Cannabigerol (CBG) is a cannabinoid obtained from hemp and cannabis plants. This cannabinoid is known as the ‘mother of all cannabinoids’ because all cannabinoids are derived from the acidic form of CBG, cannabigerolic acid, or CBGA.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are both common cannabinoids obtained from cannabis plants that are derived from their precursor cannabinoid, CBGA.
Compared to most other cannabinoids, CBG is found in much smaller amounts in both cannabis and hemp plants. In most strains only about 1% of CBG exists compared to 20-25% of CBD and 25-30% of THC.
These low levels have made CBG products quite rare and expensive in the past, however as CBG grows in popularity this is set to change. More consumers are becoming interested in CBG and CBGA for the host of potential benefits the cannabinoids have to offer.
How is CBG Made?
CBG has generally been extracted from younger cannabis and hemp plants as they contain higher amounts of CBG than mature fully developed plants.
In recent years breeders have successfully bred strains specifically for their high CBG content. White CBG, Super Glue CBG, and Jack Frost CBG are just a few of these high CBG cultivars.
Both THC and CBD begin as CBGA, the acidic form of CBG. As cannabis plants mature, CBGA is converted into the many unique cannabinoids that exist in fully matured cannabis plants. This is why younger plants contain such high concentrations of CBG.
As demand and popularity grow, cannabis and hemp growers experimenting with cross-breeding and genetic manipulation are likely to produce plants that produce even higher levels of CBG.
How CBG Works
Like THC and CBD, CBG is processed by the bodies endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system consists of receptors throughout our bodies that are responsible for maintaining an optimal internal state regardless of external environmental conditions.
When binding to the endocannabinoid receptors, CBG imitates the natural endocannabinoid compounds produced by the body.
The Bodies Endocannabinoid Receptors
Within the body there are two types of endocannabinoid receptors—CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors exist in the nervous system and brain, while CB2 receptors are found in the immune system and other areas of the body.
CBG binds to both receptors where it’s thought to increase the functioning of anandamide, the neurotransmitter that plays a role in enhancing pleasure and motivation, regulating appetite and sleep, and alleviating pain. CBG has no psychotropic effects, so unlike THC, it will not cause an intoxicating high.
CBG’s Potential Benefits
CBG has been used to reduce pain without causing the intoxicating effect of THC. Some studies have even shown CBG to be more effective than THC and CBD combined in alleviating pain symptoms.
Initial research has found that CBG may also have therapeutic effects. Though, the studies that have been done were small and too few for any certain claims to be made just yet.
Animal studies using CBG have shown the most promise that CBG might be useful for the following therapeutic benefits:
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Inflammatory bowel disease is a condition that causes chronic inflammation in the bowel. Millions of people across the world are affected by this disease and it is considered incurable.
In 2013 researchers administered CBG to mice with IBD and observed reduced inflammation and reduced production of nitric oxide. It also lessened the formation of reactive oxygen species in the intestines.
Due to the results of the study, researchers concluded that CBG should be considered for clinical experiments with IBD patients.
Glaucoma
Cats with glaucoma were used in another study in which they were given CBG. Researchers noticed a reduction in eye pressure and an increase in aqueous humor outflow, which is a fluid produced by the eye that maintains eye pressure and provides the eye with nutrition.
Huntington's Disease
Huntington's disease is a condition that leads to the breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. In 2015 researchers administered CBG to mice with an experimental model of Huntington’s Disease.
They observed that CBG acted as a neuroprotectant and concluded that CBG protects nerve cells in the brain from damage. They also found that CBG can improve motor deficits and preserve striatal neurons against 3-nitropropionic acid toxicity.
Antibacterial Properties
A 2020 study looking at the antibiotic potential of cannabis, concluded that CBG has antibacterial properties. CBG was found to be effective against methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a drug-resistant bacteria that causes staph infections.
Fighting Cancer Cells
In a 2014, researchers administered CBG to rats with colon cancer. The researchers observed that CBG showed promise in blocking the receptors responsible for cancer cell growth and inhibiting growth of colorectal cancer cells.
These researchers suggested that the use of CBG should be considered in the cure and prevention of colon cancer.
How to Use CBG
CBG is commonly available as an oil or a tincture. You can use pure full spectrum oil for the benefits of CBG, however, these oils may be hard to find and expensive.
Luckily, you can get all the same benefits of CBG by using broad-spectrum CBD oils. Broad-spectrum CBD oils consist of all the cannabinoids found in the cannabis or hemp plant including CBG, but they do not contain THC.
While oils and tinctures are common methods of consuming CBG, they often contain much less CBG compared to a CBG concentrate. CBG concentrates such as CBG crumble contain highly concentrated amounts of CBG and/or CBGA and thus can provide the most benefit.
Choosing a full spectrum product can enhance these benefits as well. When multiple cannabinoids are used together, they tend to have a synergistic effect and increase the effectiveness of one another, a phenomenon known as the entourage effect.
Scarcity of CBG
Until recently the production of CBG was quite difficult. Unlike THC or CBD, CBG isn’t as readily available in hemp or cannabis plants and is much harder to produce. Because CBG essentially shares many of the same properties as CBD, processors and manufacturers have simply opted to produce CBD.
When you do come across CBG products on the market today, they are generally more expensive than CBD products. However, demand and interest in CBG is growing exponentially due to its host of potential health benefits. Because of this, manufacturers are actively working to make the production of the cannabinoid cheaper and easier which will eventually result in lower prices.
