CBG? That's not a typo! The cannabis plant makes over 120 (that we are aware of) phytocannabinoids. If you recall from our "What is the Endocannabinoid System" video we discussed the fact that our bodies make endocannabinoids (molecules close in structure to the phytocannabinoids made by the cannabis plant)
What is CBG?
CBG is often referred to as "The Mother" because it is the precursor to all phytocannabinoids made by the hemp plant. As the plant goes through its flowering cycle, CBGA (the acidic form of CBG) transforms into different cannabinoids like CBD and THC. Basically without CBG there would not be CBD oil.
What's the difference between CBD and CBG?
As we discussed in our How Does CBD Work blog our endocannabinoid system has receptors located throughout the body, CB1 and CB2. CBD interacts with the receptors but cannot attach to them. However, CBG is able to bind directly to the receptors which provides a more direct way of activating these receptors (fun fact, THC also has the ability to bind to receptors). Although CBG can bind to the receptors, it is not psycho-active (will not make you feel intoxicated) like THC. As a matter of fact, hemp plants that produce high amounts of CBG produce VERY low amounts of THC.
What are the benefits of CBG?
Research Based Evidence
Like CBD, CBG has excellent anti-inflammatory benefits. CBD and CBG have been shown to reduce inflammation in the body. According to an article published in A National Center for Biotechnology CBG may have greater potential as a pain reliever than THC.
According to the article, THC has twenty times the anti-inflammatory strength of aspirin and twice the strength of hydrocortisone. However, the psychoactive effects of THC can be challenging for some patients to deal with.
The article states that non-psychoactive CBG "exhibits GABA uptake inhibition to a greater extent than THC or CBD, suggesting possible utilization as a muscle relaxant in spasticity."
A study done on mice in 2013 found CBG reduced inflammation related to inflammatory bowel disease. 1
Both CBD and CBG offer neuroprotective benefits, however scientists have found CBG offers unique neuroprotective effects. In a recent study (May of 2020) "CBG was found to be more potent than CBD in blunting neurotransmitter depletion" 2
A 2018 study conducted on mice, found a CBG derivative to be neuroprotective against inflammation-driven neuronal damage in Parkinson's disease. 3
A 2015 study on the neuroprotective properties of CBG in Huntington's disease in mice found "CBG was extremely active as a neuroprotectant. It improved motor deficits, preserved striatal neurons and improved antioxidant defenses." 4
A 2014 study showed that a CBG derivative "has been shown to alleviate symptoms in a viral model of multiple sclerosis" 5
Antibacterial properties
In 2020 a study found CBG was effective against the "superbug" MRSA! The findings on CBG and MRSA were published in the journal: American Chemical Society Infectious Diseases.
Cancer
A 2014 study showed CBG was shown to inhibit the growth of colorectal cancer cells in mice. 6
Glaucoma
There is a large number of endocannabinoid receptors in the eye, leading scientists to believe cannabinoids could be especially effective against glaucoma.
How to take CBG
CBG exists in small quantities in our Dreaming Field Farm Full Spectrum (full spectrum means all the phytocannabinoids) CBD oil. However, to offer the benefits of CBG we grew a strain of hemp specifically bred to produce large quantities of CBG. It is still a full spectrum variety but produces a larger percentage of CBG.
Dreaming Field Farm now offers our certified organic "True" CBD and CGB oils. You can take our CBG oil just as you would take CBD oil. Each bottle contains a dropper. The dropper holds approximately 1ml of oil. We recommend starting with 1ml per day for a week. After the first week, increase or decrease to achieve the desired affect. Each time you increase or decrease stay at that amount for a few days before adjusting again to give your body time to adjust to the new level. Take daily.
We also offer certified organic CBG trimmed flower. Flower can be used several ways: baking, making your own oil, or smoking.
Or try the best of both worlds with our CBD CBG combo! Dreaming Field Farm is proud to offer this oil which includes 1000mg of CBD AND 1000mg of CBG. Thats 2000mg total!
Click on the pictures or underlined words to go directly to that product page. Or visit www.dreamingfieldfarm.com to see ALL we have to offer!
Citing
1 Borrelli F, Fasolino I, Romano B, Capasso R, Maiello F, Coppola D, Orlando P, Battista G, Pagano E, Di Marzo V, Izzo AA. Beneficial effect of the non-psychotropic plant cannabinoid cannabigerol on experimental inflammatory bowel disease. Biochem Pharmacol. 2013 May 1;85(9):1306-16. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2013.01.017. Epub 2013 Feb 12. PMID: 23415610.
2 Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Effects Induced by Cannabidiol and Cannabigerol in Rat CTX-TNA2 Astrocytes and Isolated Cortexes
Viviana di Giacomo, Annalisa Chiavaroli, [...], and Claudio Ferrante
3 A systematic review of minor phytocannabinoids with promising neuroprotective potential
Nicole L. Stone, Alexandra J. Murphy, [...], and Saoirse E. O'Sullivan
4 Neuroprotective properties of cannabigerol in Huntington's disease: studies in R6/2 mice and 3-nitropropionate-lesioned mice
Sara Valdeolivas et al. Neurotherapeutics. 2015 Jan.
5 Carrillo-Salinas FJ, Navarrete C, Mecha M, Feliú A, Collado JA, Cantarero I, Bellido ML, Muñoz E, Guaza C. A cannabigerol derivative suppresses immune responses and protects mice from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. PLoS One. 2014 Apr 11;9(4):e94733. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094733. PMID: 24727978; PMCID: PMC3984273.
6 Borrelli F, Pagano E, Romano B, Panzera S, Maiello F, Coppola D, De Petrocellis L, Buono L, Orlando P, Izzo AA. Colon carcinogenesis is inhibited by the TRPM8 antagonist cannabigerol, a Cannabis-derived non-psychotropic cannabinoid. Carcinogenesis. 2014 Dec;35(12):2787-97. doi: 10.1093/carcin/bgu205. Epub 2014 Sep 30. PMID: 25269802.