What do we know about cannabigerol and its future?
By Herbert M. Green
What is CBG exactly? And how can we benefit from its potential medicinal properties? In other words; CBG, what is it good for? Turns out, a lot!
What is CBG and what does it do for you?
CBG (cannabigerol) is a non-acidic cannabinoid found in the leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant. It’s chemically synthesised from parent molecule CBGA (cannabigerolic acid) when this precursor is exposed to at least 101°C (min. 20 minutes/max. 60 minutes) or naturally over time.
CBG itself, in turn, is the precursor for the more well-known cannabinoids like THC, CBD and CBC. That is why some refer to CBG as the ‘mother cannabinoid’.
Unlike its child-molecule THC, cannabigerol is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, meaning it will not get you high. However, some people have reported that when they consume CBG-dominant flowers or other products containing high amounts of CBG, that they experience physical and neurological sensations. These sensations range from sedative to energetic, depending on the person’s physiology.
CBDA is the cannabinoid that spawns all other cannabinoids.
Disclaimer:
It’s important to note that these reports are purely anecdotal and can’t (as of yet) be taken as proof that CBG is responsible for these sensations and experiences.
The same goes for when we’re talking about the potential health benefits of CBG. Even though the research surrounding this cannabinoid is ramping up steadily, only a few studies have been done on how CBG interacts with the endocannabinoid system, its receptors and other cannabinoids in the human body. it’s important to note that the benefits of CBG are yet to be officially proven and the research done up to this point is still preliminary.
(See references to all research and studies used for this article at the bottom of this page)
Having said that, the results of these studies suggest that CBG may be a potential treatment for all sorts of medical conditions such as:
Mood disorders:
There are signs that CBG may prevent the uptake of GABA and serotonin in our brain. This is potentially good news for those suffering from depression, as these two compounds are vital for a good mood.
Another potential CBG has in this department is that it appears to boost the production of the endocannabinoid ‘anandamide’, which is a catalyst for both mood enhancement and fear/anxiety reduction by stimulating the production of dopamine.
Feeding disorders:
It also turns out that anandamide seems to promote a healthy appetite. Other studies have shown that CBG interacts with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) to create homeostasis in the digestive system. Researchers have also discovered that CBG itself may trigger ‘hyperphagia’ (aka ‘the munchies’)
Inflammation:
Multiple studies have been done focusing on CBG as a potential anti-inflammatory agent. This includes general internal inflammation, as well as inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD). There are even signs that point to CBG being a potential remedy against neuroinflammation, possibly protecting our brain cells from dying.
Bacterial infections:
Good news in the search for new antibiotics! CBG is being researched as a potential weapon against bacterial infection. And not just your run-of-the-mill bacteria either. These studies show great promise against uber nasty bugs like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains as well.
Cancer:
Other studies are showing promising findings that CBG may prevent cancer, by interacting with various elements that play a role in carcinogenesis. Some even believe, that with more research done on this subject, we may even be able to cure cancer with the help of CBG in combination with other cannabinoids.
Glaucoma:
CBG is now also in the running to overtake CBD and CBN as potential medicine against glaucoma. Researchers observed that CBG has a greater ability to reduce intraocular pressure, which is one of the main indicators of this foul eye disease.
Vaping CBG together with all the other good cannabinoids and terpenes
I hope that it’s clear by now that even if only half of these preliminary results turn out to be true, CBG has a lot of potential to make us a healthier species in the long run.
It might also be good to know that all these studies point out that there don’t appear to be any negative (side) effects to consuming CBG. So, there is very little risk in trying it out.
Because of this, there are now several different ways to consume CBG on the market, like in the form of pure crystalline extractions, pills and oils.
In our opinion, the best way to consume CBG is by vaping the whole flower. This makes it easier to dose and also ensures that you get the full ‘entourage effect’ of all the other cannabinoids like CBD and CBN, as well as the complete terpene profile of CBG buds like our very own organic, Cali-grown CBG-rich hemp flower Siesta Sidewinder.
If you want to try a CBG-rich strain for yourself, we suggest our very own 17,2% CBG-dominant organically grow hemp flower from California, named Siesta Sidewinder.
Let us know if you have any more questions or comments about CBG (or any of the other cannabinoids discussed in this article). Or maybe you want to share your own experiences with CBG? Drop a line in the comment section below or at one of our social media channels.
Peace out & vape on!
Herb
List of referenced research:
Endocannabinoid system and mood disorders: priming a target for new therapies.
Vincenzo Micale 1, Vincenzo Di Marzo, Alexandra Sulcova, Carsten T Wotjak, Filippo Drago
PMID: 23261685
The endocannabinoid system as a target for novel anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs.
Gaetani S, Dipasquale P, Romano A, Righetti L, Cassano T, Piomelli D, Cuomo V.
Int Rev Neurobiol. 2009;85:57-72. doi: 10.1016/S0074-7742(09)85005-8.
PMID: 19607961
Endocannabinoid system dysfunction in mood and related disorders.
Ashton CH, Moore PB.
Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2011 Oct;124(4):250-61. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2011.01687.x. Epub 2011 Mar 9.
PMID: 21916860
FAAH genetic variation enhances fronto-amygdala function in mouse and human
Iva Dincheva, Andrew T. Drysdale, Catherine A. Hartley, David C. Johnson, Deqiang Jing, Elizabeth C. King, Stephen Ra, J. Megan Gray, Ruirong Yang, Ann Marie DeGruccio, Chienchun Huang, Benjamin F. Cravatt, Charles E. Glatt, Matthew N. Hill, B. J. Casey & Francis S. Lee
Beneficial effect of the non-psychotropic plant cannabinoid cannabigerol on experimental inflammatory bowel disease
Francesca Borrelli 1, Ines Fasolino, Barbara Romano, Raffaele Capasso, Francesco Maiello, Diana Coppola, Pierangelo Orlando, Giovanni Battista, Ester Pagano, Vincenzo Di Marzo, Angelo A Izzo
PMID: 23415610 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2013.01.017
Cannabigerol is a novel, well-tolerated appetite stimulant in pre-satiated rats
Daniel I Brierley 1 2, James Samuels 1, Marnie Duncan 3, Benjamin J Whalley 2, Claire M Williams 4
PMID: 27503475 PMCID: PMC5021742 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4397-4
A Cannabigerol Derivative Suppresses Immune Responses and Protects Mice from Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Francisco J. Carrillo-Salinas, 1 Carmen Navarrete, 2 Miriam Mecha, 1 Ana Feliú, 1 Juan A. Collado, 3 Irene Cantarero, 3 María L. Bellido, 2 Eduardo Muñoz, 3 , * and Carmen Guaza 1
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094733 / PMCID: PMC3984273 / PMID: 24727978
In Vitro Model of Neuroinflammation: Efficacy of Cannabigerol, a Non-Psychoactive Cannabinoid
Agnese Gugliandolo,1 Federica Pollastro,2 Gianpaolo Grassi,3 Placido Bramanti,1 and Emanuela Mazzon1,*
DOI: 10.3390/ijms19071992 / PMCID: PMC6073490 / PMID: 29986533
Could the Combination of Two Non-Psychotropic Cannabinoids Counteract Neuroinflammation? Effectiveness of Cannabidiol Associated with Cannabigerol
Santa Mammana 1, Eugenio Cavalli 1, Agnese Gugliandolo 1, Serena Silvestro 1, Federica Pollastro 2, Placido Bramanti 1, Emanuela Mazzon 1
PMID: 31752240 PMCID: PMC6915685 DOI: 10.3390/medicina55110747
The Pharmacological Case for Cannabigerol
Rahul Nachnani, Wesley M. Raup-Konsavage and Kent E. Vrana
Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics February 2021, 376 (2) 204-212;
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1124/jpet.120.000340
The anti-inflammatory effects of cannabidiol and cannabigerol alone, and in combination
Carmen Lorena Robaina Cabrera 1, Sandra Keir-Rudman 1, Nick Horniman 2, Nick Clarkson 2, Clive Page 3
PMID: 34082108 DOI: 10.1016/j.pupt.2021.102047
Antibacterial cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa: a structure-activity study
Giovanni Appendino 1, Simon Gibbons, Anna Giana, Alberto Pagani, Gianpaolo Grassi, Michael Stavri, Eileen Smith, M Mukhlesur Rahman
PMID: 18681481 DOI: 10.1021/np8002673
Uncovering the Hidden Antibiotic Potential of Cannabis
Maya A Farha 1 2, Omar M El-Halfawy 1 2 3, Robert T Gale 1 2, Craig R MacNair 1 2, Lindsey A Carfrae 1 2, Xiong Zhang 1 2, Nicholas G Jentsch 1 2, Jakob Magolan 1 2, Eric D Brown 1 2
PMID: 32017534 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00419
Anti-Bacterial Properties of Cannabigerol Toward Streptococcus mutans
Muna Aqawi1,2*, Ronit Vogt Sionov1, Ruth Gallily3, Michael Friedman2 and Doron Steinberg1
Biofilm Research Laboratory, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Institute of Dental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel 2School of Pharmacy, Institute for Drug Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
3The Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
Front. Microbiol., 22 April 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.656471
Colon carcinogenesis is inhibited by the TRPM8 antagonist cannabigerol, a Cannabis-derived non-psychotropic cannabinoid
Francesca Borrelli 1, Ester Pagano 1, Barbara Romano 1, Stefania Panzera 1, Francesco Maiello 2, Diana Coppola 2, Luciano De Petrocellis 3, Lorena Buono 3, Pierangelo Orlando 4, Angelo A Izzo 5
PMID: 25269802 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgu205
Cannabinoid Effects on Experimental Colorectal Cancer Models Reduce Aberrant Crypt Foci (ACF) and Tumor Volume: A Systematic Review
Eduardo Orrego-González ,1 Luisa Londoño-Tobón,1 José Ardila-González,1 Diego Polania-Tovar,1 Ana Valencia-Cárdenas,2 and Alberto Velez-Van Meerbeke 1
Article ID 2371527 | https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/2371527
Intraocular pressure, ocular toxicity and neurotoxicity after administration of cannabinol or cannabigerol
Brenda K. Colasanti, Charles R. Craig, R. David Allara
https://doi.org/10.1016/0014-4835(84)90013-7
