Scientific research has resulted in exciting discoveries of cannabinoids. While CBD has become widely popular in the past years, there is another cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant that is making waves.
CBG (cannabigerol) is a lesser-known cannabinoid with unique health and wellness properties and potential. Some refer to it as the ‘mother of all cannabinoids.’
CBG can be found in smaller levels in most cannabis strains — and is considered a minor cannabinoid.
CBG vs. CBD
CBG (cannabigerol) is often compared to CBD because it shares many similarities and they both interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). However, CBG binds directly to both CB1 and CB2 receptors and has the potential to be more efficient at delivering health and wellness benefits into our system.
The non-psychoactive cannabinoid will not alter your state of mind in the way Delta 9 THC does. Detailing the major difference between CBD and CBG is the quantity found in cannabis plants. Most cannabis plants contain only 1 percent of CBG, and over 25 percent of CBD.
CBG interacts directly with receptors in the brain, while CBD interacts indirectly with the endocannabinoid system.
How is CBG Produced?
CBG is made through hemp’s natural growth process. During the extraction process, hemp is dissolved in the solution, which draws the cannabinoids and terpenes out of the plant.
The solution is then evaporated with heat under a vacuum to remove all the gas and leave a high purity CBG concentrate behind. Once extracted, CBG products are stored at room temperature away from direct sunlight to preserve potency.
CGBA has typically been converted into THC or CBD, but now more and more cultivators are harvesting more CBG through selective breeding. CBG can be extracted by targeting high-CBG yield extraction times, around two months into a breeding cycle.
CBG Benefits
Research is relatively sparse regarding the therapeutic benefits of CBG. But there are remarkable early studies linking the compound to a multitude of potential therapeutic uses, such as:
- Treating glaucoma, though its vasodilator and neuroprotective effects
- Decreasing inflammation, as seen in animal models of inflammatory bowel disease
- Fight Against Huntingdon’s disease, again through its neuroprotective effects
- Preventing tumor growth, in animal models of colorectal cancer
- Destroying drug-resistant bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)