All you need to know about CBD flower: innovative researches, effects, characteristics, safety, how it interacts with our body and more. All the information you are looking for, in a practical and complete guide, created specifically for you.
What is CBD?
Hemp flower or Cannabis (the names by which it is known vary from country to country and are sometimes referred to the presence of THC, such as the term “Marijuana”), is a plant, part of the Cannabaceae family and has been used for centuries from the populations of the world for its different uses: from those sometimes controversial, linked to its psychotropic characteristics, to the therapeutic ones, close to the topic that we will deal with below. In fact, from the same plant, different products can be obtained, depending on whether the variety of the same contains a greater or lesser quantity of THC (the psychotropic component, not legal for recreational purposes, but regularized for therapeutic purposes), or on the contrary is rich in phytocannabinoids.
Many people are in fact starting to appreciate CBD oil and its benefits, and different scientific studies are carrying out research on the effects and possible applications. The interest on the part of the scientific community for the therapeutic potential of CBD oil is growing every day. The reason is simple: it has already been used in several scientific studies, for the treatment of numerous health problems and is now recognized among the main elements of the so-called “Therapeutic Cannabis”.
The Production Process
Everything starts from the seeds. For the cultivation and extraction of cannabidiol, belong to varieties of Cannabis registered in the European Community register and admitted to crops for industrial use (all therefore in an absolutely legal way). It is cannabis with a low THC content (below 0.2% as required by law). In the beginning, a raw extract from hemp flower (cannabis) is obtained. In this extract there are many components of the plant, CBD and smaller quantities of other phytocannabinoids, chlorophyll, wax, terpenes and everything that can be extracted, we find it in the first phase of extraction which has the appearance of a dark molasses and which preserves within it the entire spectrum of hemp flower molecules.
How Does CBD Interact?
According to important scientific studies of CBD flower in UK and the experiences of those who have tried it, CBD can modulate some mechanisms that already exist and are in action within our body. Basically, when an imbalance or decompensation occurs, the modulation provided by CBD which acts, for example, on the immune system or indirectly on an inflammatory process tends to restore the original balance. CBD therefore involves an indirect modulation of an alteration of the human endocannabinoid system that may have been caused by pathologies or trauma.
CBD and the Endocannabinoid System
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a biological complex present within the human body that acts on the regulation of a large variety of both physiological and cognitive processes, such as appetite, pain sensation or mood. It is composed of a series of specific receptors that interact with cannabinoids. Cannabinoid receptors are therefore like mailboxes that receive information from phytocannabinoids, “messengers”that act inside our body, and are divided into two types, called CB1 and CB2.
Cannabinoids
They are chemical compounds capable of interacting with these specific receptors, and can be found in three forms: endogenous, natural and synthetic.
Endogenous Cannabinoids (endocannabinoids)
They are organic compounds that are generated inside the human body and act in the central and peripheral nervous system. It is, in fact, a class of lipid messengers capable of interacting with the cannabinoid receptors that make up the endocannabinoid system. For the moment there are five endocannabinoids known to the scientific community: anandamine, arachidonoglycerol, noladin, virodamine, N-arachidonoildopamine.
CBD is one of the main phytocannabinoids.
Natural Cannabinoids (phytocannabinoids)
Phytocannabinoids are present in Cannabis (Hemp) and are concentrated in its viscous resin. For the time being, scientific research has managed to identify at least 113 different cannabinoids present within cannabis. Science has studied and continues to study in particular the three phytocannabinoids most present in Cannabis: delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN). In addition to the three main phytocannabinoids, it is necessary to consider the presence of cannabigerol (CBG): a non-psychoactive cannabinoid discovered around 1964. Cannabigerol (CBG) is composed of cannabigerolic acid (CBGA). This, during the ripening phase of the plant, can transformthanks to the action of some enzymes in the other cannabinoids already mentioned.
Synthetic Cannabinoids
They are made in the laboratory to then be used for therapeutic purposes as a component of various drugs. These simulate the characteristics of endocannabinodes by interacting with the CB1 and CB2 receptors of the organism’s endocannabinoid system.
The Properties of CBD
There are several characteristics attributed to CBD, regardless of whether it is oil or crystals. Some of these are widely supported by scientific research, others are the result of the experiences of customers who from all over the world fully appreciate its qualities and praise its characteristics that can bring well-being, in a natural way.
Let’s see some of them:
Analgesic and anti-inflammatory: reduces the perception of pain thanks to its action on the ECS, present inside the human body. In fact, cannabinoids bind to receptors inside the brain and stimulate responses in different areas of the body, favoring beneficial neurological mechanisms.
Anxiolytics: it has been shown to mitigate the symptoms associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), which according to several researches are also caused by a deficiency of anandamide within the ECS.
Neuroprotective: The cannabidiol has shown to have a potential action to reduce oxidative stress that can affect brain cells, thanks to its anti-inflammatory power.
Antipsychotics: Some scientific evidence suggests that cannabidiol may help treat schizophrenia and other mental health problems, such as bipolar disorder.
Antiemetics: CBD oil can easily reduce this ailment by effectively treating rejection symptoms. The oil is easily digestible, contains no chemical components and does not release the unpleasant flavors of normal anti-emetic drugs, rich in antacids and bismuth.
Anticonvulsants: CBD bud could be very effective in therapies to treat some forms of childhood epilepsy, including Dravet Syndrome. This is supported by the results of several important scientific researches Energizing and anti-oxidant characteristics: known for its calming characteristics, CBD oil, as well as the crystals, also has energizing characteristics, thanks to its detoxifying action and the ability to strengthen cells, contributing to their proper regeneration. It’s also a great antioxidant, according to a 2008 study, even better than vitamins C and E.
CBD Side Effects
A review of over 130 papers published in the literature reports that even for high dosages of CBD (up to 1500mg day) there are no significant undesirable effects, this is for the oil, crystals or capsules.
The World Health Organization (WHO) report published in 2018 highlighted that there are, more generally, no significant risky effects for human health but, rather, several medical applications of CBD.
According to the WHO report, cannabidiol has a good safety profile and is well tolerated by humans and animals. Furthermore, according to the report, CBD has no psychoactive effect, does not induce physical dependence, and is not associated with any adverse public health effects.