Lesser Known Cannabinoids

Most of the time when discussing the chemical components that give cannabis products their effects, one will be thinking of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). These two components, called cannabinoids, are the two main compounds that have been studied and shown to give cannabis products their psychoactive and physical effects. But did you know that there are more cannabinoids that may have different outcomes of their own? In the booming landscape of cannabis, we’re constantly finding out new things about the plant and how its different chemical compounds can benefit us. This new frontier has led to a great interest in
possible benefits of using lesser-known cannabinoids. If you want to learn more about this breakthrough, keep reading!

What are Cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids have been briefly discussed in this blog, but it’s important to gain a greater understanding of what exactly they are. Cannabinoids are chemical compounds found within cannabis plants that interact with receptors throughout the body. Somewhere between 80 and 120 cannabinoids have been found within the cannabis plant along with 300 other non-cannabinoid compounds. While there are many cannabinoids, as previously mentioned, THC and CBD are the most well-researched and commonly used compounds. Some other known cannabinoids you may be familiar with include THCA, CBDA, Delta 8 THC and CBG.

These lesser known cannabinoids have always been present, so why are we just discovering their potential uses now? One reason is that raw cannabis plants contain very small percentages of the compounds, but with new technology we’ve been able to breed and extract these cannabinoids in order to create products that are made up of a greater percentage of the chemical compounds. The new products often come with a new set of benefits, uses, etc.

Why does Using Different Cannabinoids Have Potential Benefits?

Given that THC and CBD have already been found to have numerous benefits, both medically and recreationally, you may be wondering why it’s useful to try products that contain greater amounts of these lesser-known cannabinoids. The answer lies in “The Entourage Effect”. The entourage effect refers to a phenomenon where different cannabinoids, terpenes and chemical compounds in cannabis interact with each other and make each other’s effect stronger, therefore unlocking greater potential benefits.

More widespread use of lesser-known cannabinoids can create products with stronger and greater entourage effects, making it even more important to research and discover these chemical compounds. While the community is constantly discovering new cannabinoids and testing their uses, there are already some that you may be interested in learning about.

THCA & CBDA

Two of the main lesser-known cannabinoids are THCA and CBDA. These chemicals are the acidic precursors to the more well-known THC and CBD. Given that they’re precursors, THCA and CBDA do not have the same effects as their counterparts. Mainly, they do not have the same intoxicating effects associated with THC. However, THCA and CBDA are currently being researched for their medicinal properties. THCA is being looked into for its potential in reducing nausea while CBDA is currently being researched due to its ability to interact with serotonin receptors. This interaction gives it similar qualities to SSRI (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) medication which is used to treat several mental health conditions including, but not limited to, depression.

CBC & CBG

Two other notable cannabinoids are Cannabichromene (CBC) and Cannabigerol (CBG). CBC is one of the more recently discovered and used cannabinoids, but it shows great potential for medicinal use. The uses of CBC are most like what we currently use CBD for, but its unique chemical structure allows for different effects than we already get with CBD. CBC is non-intoxicating and has most commonly been linked with uses for:

• Cancer benefits
• Neuroprotection
• Neuroregeneration
• Analgesic benefits

CBG, while similar to CBC and CBD, has its own uses. CBGD is also a non-intoxicating cannabinoid. According to Remedy Pain Solutions, a cutting edge medical facility in California, “research has indicated that CBG acts as an agonist of the CB1 and CB2 receptors without causing any intoxicating effects. CBG may also act as a GABA reuptake inhibitor. This means that CBG may have a relationship with both neuropathic pain and inflammatory pain.” CBG is most commonly used for:

• Digestive benefits
• Antibacterial benefits
• Pain & inflammation reduction

CBC and CBG also interact strongly with each other and are commonly used in the same products. One of these products is Wyld CBG + CBC Gummies. These gummies are one example of many products that combine these specific cannabinoids for a powerful entourage effect that unlocks many potential benefits.

Resources

While this blog goes over a selection of some of the most popular lesser-known cannabinoids, there is, of course, more to learn. If you have any interest in diving deeper on our sources for this blog, or learning more about cannabinoids and products that use them, please check out our list of resources.

Novel Tree Medical: https://www.noveltreemedical.com/new-blog/2020/3/23/lesser-known-cannabinoids

FloraTerra: https://floraterraca.com/what-are-minor-cannabinoids-cbg-cbn-and-cbc/

Pain Remedy Solutions: https://www.remedypainsolutions.com/blog/cbd-cbg-cbn-cbc/