CBG, CBD, CBC, CBN, and THCV
The Healing Cannabinoids
If you read my piece on the entourage effect, you know that I believe that THC is the ringmaster, but all the components of cannabis determine the “personality” of any given strain. Studies have proven the Entourage Effect with cannabinoids and terpenes. But these five cannabinoids are the major components that combine with THC to most affect your high as far as we know, as well your health and wellbeing.
Some cannabinoids, especially CBN and CBG, can bind directly to both the endocannabinoid system’s (ECS) CB1 and CB2 receptors, meaning they affect everything the ECS controls. These elements are all-important to the way any given cannabis strain or concoction affects you.
There are over 100 cannabinoids. We have no idea what most of them do, but the ones I selected are considered the most important.
CBG (cannabigerol) is the “Mother Cannabinoid” —THC, CBD, CBC, and CBN (and all other cannabinoids) began as CBG.
CBG’s anti-stress, anti-anxiety, and antidepressant effects are fantastic, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are numerous studies about CBG that indicate that it is as good as or better than CBD for pain, anxiety, inflammation, sleep disorders, etc. —all CBD’s effects but even better. It also provides better relief for sufferers of intestinal disorders, like IBS, GERD, and Crohn’s disease. We will have to wait and see everything CBG does, because the THC and CBD study focus has been taking the lion’s share of interest before now, but CBG is the rising superstar.
CBD (cannabidiol) is a cure-all kinda medicine that continues to show positive effects in more and more conditions all the time. I have a personal affinity for CBD + THC therapy, as it substantially healed two discs in my neck, and turned my degenerative disc disorder around. I still can have bouts of pain, but compared with living with hearing and feeling bone-on-bone grinding all day, every day? I’m in heaven. Another attribute of CBD, is that it’s a THC antagonist. That means it can inhibit and regulate the uptake of THC, and that has two great purposes. If you’re a beginner stoner. I always recommend everyone get a CBD vape whether you’re a beginner or an expert stoner. If you get too high, feel THC-induced anxiety, or panic, just a few puffs of CBD, and you’ll be relieved. But because CBD has all these great benefits of reducing tension, anxiety, and depression, one puff is just a great additive to any high. Antagonistic CBD also stretches THC’s effective period from 4 hours, to 6-8 hours during sleep.
CBC (cannabichromene) may be up to 10 times more potent than CBD for treating stress and anxiety and also has significant anti-inflammatory, pain-reducing, antiviral, anti-tumor, and bone-growth-stimulating properties. But the potential CBC has that excites me most, is that could be immensely useful in promoting the growth of new brain cells.
As an old fart with diminishing mental acuity, that’s obviously interesting to me.
CBN (cannabinol) is the first known cannabinoid, but one of the least-studied of these five, and is the only one that isn't derived directly from CBG, but it's what THC turns into when oxidized. Unlike CBG, CBD, and CBC, it’s mildly intoxicating. Like all these cannabinoids, it relieves pain and inflammation.
The best-known effect of CBN, is that it makes you sleepy. Anyone who’s ever smoked an old joint they found in a drawer might remember that it didn’t get them very high, but it made them ready for nappy time; that’s because much of the THC has degraded into CBN.
What excites me most about CBN, is that behaves like THC in many ways, and it has been found to bind with CB2 receptors. This ability may lead to new treatments for neuropathy (no treatment currently exists, and I suffer from neuropathic pain caused by sciatica), as CB2 receptors appear in inflamed areas in the body.
CBN therapies will be able to treat virtually any inflamed site, so it has the potential to address other areas that are difficult to treat, such as gastrointestinal system disorders like GERD, Chrons Disease, and diverticulitis.
CBN could be a true wonder drug.
THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin) is another under-studied cannabinoid that’s attracting attention, for good reason.
THCV is a very effective appetite suppressant. It’s also the opposite of CBN, making people quite energetic. Being a bit tubby, I’m really excited by it. I’ve had a rare strain that contained THCV, and can attest to these properties.
But more excitement is to come from THCV, as it has shown to treat a lot of other diverse conditions, including Parkinson’s, psychosis, bacterial inflammation, acne, fatty liver disease, pain, and epilepsy.
I can’t wait to see what other benefits THCV has! Durban Poison is a common strain that contains high levels of THCV, but I’ve never had as good an effect from DP as I did the first (forgotten-named) high-THCV strain I tried.
Entourage Effect- all these cannabinoids work together in ways that increase their effectiveness when combined with THC, and can’t be recommended enough for ailments and moods your ECS controls. There aren’t any drawbacks, except you probably won’t want to ingest CBN until bedtime.
Any and all of these cannabinoids can be ingested individually a half hour before imbibing your favorite weed. THC don’t care where or how you get these into your system, but as always, these other cannabinoids work best with THC. There are vape pens with 50/50 CBD & CBG, but none that incorporate CBC or CBN that I’ve found, yet, but they gotta be out there.
I’m looking for a good supplier of isolates of these cannabinoids; pure, plant-derived organic powders. My intent is to mix them with honey and select terpenes to put into beverages. I’m going to make a daytime version with THCV, a nighttime version that includes CBN, and a neutral one with neither. When I find that supplier I’ll paste a link here, and I'll also let you know if my hypothesis that taking these cannabinoids orally, followed by consumption of THC products a short time later works effectively.
Remember: cannabinoids every day help keep the doctor away!

















