Tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC) and Cannabidiol (or CBD) – two (2) abundant cannabinoids when you grow cannabis plants – are perhaps the most #0excludeGlossary cannabinoids today. But have you heard of CBC?
While not as #1excludeGlossary as the two (2) major cannabinoids, Cannabichromene (or CBC) is gaining attention in the medical and research fields because, like CBD and THC, its medicinal qualities are showing great therapeutic promise.
Discovered by researchers in 1966, CBC is a naturally-occurring, non-psychoactive cannabinoid that doesn’t seem to bind directly to CB1 Receptors in the brain. But because it does bind with other receptors of the endocannabinoid system, it’s able to provide several health benefits.
Like THC and CBD, CBC is derived from the precursor Cannabigerolic Acid (or CBG-A). Exposure to ultraviolet (or UV) light or heat spurs specific enzymes into enzymatically catalyzing the conversion of #5excludeGlossary into one (1) of these three (3) compounds.
CBC Medicinal Benefits
CBC has been shown to offer certain medical benefits similar to CBD, including the following:
Pain and Inflammation
Like CBD, CBC has been linked to a reduction in pain and inflammation in the body. As mentioned above, CBC binds endocannabinoid receptors, a system that is responsible for regulating different aspects of our bodies including pain and inflammation. The binding of CBC to these receptors influences how the body responds to painful or inflammatory stimulation, effectively reducing these negative sensations.
CBC may be a safer alternative to traditional anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing pharmaceuticals. It can offer the same level of relief without the potentially harmful side effects that conventional nonsteroidal #32excludeGlossary drugs (NSAID) carry. And when combined with other cannabinoids like THC or CBD, CBC’s effects can be even more pronounced due to the entourage effect.
Acne
CBC has similar effects on skin health as CBD (read about CBD here). IIt’sthrough analyzing CBD’s impact on skin conditions researchers discovered that CBC treats acne. Acne, which occurs when excess sebum production blocks the sebaceous pore causing inflammation, can be effectively inhibited by the presence and action of CBC thanks to its potent #33excludeGlossary properties.
CBC has also been shown to reduce the production of excessive oils in the sebaceous glands and to lower the levels of arachidonic acid, the molecular precursor of all #34excludeGlossary signals in the cell.
Cancer
CBC may help to inhibit malignancy thanks to its apparent ability to impede the reuptake of anandamide, a natural endocannabinoid, allowing it to stay in the bloodstream for longer periods. Anandamide has been found to help combat breast cancer in studies on lab rats.
Cannabichromene is certainly showing some promise in the world of medicine, as has its CBD and THC counterparts. That said, more research is needed to determine how powerful CBC is. Proponents of CBC and patients who are interested in using cannabis to treat their ailments already have several products available to them today.
But with further cannabis studies and links being made between CBC and medicine, only time will tell how influential cannabinoids will be in the world of medicine shortly
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