CBC (Cannabichromene). One of the forgotten cannabinoids
Most cannabis lovers know about the two most popular cannabinoids: THC and CBD. However, they know little or nothing about the rest. Even though there are 113 cannabinoids deeply studied, only 6 have been deeply researched.
CBC (cannabichromene) is one of the “forgotten ones” among the cannabinoids. And, however, its benefits are quite interesting.
CBC comes from CBGA (cannabigerolic acid). In fact, all the 3 major cannabinoids come from this super cannabinoid. THC, CBD and CBC come from this CBG.
Cannabis plants produce CBGA, which is the origin of tetrahydrocannabinol (THCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) and cannabichromenic acid (CBCA).
CBC is not psychoactive. This happens because it binds very poorly to CB1, cannabinoid receptor we have in our brain. However, it binds with other receptor found in the human body, such as vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1) and transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1). These two receptors are linked to the way our system perceives pain. Once CBC activates these receptors, our organism increases the endoccanabinoids of the body, such as anandamine.
Reinforcing the effect
It has been demonstrated that CBC has several benefits. But investigators are researching about its reinforcement capacity to work with other cannabinoids. This synergy is named the entourage effect. It is well known it occurs with THC and CBD, for example. But it has not been demonstrated yet it is happens the same with CBC and the rest of cannabinoids.
Medical abilities of CBC
So far, CBC is being used and/or studied to treat some disorders such as:
Depression
CBC seems to reinforce the effect of THC and CBC to fight depression. It is just another example of the reinforcement effect, also known as “the entourage effect”.
Cancer
CBC is being used to fight cancer due to its interaction with the anandamide: endocannabinoid found in our body. It seems to reduce the consumption of anandamide and because ot this, it remains longer in our bloodstream.
Studies made in mice with tumors have shown that cannabinoids can be effective to treat tumor growth. Anandamide is good to fight breast cancer and, therefore, very probably CBC could be a good chemopreventive agent. Anyway, if CBC is useful against cancer, CBG is even more.
Brain cells
In 2013, a study with mice showed CBC had a positive effect on neural stem progenitor cells (NSPC), which are extremely important cells for the correct heath of our brain. These cells are more viable when CBC is present. This is a good result because these cells differentiate into astroglials cells, which are the most important cells for the homeostasis of our brain.
The astroglials cells are like “the mother of different functions”; among them we can highlight the neurotransmitter direction and the ability to protect against oxidative stress. Astroglia fights back stress, inflammation and toxicity, some of the disorders that produce mental pathologies such as Alzeimer.
Analgesic and anti-inflammatory
CBG is being used to treat as analgesic and anti-inflammatory. It fights the pain and inflammation that produce osteoarthritis. CBC hasn’t the bad side effects of the conventional medications used in these diseases, such as non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory medications. However, if CBC has these abilities, when combined with THC, becomes much more efficient.
Acne
Good news for millions of teenagers! It is amazing how fast medicine has advamnced during the last 50 years. Doctors can change your hearth and put a new one in few hours. But, however, they cannot erase acne from the skins of teenagers, a disorder that is a real trauma for them. Acne is an excess sebum production and sebaceous gland inflammation. CBC has a remarkable anti-inflammatory ability and it also decreases the lipid production in these sebaceous glands. On top of it, CBC reduces the levels of arachidonic acid, which is necessary to produce the lipogenesis. Even though more studies are necessary, it is a real possibility the use of CBC to end with this skin disease that affects millions of teenagers.
Once the cannabis laws loosen, it will be much easier to research and discover new therapeutic properties of cannabis. And be sure, CBC will become a much more important cannabinoid.
