If you’re puzzled by all this talk about CBG and cannabinoids, we are here to help you understand and make sense of all the jargon. And honestly, it is not so complicated once you get the overview of what is what. Ready? Okay here we go.
What are cannabinoids?
Cannabinoids are the molecules or chemical compounds that are contained within the cannabis plant. Basically, if the buds and flowers of hemp plants are harvested and all the extracts analyzed, what you get are the cannabinoids (well, that and chlorophyll, plant oils, terpenes, and flavonoids). In total there have been found to be over 120 cannabinoids within the cannabis plant.
Interestingly, the human body has cannabinoids too. But while the cannabinoids produced by the cannabis plants are called phtyocannabinoids, those produced by the human body are called endocannabinoids. Both phytocannabinoids and endocannabinoids interact with the neural receptors of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in human brains to create various physiological changes to mood, appetite, sleep, and other factors.
What is the relationship between CBG and cannabinoids?
The relationship between CBG and cannabinoids is that CBG is one of the many cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. Besides THC and CBD, CBG is the next most popular cannabinoid. Now all cannabinoids are different. They are also found in different amounts within the plants. For example while CBD and THC are found in concentrations of about 20%, CBG is found in concentrations of only about 1% of all the total cannabinoids. Another interesting observation about CBG as a cannabinoid is that, unlike many other molecules within the plant, CBG is created much earlier, when the cannabis plants are still much younger.
What is the relationship between CBG, CBD and THC?
CBG, THC, and CBD are not just special because they are the most known cannabinoids. There is a very interesting link between these three chemical compounds. As mentioned earlier, CBG is created much earlier than most of the other cannabinoids. Scientists have discovered that, in addition to that, CBG is also the “stem cell” through which fellow cannabinoids THC and CBD are formed.
When cannabis plants are young, CBGA (cannabigerolic acid) is formed. This is the acidic and non-active form of CBG. CBGA is then influenced by enzymes within the plant and broken down to molecules that form THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) and CBDA (cannabidiolic acid). These are acidic and inactive forms of THC and CBD. Through heat and time, THCA and CBDA are eventually transformed into the THC and CBD that we love (and use). So without CBG we might not have CBD and THC.
What about the other cannabinoids?
All the cannabinoids within the cannabis plant are important and valuable. Scientists may not have had the chance to look into them all (yet) but they will with time. Remember, research into hemp and cannabis is at its very early stages. With other 120 cannabinoids to comb through, CBD, THC, and now CBG are just the tip of a very large iceberg. With time we’ll discover what the other cannabinoids can do and how they interact with CBG.