CBG stands for cannabigerol, a lesser-known cannabinoid found in both hemp and marijuana. CBG was first discovered by researchers in the 1960s. Often referred to as the “mother” or “stem cell” of cannabinoids, CBG is the precursor from which all other cannabinoids are synthesized.
The first CBG products came into the consumer market in 2015 via a biotechnology firm that made oral care and beauty cream products.
CBG is Expensive to Produce
One of the most expensive cannabinoids to produce, it takes thousands of pounds of biomass to create small amounts of CBG isolates. CBG is produced in the resin glands of the mature female hemp plants, also known as trichomes.
Scientists can extract higher levels of CBG from budding plants by pinpointing the optimum extraction time, about six weeks into an eight-week flowering cycle. The CBG flower is converted by light and heat and transformed from an acid state into CBD, CBC and THC.
To extract CBG, companies use an expensive chromatography process and CO2 or ethanol to draw the cannabinoids and terpenes out of hemp. The solution is then evaporated with heat under a vacuum to remove the gas and leave a high purity CBG concentrate behind.
While most strains of cannabis are less than 10% CBG, industrial hemp strains test much higher, as high as 94% CBG with 0.001% THC. Hemp seed companies are working on strains that have higher percentages of CBG and less CBD and THC, so the process of extracting CBG is less expensive.
CBD and CBG interact with cannabinoid receptors and enzymes within our body. CBG binds with CB1 and CB2 receptors whereas CBD interacts with the same receptors but indirectly. Therefore, CBG has a more direct pathway.
Five Potential Benefits of CBG
The potential health benefits of CBG are extensive:
- CBG may help alleviate inflammation within the body, like colitis.
- CBG may be an appetite stimulant for people who have trouble taking in enough nutrients.
- A non-intoxicating compound, CBG is thought to help regulate mood thanks to its ability to boost anandamide, the body’s native “bliss” molecule.
- Research suggests that CBG can help improve motor deficits and preserve neurons in neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington’s disease.
- Researchers in Europe have found CBG to be an effective antibacterial agent against microbial strains of MRSA that are resistant to more conventional medications. Topical cannabis formulations were effective in treating skin infections since the 1950s.
While CBD appears to act on the nervous system and immune system primarily, CBG appears to mainly interact with bacteria and exert digestive properties. Together, CBD and CBG, especially in a 1:1 ratio, may have an “entourage effect,” which may allow you to have more benefits: pain relief and relaxation.
If you’re looking to try CBG, the two CBG-rich strains we carry right now are CBG White and CBG Stem Cell, which were grown right on the farm.
