What is CBG and where is it used?
Cannabigerol, or CBG for short, is one of the lesser-known cannabinoids in marijuana. Much like its fellow cannabinoids, THCA, CBDA, and THCV, this compound has little to offer when it comes to psychoactive effects; all of these substances are extremely low in their ability to produce a high.
But that’s not to say that CBG isn’t medically useful. While it may not get you stoned like other popular cannabinoids such as CBD or THC, preliminary research suggests that the substance could help reduce inflammation, act as an antioxidant, provide antibacterial properties, and more.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about CBG, including its potential benefits and effects.
History of CBG
To Understanding the medical value of a substance, it helps to know a bit about its history. In this case, understanding how CBG came into being helps learn more about the nonpsychoactive cannabinoid.
As it turns out, most cannabinoids start as cannabigerol acid (CBGA). This compound is both non-intoxicating and highly unstable; when exposed to water or heat for an extended period, CBGA will degrade into either THCA ( tetrahydrocannabinolic acid ) or CBDA (cannabidiolic acid ). It’s only after this degradation process takes place that these cannabinoids can make a full transition to their non-acid forms, which include THC and CBD.
But there’s another cannabinoid present in the cannabis plant as well, albeit in much smaller quantities. This cannabinoid is known as cannabigerovarin acid (CBGVA), and unlike its cousins CBGA, THCA, CBDA, and THCVA, CBGVA doesn’t degrade into anything. In other words, it’s completely stable from the time it’s formed until you smoke or vape your weed. This is why some scientists have begun looking at CBGVA for medical applications – because so little of it exists in a given sample of marijuana without first being converted into something else, it may be more medically promising than compounds that already exist in higher concentrations.
What are the effects of CBG?
As mentioned above, CBG doesn’t produce any sort of psychoactive high. This is why many people who use marijuana medicinally opt for strains containing higher levels of THC – they want to get high. But THC isn’t always the best option for medical patients; some would argue that its mood-altering properties can be a detriment to treatment. And there’s no need to worry about this with CBG; it doesn’t appear to have any effect on your emotional state or thoughts process. The compound simply provides you with analgesic, antispasmodic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory without altering your mental status.
Of course, CBG won’t help if you’re suffering from constipation, anxiety, or muscle spasms either. While it can offer pain relief, antispasmodic properties, and other therapeutic uses without getting you high, the medical potential of this cannabinoid is severely limited by its very low concentrations in most strains of cannabis.
According to one study, CBG is thought to be an “extremely safe drug” with “potent anti-inflammatory activity.” https://www.neurogan.com/blog/cbg-benefits/
It doesn’t affect memory or learning, and many of the side effects associated with CBG are beneficial – including antibacterial activity!