Cannabis and its active ingredients are becoming more and more important. The various ingredients of the cannabis plant are becoming more and more interesting, especially for medicine. One of these groups of active ingredients is the phytocannabinoids, which presumably could have many different health effects.
PHYTOCANNABINOIDS
There are three different groups of active ingredients in cannabis. In addition to phytocannabinoids, there are also flavonoids and terpenes. However, phytocannabinoids are particularly interesting for medicine because they are similar to substances found in the human body.
These substances produced by the human organism itself are called endocannabinoids. Phytocannabinoids are basically the vegetable versions of these molecules and therefore also have an effect on the human endocannabinoid system. In addition, there is also a third type of cannabinoids, which are synthetically produced.
In total, the hemp plant contains over 100 different cannabinoids, of which not all have been researched. The most widely studied so far are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). In addition, cannabigerol (CBG), cannabinol (CBN) and cannabichromene (CBC) have already been researched. Here you can find out about the current state of research on various diseases before you decide to buy CBD oil.
TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL, CANNABIDIOL AND CANNABIGEROL
The first two are probably the most well-known active ingredients in cannabis. Tetrahydrocannabinol is best known for its psychoactive effects. The typical intoxication when consuming cannabis is caused by this phytocannabinoid, which is also the reason for the ban in many countries. It binds to various receptors in the brain.
These are, for example, the areas for thinking, memory, pleasure, time perception or coordination. However, THC is also said to have some medicinally valuable properties. Among other things, it is said to have a pain-relieving, calming and fever-reducing effect.
CBD is now increasingly valued for its potential therapeutic effects. The active ingredient is hardly psychoactive and therefore does not trigger any intoxication. For this reason, it is now legally available in many countries in the form of oil or creams. Many different effects on the human body are ascribed to the active ingredient, for example it is said to have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anxiolytic effects.
CBD could have beneficial effects on many mild illnesses as well as some serious illnesses. In addition, the substance is said to be able to counteract the intoxicating effects of tetrahydrocannibinol.
CBG is now known in particular as the precursor to many different phytocannabinoids. Certain enzymes in the plant convert it to various other cannabinoids as the plant grows. For this reason, the active ingredient is only present to a small extent in the finished plant.
Since it has not yet been researched as extensively as the other two active ingredients, not so much is known about its possible mode of action. However, some studies suggest that CBG might be as effective as CBD. Just like this, it is said to have an inhibiting effect on tetrahydrocannabinol and thereby counteract the intoxicating effect. Check out this recent study on cannabigerol.
SENSIBLE USE OF PHYTOCANNABINOIDS
Since tetrahydrocannabinol has an intoxicating effect, everyone has to decide for themselves whether they want to use it. In addition, some people may not tolerate this active ingredient. In particular, people with a predisposition to psychosis or anxiety are not advised to use it.
Cannabis also contains other cannabinoids that can have an intoxicating effect. With these, however, the effect is much smaller. It makes sense to take cannabidiol for a possible health benefit through a full-spectrum CBD product. This not only contains a single active ingredient such as cannabidiol, but also other active ingredients from the hemp plant.
On the one hand, these should have additional health-promoting effects; on the other hand, cannabinoids benefit from the so-called entourage effect, whereby the effect of the sum of all cannabinoids is greater than the respective possible effect of the cannabinoids in isolation.
Products that contain many cannabinoids are now available in many different forms, for example as oil, capsules or tea. However, there are a few things to consider when buying CBD oil.
ENTOURAGE EFFECT
The entourage effect describes the interaction of the various active ingredients in cannabis. These should not only have various possible health-promoting effects themselves, but also reinforce the effects of the other active ingredients.
This applies to cannabinoids as well as terpenes and flavonoids. For this reason, a full-spectrum product is preferable to a product with only one active ingredient. This phenomenon is usually known as the synergy effect, but is referred to as the entourage effect in relation to cannabis.
One reason for this effect lies in the way the endocannabinoid system of the human body works. Here, different cannabinoids bind to different parts of this system and can only develop their full potential range of action when they work together.
BIO CBD OIL DROPS
The interaction of tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol can be seen as an example of this. Consuming tetrahydrocannabinol alone would allegedly have health benefits, but also induce intoxication.
Cannabidiol, however, is said to have an intoxicating effect and is supposed to counteract tetrahydrocannabinol. This takes advantage of the positive effects of both active ingredients, but with a greatly reduced intoxication. Therefore, when buying CBD oil, you should always make sure that the product contains as complete an extract of the plant as possible.