Cannabinoid Culture: Cannabigerol (CBG)

By now, the word “cannabinoid”, especially variations of cannabinoids such as “Cannabidiol” (also known as CBD) and “Tetrahydrocannabinol” (THC) are terms that many are familiar with.  If you’ve experimented with THC or CBD, you may also be curious to learn more about the benefits of cannabinoids. Simply put, cannabinoids are any of the various organic substances which are found in cannabis.  

The cannabis plant produces cannabinoids naturally, and these chemicals react with receptors in the body through the endocannabinoid system.  This system is what allows us to receive the effects (and benefits) of the use of cannabinoids. One of the more obscure cannabinoids, cannabigerol (CBG), is gaining some attention for its medicinal benefits.  CBG isn’t present in extensive amounts in a lot of cannabis strains, however it is a cannabinoid that deserves a closer look. CBG has shown to have a profound effect on certain physiological issues, including decreasing inflammation in test studies, including the treatment of inflammatory symptoms of bowel disease and some forms of cancer.  The endocannabinoid receptors are common within the framework of the eye, and CBG is believed to be especially successful in the treatment of glaucoma since it diminishes intraocular strain. It is a ground-breaking aid in widening blood vessels, which benefits many health conditions where proper blood flow is a concern. CBG is also known to have positive neuroprotective impact.

Animals that suffered with the inflammation of bowel disease were treated with CBG and observed to have decreased inflammation.   In another study, mice with Huntington’s disease (which causes the brain to have nerve cell degeneration) who were treated with CBG showed neuron protective results.  In addition to having a positive effect on inflammatory and neurological conditions, CBG is being looked at as a promising treatment for cancer. Receptors that can cause cancer cells to multiply were stunted from growing as a result of CBG usage.  More thorough testing showed colorectal cancer cells inhibited, which decreased the rate at which colon cancer grows. Tumors and synthetically induced carcinogenesis of the colon was inhibited after the use of CBG as treatment. This is fantastic news for cancer patients and patients afflicted by inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases!

Further studies have shown that CBG is beneficial as a bacterial agent.  Certain strains of the potentially deadly MRSA virus have shown to be resistant to multiple types of drugs.  However, over the past several decades, cannabis in topical form has been effective as a treatment for MRSA infections of the skin.  In the past, the chemical makeup of the cannabis plant was evasive to medical experts. We now know that cannabigerol is the cannabinoid that is responsible for these incredible results.

A 2017 investigation demonstrated that a purified type of CBG worked extremely well as an appetite stimulant.  For patients who suffer with loss of appetite, nausea, unwanted weight loss and muscle atrophy as side effects of cancer and other diseases, CBG is a natural option.  Similarly, CBG proves to be effective in keeping muscle contractions at bay which can be beneficial for people who suffer with dysfunctional bladders. Researchers are elated with the possibilities that CBG presents in the form of a natural, organic treatment for patients who deal with a myriad of illnesses, stresses and disorders.  Due to its non-psychotropic profile, cannabigerol offers a multitude of options as treatment for conditions previously listed, as well as an analgesic and an antidepressant.

Breeders are paying closer attention to cannabigerol in the strains that they are producing due to all of its benefits.