Endocannabinoids, Cannabimimetics, and Phytocannabinoids
Did you know that there are three categories of cannabinoids? Cannabinoids, by definition, are chemicals that work with our endocannabinoid system (ECS). They are ligands (biochemical messengers) that activate the receptors of the ECS in animal bodies. The first type of cannabinoids are the endocannabinoids themselves. These are cannabinoid molecules that our own bodies make to keep us healthy and balanced. The second category consists of cannabimimetics (mimetic means imitated or mimicked). These are the result of the pharmaceutical industry synthesizing a copycat molecule for legal prescription use. There are several of these cannabimimetics on the market (pharmaceuticals Nabilone and Rimonabant are two examples), which are considered effective, but have shown fewer therapeutic effects than herbal cannabis. The final category is phytocannabinoids, or the cannabinoid molecules that come directly from the cannabis plant itself, and the namesake of the whole system.
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Phytocannabinoids
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Phytocannabinoids are “any plant-derived natural product capable of either directly interacting with cannabinoid receptors or sharing chemical similarity with cannabinoids, or both.” These are the molecules most people think of (like CBD and THC) when they hear the word cannabinoid. Phytocannabinoids were first discovered in Israel in the 1960s, and in the late 80s they led to the discovery of the endocannabinoid system, now thought to be the largest receptor system in the body, and perhaps the most important regulator of health and homeostasis in humans and other vertebrates.
Evolved for Defense
Keep in mind that the cannabis plant itself does not have cannabinoid receptors. Phytocannabinoids are made by many types of plants, including hops, echinacea, and chocolate, but are ubiquitous in the Cannabaceae family. Without those receptors, however, these plants don’t utilize the cannabinoids as a signaling system, like our bodies do. Instead, plants produce phytocannabinoids and terpenes, the highest concentrations of which are secreted from the flowers in sticky, resinous trichomes. It is thought that these phytocannabinoids may have evolved to help protect the plants from UV radiation and desiccating air. Many cannabinoids are insecticidal, and the sticky trichomes contribute an added layer of protection. It may go against common sense, but cannabinoids have herbicidal properties as well. They are responsible for pruning the maturing plant, so that it can put more energy into reproduction.
The cannabinoid count sits somewhere between 85 and 110, each a unique molecule with its own chemical structure, and those numbers are sure to increase with more research. These cannabinoids work with each other and our bodies in a complex web that employs the human endocannabinoid system to provide relief from pain, nausea, anxiety, inflammation, and a growing list of other ailments. Here are some things we know about the most common cannabinoids found in cannabis.
THCA – Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid
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Along with CBDA (The A stands for acid in both), THCA is one of the most prevalent cannabinoids present, at least until the molecules are decarboxylated (the process where molecules lose their carboxylic acid) through heat, light, or time. Once they’ve lost their carboxylic acid group, CBDA and THCA become CBD and THC, respectively. Unlike THC, THCA is non-psychoactive. It shows promise in reducing nausea, seizures, muscle spasms, and fighting tumor cells, and has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.
THC – Tetrahydrocannabinol
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Delta-9 THC
Once THCA has been decarboxylated, the remaining molecule is delta-9 THC. There are several analogs of this cannabinoid, but naturally they occur in extremely low concentrations. Delta-9 THC is the main psychoactive component in cannabis, and it acts mainly on the CB1 receptor. THC has also been shown to reduce pain perception, nausea, and vomiting, aid sleep, and help suppress muscle spasms. Research suggests it may also be neuroprotective and inhibit cancer cell growth.
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Delta-8 THC
Other analogs of THC have very similar structures to Delta-9, and they bind to the same endocannabinoid receptors in the nervous system. Because they are so rare in nature, they must be derived through extensive processing of the cannabis flower or synthesized in a lab. Delta-8 THC, which is currently enjoying a surge in popularity due to lack of regulation and ability to be synthesized from CBD, most likely works via the same mechanisms as delta-9 THC, just not as effectively. The recently isolated THCP, meanwhile, is also synthesized in a lab and works on the CB1 receptor, but is much more powerful. THC analogs are considered to have antiemetic (meaning reducing nausea and vomiting), appetite-stimulating, neuroprotective, and particularly analgesic (pain relief) properties. You can read our latest article on this controversial cannabinoid here.
CBDA – Cannabidiolic Acid
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The acidic precursor to CBD, CBDA is found in the raw plant, before it has been exposed to heat, sunlight, or time. CBDA has been demonstrated to reduce nausea and inflammation, and there is evidence it may inhibit some cancer tumor growth.
CBD – Cannabidiol
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Once CBDA has been decarboxylated, the molecules are transformed into CBD. Along with THC, CBD is the most well-known of the cannabinoids, and it works with our endocannabinoid system by interacting with CB2 (the same receptors that respond to the endocannabinoid, anandamide), along with serotonin, vanilloid, PPARS, and GPR55 receptors. Research on CBD has shown it promotes bone growth, reduces blood sugar levels, reduces nausea, vomiting, anxiety, seizures, and convulsions, is anti-inflammatory, anti-tumoral, and analgesic, and there is promising research on more fronts every day.
CBN – Cannabinol
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As THC is broken down, which happens when already harvested cannabis ages, it is converted in CBN. It has a high affinity for CB2 receptors over CB1, implying that it effects the immune system more than the brain. CBN is known to help with insomnia, pain relief, promotion of bone growth, muscle spasms, and to be an appetite stimulant.
CBGA – Cannabigerolic Acid
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CBGA is found mostly in young plants, as it develops into THCA and CBDA as the plants mature. There is often very little left once the plants are harvested, and when it is exposed to light and air, the remaining CBGA converts to CBG. CBGA is considered to reduce inflammation and pain, and it has been shown to slow bacterial growth.
CBG – Cannabigerol
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Once a plant is harvested, any CBGA that has not already developed into THCA or CBDA becomes CBG. CBG is not psychoactive, and has been shown to slow bacterial growth, promote bone growth, and has been used as a sleep aid, mood stabilizer, muscle relaxant, and blood pressure reducer. It has also been found to be antibiotic, antimicrobial, and anti-fungal.
CBCA – Cannabichromenic Acid
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Often used to treat fungal infections and reduce inflammation, CBCA is the precursor to CBC, and is found mostly in immature cannabis plants.
THCV – Tetrahydrocannabivarin
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THCV is a psychoactive cannabinoid, and has been shown to suppress appetite, reduce panic attacks, seizures, and convulsions, regulate blood sugar levels, stimulate bone growth, and help with Alzheimer’s. THCV is only about a fifth as psychoactive as THC, and can even mitigate some problems associated with it.
CBC – Cannabichromene
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CBC is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid with clear evidence of health benefits. It has a long list of promising possible uses, including inhibiting tumor growth, pain relief, reducing inflammation, and promoting bone growth. It also has anti-epileptic, anti-bacterial, antifungal, and sedative properties. A 2010 study showed CBC to be most effective at anti-inflammation when taken alongside THC, another compelling argument for the Entourage Effect.
The Entourage Effect
The components of the cannabis plant, namely the cannabinoids and the terpenes, interact with our bodies in synergistic ways, magnifying or diminishing each other’s effects in increasingly intricate reactions. This web of interactions is called the Entourage Effect, and our knowledge of it has only scratched the surface. The terpene myrcene can reduce the blood-brain barrier, enabling cannabinoids to pass through more easily; terpenes linalool and limonene combine with CBD to combat acne; THC in concert with CBN has a sedating effect – the list of combinations is endless. Research has repeatedly found evidence of this synergy, though the underlying mechanisms are still far from clear.
The term “whole plant medicine” means to utilize the full spectrum of therapeutic compounds in cannabis, including all the cannabinoids and terpenes. Full-spectrum oils and distillates are a good source of whole plant medicine, as opposed to a cannabinoid isolate or synthetic pharmaceutical, both of which are better options if you are looking for an isolated cannabinoid type.
The Future
Research in cannabinoids has proven promising, and in 2019 the federal government awarded $1.5 million dollars in grants to researchers studying how components of cannabis other than THC affect pain. The grant’s aims are targeted specifically at cannabinoids and terpenes, with an emphasis on the entourage effect, and their stated goals are “to investigate the potential analgesic properties and adverse effects of minor cannabinoids, alone or in combination with each other or terpenes,” and “to characterize if/how specific terpenes may influence potential analgesic properties of cannabinoids; alone or in combination with each other or terpenes.”
It’s an exciting time for cannabis research, and our understanding of cannabinoids and their interactions is sure to only improve as more resources become available.
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REFERENCES
https://www.cb1cap.com/blog/2019/2/19/the-major-role-of-minor-cannabinoids
https://www.fundacion-canna.es/en/biological-effects-lesser-known-phytocannabinoids
https://www.green-flower.com/articles/128/beginners-guide-to-cannabinoids
https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/list-major-cannabinoids-cannabis-effects
Andre, C. M., Hausman, J. F., & Guerriero, G. (2016). Cannabis sativa: the plant of the thousand and one molecules. Frontiers in plant science, 7, 19.
Di Marzo, V. (2016). Phytocannabinoids: a growing family of plant natural products with increasing pharmacological and clinical importance. Planta Medica, 82(S 01), PL2a.
Fisar, Z. (2009). Phytocannabinoids and endocannabinoids. Current drug abuse reviews, 2(1), 51-75.
Gertsch, J., Pertwee, R. G., & Di Marzo, V. (2010). Phytocannabinoids beyond the Cannabis plant–do they exist?. British journal of pharmacology, 160(3), 523-529.
Hanuš, L. O., Meyer, S. M., Muñoz, E., Taglialatela-Scafati, O., & Appendino, G. (2016). Phytocannabinoids: a unified critical inventory. Natural product reports, 33(12), 1357-1392.
Morales, P., Hurst, D. P., & Reggio, P. H. (2017). Molecular targets of the phytocannabinoids: a complex picture. In Phytocannabinoids (pp. 103-131). Springer, Cham.
O’brien, L. D., Wills, K. L., Segsworth, B., Dashney, B., Rock, E. M., Limebeer, C. L., & Parker, L. A. (2013). Effect of chronic exposure to rimonabant and phytocannabinoids on anxiety-like behavior and saccharin palatability. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 103(3), 597-602.
Russo, E. B. (2011). Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid‐terpenoid entourage effects. British journal of pharmacology, 163(7), 1344-1364.
CBGA – There May be a typographical error. The last sentence. The word in question is ‘shows bacterial growth.’
I think it is supposed to be slows.
The next section sais slows.
At least online editions may be edited! Better than print for that!
Have a great day…
Girl from Ks.
Thanks for catching that! Yeah, much easier online!
Greetings! Very helpful advice on this article! It is the little changes that make the biggest changes. Thanks a lot for sharing!
this post gives a proper overview about cannabinoids. thanks for sharing this with all
Thanks for reading!