Cannabigerol, or CBG, is a cannabinoid found in cannabis sativa plants and extracts. CBG was originally discovered by scientists while working with hashish in 1965, which lead researchers to believe it was a constituent of hash until 1975, when researchers found that the acid form of CBG (CBGA) occurs naturally as the first cannabinoid to form in a new cannabis plant. CBGA is then turned into other cannabinoids such as THCA, CBDA, or CBCA through degradation and reconstruction with enzymes.
Since CBG is essentially the building blocks for other cannabinoids, many scientists consider it a “stem cell” like cannabinoid. It’s the essential precursor for all of the cannabinoids that create the healing and psychoactive effects of cannabis.
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Scientists have discovered many uses for CBG, all medicinally beneficial. In January this year, researchers in Spain discovered that CBG has neuro protective effects in mice with Huntington’s disease. Huntington’s disease is characterized by nerve degeneration in the brain, and CBG was shown to protect the nerves and slow down damage. CBG also showed promise as a potential treatment for colon cancer, as it was shown in a study that CBG slows down the progression of colon cancer in mice. CBG has also been shown to have potential as an antidepressant, for the treatment of psoriasis, and as an analgesic.
Since CBG has so many possible medical applications, why hasn’t anyone harnessed the power of CBG yet? Simply put, it’s not an abundant cannabinoid. It exists in levels around 1% or less in most plants, and is not easy to extract and isolate without a serious lab, however, some strains do show potential to be bred with high CBG output. Narrow leafed strains from the geographic area of India are supposedly higher in CBG, but it’s not a confirmed discovery. Scientists also have found that around the 6 week mark of flowering, CBG (not CBGa) can be found in higher levels than any other week of flowering. CBG’s future is bright, but before harnessing the raw power of cannabinoid stem cells, there must be more research done on how to properly harness its power. You can always learn more about CBG and other products with SWC Arizona located in Tempe, AZ.
(Photo credit: leafly.com)
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