WHAT IS CBG & WHAT DOES IT DO?

Cannabis sativa L., more commonly referred to as hemp, is a complex plant that contains hundreds, if not thousands, of compounds, including over one hundred cannabinoids. Of these, cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are arguably the most well-known, but that is beginning to change.

A lesser-known cannabinoid, cannabigerol (CBG), is beginning to gain popularity among both scientific researchers and the general public. To understand this increased interest in CBG, let’s take a look at what it is and what it does.

Cannabigerol (CBG) is the neutral form of cannabigerolic acid (CBGA).

WHAT EXACTLY IS CANNABIGEROL?

As previously mentioned, cannabigerol is a cannabinoid. More specifically, it is the neutral or non-acidic “child” of cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), the “parent” molecule of tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), and cannabichromenic acid (CBCA). The parent-child comparison refers to how cannabinoids form, with enzymes synthesizing the majority of CBGA into THCA, CBDA, and CBCA as the plant matures.

These acidic cannabinoids are nearly identical in molecular structure to their neutral counterparts, with one exception: carboxylic acid. Exposure to heat or ultraviolet light causes them to undergo a process known as decarboxylation, which turns acidic CBDA into neutral CBD, THCA into THC, and so forth.

Decarboxylation also turns any remaining cannabigerolic acid into CBG, but most strains of hemp will not contain very much CBGA upon reaching maturity. Some innovative growers have begun breeding plants with higher concentrations, making it easier to extract larger quantities of cannabigerol, but we will get back to that later. Now that you know what CBG is, it’s time to see how it works.

HOW DOES CANNABIGEROL WORK?

All cannabinoids, whether acidic or neutral, produce their effects by interacting with the endocannabinoid (EC) system via the receptors CB1 and CB2. The cannabinoids found in hemp can act either directly as receptor agonists or indirectly as antagonists. These interactions cause the receptors to send signals throughout the body that help control a variety of biological processes, ranging from mood to appetite.

Precisely how each cannabinoid interacts with the EC system is not always well understood. For example, THC is known to bind to both CB1 and CB2 receptors, making it an agonist, but CBD does not seem to have an affinity for either receptor and how it affects them is not all that clear.

Cannabigerol, on the other hand, acts as both an agonist and antagonist, depending on the receptor. Studies show that CBG binds particularly well to CB2, and has a measurable but indirect effect on CB1, comparable to CBD. The similarities between the two cannabinoids don’t stop there, either, even though there are some key differences.

Although the effects of CBD and CBG sometimes overlap, their molecular structures are very different.

HOW DOES CBG DIFFER FROM CBD?

Cannabigerol and cannabidiol are remarkably similar, at first glance. Both compounds are non-psychoactive, have little to no side effects, and offer a wide range of potential health benefits.

Although they do not interact in the same way with the EC system, some of their therapeutic effects still overlap, such as their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, among others. But CBD has been shown to have a wider reach when it comes to health, particularly in the treatment of epileptic seizures and the neuropathic pain associated with fibromyalgia.

However, cannabigerol has not received nearly as much attention from researchers. The list of potential benefits will undoubtedly get longer as interest in this cannabinoid continues to grow. Although research into the effects of CBG is sparse, the results so far are promising and show that this cannabinoid warrants further investigation.

WHAT BENEFITS DOES CANNABIGEROL HAVE?

It is not surprising that some of the first research into CBG involves treating cancer. The possibility of preventing and treating this devastating disease with cannabinoids has been around for quite some time, and significant evidence exists to support this. Cannabigerol shows promise in the treatment of both colon-rectal and oral cancer.

REDUCES CANCER GROWTH

A study using mice shows that CBG may inhibit the growth of tumors and the formation of colon-rectal cancer (CRC) cells. This research indicates that cannabigerol may not only hamper the progression of CRC – the 2nd most common cancer in women and 3rd most common in men – but may also be useful as a preventative treatment. Higher doses were shown to cause cytotoxicity (death) of cancerous cells, and smaller doses stopped the cells from growing.

For oral cancer, CBG demonstrated the highest potential for inhibiting cell growth when compared to other treatments. Cannabigerol was able to outperform not only other cannabinoids but also the chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil.

As researchers continue to study the effects of cannabigerol, more and more benefits are sure to be discovered.

STIMULATES APPETITE

For late-stage cancer patients, cannabigerol might help lessen the effects of cachexia. Cachexia is the name given to the wasting away of the body near the end of terminal illnesses like cancer, kidney failure, HIV, and multiple sclerosis. A study in rats showed CBG was able to double food intake, which may help slow muscle wasting through the increased caloric intake, but there is sadly no way to reverse cachexia. This ability to stimulate appetite could also be beneficial in the treatment of eating disorders.

PROTECTS & REGULATES THE BRAIN

Cannabigerol may also be useful in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases long before cachexia begins. A derivative of CBG, VCE-003.2, was able to improve several irregularities in brain function in mice with Huntington’s, as well as partially normalize abnormal genes associated with the disease. In mice with Parkinson’s, the antioxidant properties of this cannabinoid helped protect against damaging inflammation in the brain, and these results were duplicated in a study looking at multiple sclerosis.

Another potential function of CBG in the brain is as a noradrenaline and dopamine reuptake inhibitor. Both these neurotransmitters play a pivotal role in regulating emotion, with inadequate levels leading to depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders.

Other neurotransmitters affected by CBG include acetylcholine, which regulates muscle contractions in the bladder. Cannabigerol may help treat disorders like overactive bladder by controlling acetylcholine-induced contractions that cause incontinence.

IMPROVES GLAUCOMA

The benefits of cannabigerol extend from the brain to the eyes, where it can help treat glaucoma, the umbrella term for a group of conditions that cause damage to the optic nerve. CBG was shown to reduce ocular tension in cats, which causes symptoms like blurred vision, pain, or a sensation of pressure inside the eye. It also increased aqueous outflow or the amount of fluid flowing through the eye in rats, which may help slow the progression of vision loss from glaucoma.

CBG can come in the form of capsules, tinctures, dried hemp flower, topicals, and more.

HOW DO YOU USE CANNABIGEROL?

Whether or not you have any of the previously mentioned illnesses, cannabigerol can still help maintain overall health by balancing the EC system, and it is easy to use! Just like other cannabinoids, there is CBG in full and broad-spectrum hemp products, and as we have already mentioned, some growers are breeding strains with high concentrations to make extraction of large amounts of CBG viable.

WHERE CAN YOU BUY CBG?

You can now experience all the healing benefits of cannabigerol on its own or alongside those of cannabidiol. Iconic Remedies is excited to announce the inclusion of several of these CBG extracts – CBG Oil Tincture, 1:1 CBG/CBD Oil Tincture, and CBG Isolate – to its product offerings. Like with any product containing cannabinoids, you must ensure you are buying from a reputable brand, so click here to learn more about the company and everything they do to ensure product quality.