, companies that already have the infrastructure for distilling CBD may consider adding CBN, CBG, and THCA to their mix of nutraceutical products. We can expect to see continued surging demand for CBD while smaller markets emerge for these other substances as supplements for specific illnesses.
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