The Cannabis plant and its products consist of an enormous variety of chemicals, including over 100 unique cannabinoids. While some are more well known than others, each has an important part to play in the healing process. Here’s a handy guide highlighting some of the most notable properties of these remarkable cannabinoids.
Compound: Cannabigerolic Acid
Abbreviation: CBGA
Pharmacological Characteristics: Antibiotic
Compound: Cannabigerol
Abbreviation: CBG
Pharmacological Characteristics: Antibiotic, Antifungal, Anti-inflammatory, Analgesic, GABA uptake inhibitor, reduces keratinocytes proliferation in psoriasis, effective against MRSA.
Compound: Cannabichromene
Abbreviation: CBC
Pharmacological Characteristics: Antibiotic, Antifungal, Anti-inflammatory, Analgesic (weak)
Compound: Cannabidiolic Acid
Abbreviation: CBDA
Pharmacological Characteristics: Antibiotic
Compound: Cannabidiol
Abbreviation: CBD
Pharmacological Characteristics: Anxiolytic, Antipsychotic, Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antispasmodic, Anti-emetic, Antifungal, Anti-convulsant, Antidepressant, Antagonizes the effects of THC, decreases sebum/sebocytes proliferation, effective against methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, pro-apoptotic against breast cancer cell lines.
Compound: Cannabinol
Abbreviation: CBN
Pharmacological Characteristics: Sedative, Antibiotic, Anti-convulsant, Anti-inflammatory, decreases breast cancer resistant protein, effective against MRSA.
Compound: Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol
Abbreviation: THC
Pharmacological Characteristics: Euphoriant, Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antiemetic, Antipruritic, Bronchodilator.
Compound: Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabivarin
Abbreviation: THCV
Pharmacological Characteristics: Analgesic, Euphoriant, Anti-convulsant in vitro.
The human body produces endocannabinoids, its own natural version of cannabinoids. Cannabinoid receptors are found throughout the body, especially in the nervous and immune systems. The endocannabinoid system is involved in a variety of physiological processes including appetite, pain-sensation, sleep, mood and memory. Endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors respond to biological events—for example, endocannabinoid levels will rise in response to brain injury, strokes, nerve injuries and associated pain. Both plant cannabinoids and endocannabinoids bind to the body’s cannabinoid receptors. When this binding occurs, effects such as pain relief and the suppression of stress result.
