At this point, it’s pretty common knowledge that cannabidiol, or CBD, which is the cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant but widely cultivated with and extracted from commercial hemp crops, has a ton of potential medical uses. Both devout CBD users and scientific research tout the use of CBD to help treat a wide range of health conditions—from arthritis to anxiety. And, while CBD alone can be a useful tool for what ails ya, the entourage effect that can be reaped from the combo of THC and CBD.
But it’s not all about CBD these days. There is a new kind of cannabinoid on the horizon right now. This cannabinoid is cannabigerol, or CBG. Researchers hope that CBG will become just as valuable for its health effects as CBD, one day. If you’re interested in the medicinal properties of cannabinoids, it may be time to familiarize yourself with this new active agent.
CBG: basic information
Researchers have looked at CBG for more than a half-century now, but it has only recently begun gaining wider attention in the scientific community. At this point, studies done on animals suggest that CBG may be valuable in the treatment of cancer, conditions involving the degeneration of nerve tissue, and colitis.
In the natural cannabis herb, CBG is the base compound out of which CBD, THC, and CBC (cannabichromene) take shape. Acidic CBG, which starts out as the original cannabinoid, breaks down and re-forms as these better-known cannabinoids.
CBG is only found in minuscule quantities in the cannabis plant. Attempts at research into the properties of this cannabinoid have been hampered by poor availability as a result. The fact that the cannabis plant has been subject to legal restrictions for decades, on top, has made scientific work on this cannabinoid even harder. Nevertheless, there is genuine scientific interest in its medical potential.
How is CBG distinct from CBD?
CBG comes with no intoxicating effects, and is even able to counter the intoxication that the cannabinoid THC produces; if you become high on whole cannabis, CBG may be able to bring you back down. CBG has also been observed in animals to stimulate hunger, something that CBD isn’t known for.
While there is some degree of overlap to the medical effects seen in CBG and CBD, these are distinct compounds, and CBG is seen to be able to help with many conditions that CBD does not directly address.
What kind of health benefits does CBG come with?
Scientific understanding of CBG is yet in the early stages. What follows are insights that scientists have come by into the different areas of promise that CBG offers.
Glaucoma: A serious chronic condition of the eye, glaucoma leads to a buildup of pressure within the eye, causing blindness. CBD hasn’t been found to be of use in treating glaucoma, but THC offers positive effects; unfortunately, THC also produces intoxication. A study performed in 1990, however, has found evidence to support the belief that CBG may be of value. In the cannabis plant, however, the cannabinoid may be present in quantities too small to make a difference. CBG extract, on the other hand, may help.
MRSA: Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus is a kind of contagion that ordinary antibiotics do not adequately fight. CBG, however, has been found to demonstrate antibacterial properties that help with such resistant infections.
GABA reuptake inhibition: CBG may help with the inhibition of GABA uptake. This may help relax the muscles, and calm the mind.
Digestive conditions: Studies done on mice have revealed that CBG improves colitis, and may help manage the pain, nausea, and other effects seen in the condition.
Degenerative conditions of the nervous system: Conditions like Huntington’s disease, that result in damage to nerve tissue, may be improved with CBG. It may help correct the actions of the defective genes that cause such degeneration.
Cancer: Some laboratory studies (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC4470774/) have found that CBG has an inhibitory effect on some kinds of cancer cells, and may help support conventional cancer therapies.
The possibility that cannabigerol could potentially help various conditions is an exciting new development in cannabinoid science, but much work remains to be done before clear knowledge is available on how exactly it helps. Until then, it can help to stay on top of the progress attained in the area by reading up on any new research, no how limited it may currently be.
