With more and more education coming out on the cannabinoids contained in the cannabis plant, the average person has plenty of options and resources to learn what’s best for them. By now, everyone and their grandma has heard of or tried CBD. It’s in your local grocery stores (overpriced, by hey, the access is there), you purchase it online and in most states, you can find it at your local dispensary – see comment above regarding grocery store access. But what about CBG? After all it is the “mother cannabinoid.” How is CBG different from CBD?
CBG is known as the “mother cannabinoid” or “stem cell” because it is the precursor to all other cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. It’s the first cannabinoid produced by the plant and plays a significant role in the creation of others like CBD and THC. In other words, without CBG, there would be no other cannabinoids.
Like CBD, CBG is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, however up until just recently, a fully developed plant would only contain about 1% CBG. Now, certain strains contain up to 15% CBG which has allowed the emergence of access for the public to get their hands on products that contain CBG.
There is also some overlap in the benefits of CBG and CBD, however the two do serve different purposes and may actually have different benefits to ailments.
What are the benefits of CBG?
While most of the research done to date has focused on the role CBG plays in the creation of other cannabinoids, we are starting to see some research done on the benefits of CBG. One study in particular showed that like some strains of THC, CBG can actually be an appetite stimulant. This has not been the case in most studies done on CBD, however studies in lab rats have an increased appetite after consuming CBG.
There’s also been some studies (in-vitro and rat studies) that have shown progress in CBG helping to fight colitis, neurodegeneration and cancer. A lot more research is needed to be done in order to make these types of claims official, early results are promising and are fueling the need to continue the research.
While it won’t get you “high” like THC, it does potentially offer some mind altering benefits in the form of anxiety and depression release.
Another benefit of CBG is that it might actually counter the “high” you get from the THC cannabinoid.
“Studies of CBG seem to show that it activates the CB1 receptor just as CBD does, which essentially decreases psycho-activation,”
Dr. Perry Solomon, M.D., a board-certified anesthesiologist and medical cannabis expert
What does the future hold for CBG benefits?
Future research and current research are diving deeper into the benefits of CBG. While the following research has not been studied in clinical trials… yet, there are promising signs of the full potential CBG may offer.
CBG and MRSA
MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), is a form of staph infection that as stated in its own name is resistant to methicillin which is a common type of antibiotic, making it an extremely threatening and possibly fatal bacterial infection. In a 2008 study that included CBG, investigators were able to show positive activity against MRSA strains.
A more recent study by McMaster University, showed that CBG was actually more effective against MRSA than any other cannabinoid tested. These included THC, CBD, CBC and CBN.
On an even more positive note, CBG was shown to be as effective as vancomycin, a drug that’s considered to be the last line of defense against drug-resistant bacteria. However, CBG has not shown to exhibit any type of bacterial resistance like vancomycin has shown. In the study, CBG also seemed to be more potent than traditional antibiotics when inhibiting the thin, slimy biofilms that are common with the disease persistence and against dormant “persister” cells that continue to aid the relapse of the infection.
CBG and glaucoma
For those that have read about the potential benefits of THC and how studies have shown that it can treat glaucoma and relieve intraocular pressure, this is a game changer. CBD, thus far, has not been able to make such claims so for those looking for a non-psychoactive alternative to fighting glaucoma
CBG takes on cancer
There have been some positive signs here! In a 2009 review article, CBG was mentioned to potentially slow tumor growth by inhibiting the growth of certain cancer cells. While another study from 2016 showed that “the preclinical data strongly support the notion that non-psychoactive plant-derived CBs [cannabinoids, including CBG] can act as direct inhibitors of tumor progression as well as enhance the activity of the first-line therapies.” This 2006 study showed that CBG can also help with breast cancer.
CBG and neurodegenerative diseases
A study done on mice in 2015 found that “the use of CBG, alone or in combination with other phytocannabinoids or therapies, [could be a] treatment of neurodegenerative diseases,” including Huntington’s disease.
“CBG normalized expression of abnormal genes linked to brain degeneration, showing that it’s a neuroprotective compound.”
Dr. Bonni Goldstein, Medical Director of Canna-Centers
As we at Timberline CBD continue to research and provide you with the most up-to-date information we can find on the ingredients we offer in our products, we encourage you to check with your own doctor before adding any medication or supplement to your regimen.