CBD is not psychoactive, but CBG (Cannabigerol) is gaining market share among non-psychoactive cannabinoids despite low THC levels. CBD has captured the spotlight for some time now, but there’s another “other” cannabinoid that you may not have heard of before: CBG. CBG is not only therapeutically beneficial but also acts as a chemical precursor to every other cannabinoid, including CBD and THC, in the plant.

What Are the Effects of CBG?

Although CBG-specific studies are still in their infancy, animal studies indicate that it may promote bone health, pain relief, and neuroprotection. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) announced plans to research lesser-known cannabinoids like CBG for pain relief in 2018.

CBG vs CBD: What Are the Benefits?

Cannabigerol is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that’s related to THC and CBD. CBG can also help relieve emotional and physical ailments that plague many patients, as CBD can.

In the cannabis plant, cannabigerol (CBG) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid. CBG is much less well-known than THC and CBD. Despite its low profile, CBG may hold potential as a therapeutic compound due to its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.

How Does CBG Work?

A variety of functions in the body are regulated by CBG, such as pain, appetite, hormones, inflammation, and blood pressure. CBG’s ability to promote healing is defined by this process.

Is there a high CBG strain (like CBD)?

Yes, CBG strains exist. However, they are harder to find and have low quantities of CBG compared to other cannabinoids by nature. Until recently the market had not really demanded it (other than for research). But now that CBG is becoming more popular, hemp cultivators are starting to understand how to breed higher CBD strains which will also be high in CBG. Subcool Seeds made Mickey Kush, a new cannabis strain with high levels of THC, so you may experience an uplifting high.

How Is CBG Measured?

CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids are also measured through potency tests for CBG hemp flowers, extracts, and edibles. In ACS Laboratory’s protocol, Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) machinery is used to measure the potency of CBD in flowers, edibles, and extracts. In order to test these products, HPLC is the ideal instrument because it is able to operate at room temperature without requiring heat. Potency information is skewed by heat, which breaks down cannabinoid precursors into different forms.

How should CBG be extracted?

It is extracted from marijuana using superfluid solvents like CO2 and ethanol through a chromatography procedure. It extracts cannabinoids and terpenes from hemp as it dissolves in the solution. Afterwards, heat is used to evaporate the solution under a vacuum, leaving behind a high purity CBG concentrate.

Why is CBG important? 

Cannabigerol, or CBG, is a plant cannabinoid that doesn’t have much of a psychoactive effect. CBG has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and other beneficial health effects, and could be useful for treating certain types of cancer. As well as potentially playing a role in the future of food supplements, CBG is vital to the production of several main cannabinoids. Cannabinoids first occur in hemp as acidic precursors; it is only when they are exposed to UV light or heat that they are converted into their active forms in a process called decarboxylation.

The acidic form of CBG is called Cannabigerolic acid (CBGa), and it is the first cannabinoid to be produced in young hemp/cannabis plants. As the plant develops, enzymes facilitate the breakdown of CBGa and it goes on to form new substances. These substances are known as cannabinoids and are sometimes referred to as “acid cannabinoids” because they are formed by reactions involving the acidulant. They include THCa, CBDa and CBCa; these compounds contain a carboxylic acid group (COOH) instead of a phenol group (OH).

CBG is a non-psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant. When decarboxylation occurs, these acids become THC, CBD, and CBC, which are the most abundant cannabinoids found in cannabis or hemp. Any remaining CBGa becomes CBG when decarboxylated.

CBG is more prevalent in low THC varieties of cannabis, like hemp. If cultivators have low THC varieties that they wish to use for medical or recreational purposes, they can harvest the buds early and extract the CBGa before it’s broken down. These extracts can then be used as an add-on ingredient to create other CBD products. Want to know more about CBG flowers, check here.