Cannabigerol acid or CBGA has continued to receive widespread attention in recent years. This cannabinoid is known to metabolize from carboxylic acid is also the building block of other cannabinoids such as CBG, CBCA, CBDA, THCA. Our experts at Happy Garden CBD have taken the time to research this fascinating cannabis compound and provide you with all the necessary information you need to know about it.
CBGA or Cannabigerol acid is a carboxylic acid commonly found in the Cannabis Sativa plant. CBGA is found in higher concentrations in young plants, and as the plant matures, CBGA gets converted into CBGa THCa, CBDa, and other cannabinoids.
This cannabinoid is structurally distinct from other cannabinoids such as CBG, and THC. CBGA is only found in hemp and cannabis and is often called cannabinoids acid.
However, when CBGA is heated to 110 °C it decarboxylates into CBG, forcing the carboxylic group at the end of the CBGA molecule to change into a different chemical structure. CBGA is no longer considered to be an acid after this stage.
The entourage effect is a theory that suggests that the hundreds of cannabinoids in the cannabis plant work together to deliver the maximum impact of the plant. When you use a cannabis product containing multiple cannabinoids, the molecules combine, releasing more therapeutic benefits.
CBGA is the mother of all cannabinoids and serves as the foundation of the entourage effect. When you smoke cannabis, CBGA gets broken down into other cannabinoids such as THC, CBD, CBG in a process known as decarboxylation.
To achieve the entourage effect, you need to find and ingest a full spectrum cannabis product. The full spectrum cannabis extract is an extract that maintains the whole cannabis plant profile with cannabinoids such as CBD, CBG, THC, and CBN.
When a particular cannabinoid such as THC or CBD is isolated from its family of other cannabinoids, the isolated cannabinoid will not deliver the same level of effects and benefits as a full-spectrum extract.
It is crucial to note that majority of the information supporting the entourage effect remains anecdotal as further research is being done to substantiate this phenomenon.
While there is ongoing medical research on the health benefits of CBGA, early studies on this cannabinoid have been quite promising. The following are some possible applications of CBGA use in medicine.
Researchers looked at the cytotoxic effects of CBGA extracted from cannabis and discovered it could kill colon cancer cells and accelerate cancer cells’ death. While more research is still needed, researchers are confident that CBGA may be pretty helpful in treating colon cancer.
A 2013 study carried on rats revealed that CBGA could curtail the production of nitric oxide and oxidizing agents in the small intestine. The study further revealed that CBGA could checkmate the severity of colitis in the rats when induced with it.
People who have diabetes may benefit from CBGA as it can help fight against some of its complications and comorbidities, such as cardiovascular diseases.
According to a silico study in 2019, CBGA activated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) that help control metabolism. However, this study still requires further trials involving humans and animals.
A study conducted in 2015 indicated that CBGA protects the neurons of mice with Huntington’s disease. Scientists are hopeful that CBGA will help treat Huntington’s disease in the nearest future.
CBGA is a rare cannabinoid found in small quantities in the cannabis plant. As a result, they are pretty challenging to extract. While you may not find CBGA as a stand-alone product, they play a significant role in high CBG strains. CBG rich cannabis strains are mainly abundant in CBGA, which decarboxylates to CBG when smoked.
The best way to use CBGA is to ingest CBG rich flowers without decarboxylating them. To achieve this, you need to avoid heating the flowers beyond the 110 °C temperature mark or eat them in their raw state.
If you are still wondering about the impact of CBGA, why not try out our fantastic range of full-spectrum CBD oils. Our full-spectrum oil delivers all the valuable compounds in the cannabis plant, which blends perfectly to enable you feel the entourage effect in action.
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