CBG and CBD: what is the difference

Cannabinoids

More and more people are aware of the information about cannabinoids that we know more and more about; THC and CBD. However, there are many other plant cannabinoids that most people haven't even heard of.

One of them is CBG or cannabigerol. It is usually found in a concentration of about 1% or less in most cannabis strains. Interest in CBG among health-conscious consumers and the medical community is starting to grow.

In this article, we will take a closer look at CBG. We will analyze the role it plays in the production of other cannabinoids (such as CBD and THC), its effects on our body and its differences compared to some of the other compounds found in cannabis/seeds.

CBG or cannabigerol is a phytocannabinoid. Unlike endocannabinoids, which are produced by our endocannabinoid system (ECS), phytocannabinoids come from plants such as cannabis or industrial hemp. CBG, unlike THC, like CBD, has no psychoactive effect.

CBG is actually one of the first cannabinoids to form in cannabis as it grows and matures.

CBG is sometimes referred to as the "stem cell" of all cannabis. It is found in higher concentrations during the development of cannabis plants, usually in an acidic form known as CBGA.

Enzymes break down CBGA into THCA, CBDA or CBCA.

After harvesting, the plants are usually dried and heated. The heat or UV light used in these processes breaks down these acidic cannabinoids into their non-acidic counterparts such as THC, CBD, and CBC.

The drying and curing process also produces many other cannabinoids (at least 100), all of which are originally derived from CBGA.

Most cannabis strains in today's market are bred to receive high concentrations of THC and/or CBD. Therefore, these strains usually contain only small amounts of CBG.

However, some growers are experimenting with crossbreeding, genetic manipulation, and even unique harvest patterns to produce strains that contain higher levels of this cannabinoid.

For example, Bedrocan BV Medical Cannabis in the Netherlands began harvesting some plants earlier to create a final product with higher levels of CBG.

As we mentioned earlier, CBG is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid. Therefore, it does not interact with the endocannabinoid system in a way that interrupts mental abilities and induces a high. However, like any other cannabinoid, CBG interacts with the endocannabinoid system in many ways.

CBG has been shown to increase appetite in two studies on rats conducted by researchers at the University of Reading (UK) in 2016 and 2017.

Some studies also suggest that CBG may inhibit the growth of some tumors, while others show that it may have neuroprotective effects.

2014 study Published in the medical journal PLoS One, it also claims that some CBG-derived products can suppress the body's immune response.

Dr. Bonni Goldstein, a medical doctor specializing in marijuana, says CBG can inhibit GABA neurotransmission in the brain, as well as affect pain perception, inflammation, and much, much more.

In 2013 Researchers from the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Naples Federico II (Italy) investigated the effect of CBG on an experimental model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Researchers have found that CBG has potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Unfortunately, because CBG has been overshadowed by cannabinoids such as THC and CBD, little research has been devoted to understanding this cannabinoid and its effects on our bodies. However, this is slowly changing as people begin to realize the potential and importance of this relationship.

CBD and CBG

These are two completely different cannabinoids found in cannabis. Both have different chemical structures and come in different concentrations.

Unlike CBD, CBG hasn't received much attention, most likely because it's only found in trace amounts. Nevertheless, CBG remains one of the most important cannabinoids, providing a foundation for other compounds formed later throughout the plant.

All Cibdol and Endoca products are made using the full spectrum of compounds found in non-psychoactive hemp plants. This means that our oils, creams and supplements contain a balanced mix of non-psychoactive cannabinoids, terpenes and more; this includes CBG.