Due to the many years of cannabis prohibition around the world, cannabis research is presently rather limited in its scope. However, what we do know is that cannabis contains some 540 chemical compounds and that, at present, scientists have classified 111 of those chemical compounds as Cannabinoids. However, for many years, the only cannabinoid that people were concerned with was THC because it is the cannabinoid that is responsible for getting people “high” when it’s metabolized. However, due to its medicinal rather than recreational benefits, the cannabinoid CBD has since stolen the stage and is now fast on its way to becoming a household word right alongside THC.
Thus, with so much focus on cannabinoids these days, many people are wondering exactly what is a cannabinoid? Well, in the following article, you will not only discover exactly what a cannabinoid is, you will also learn why cannabis plants produce cannabinoids, what the most important cannabinoids are and, what the medical benefits of cannabinoids are.
What is a Cannabinoid?
So, what exactly is a cannabinoid? Well, the simple answer to that question is that a cannabinoid is a chemical compound found in many different plant species but, most especially in the four species of cannabis plants.
However, a more comprehensive answer would be to say that a cannabinoid is a complex organic molecule that is one of a class of diverse chemical compounds that acts on cannabinoid receptors in the human Endocannabinoid System and which can have a wide range of effects from relieving anxiety, depression and pain to inducing a feeling of deep relaxation and euphoria.
In fact, the best known and most heavily researched of the 111 known cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant is Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (aka Δ9-THC) which is the compound that is primarily responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis. However, the effects of THC are believed to be moderated by the other cannabinoids contained in the plant such as CBD and CBN.
Why do cannabis plants produce cannabinoids?
So, now that you know what a cannabinoid is, you may be wondering “why do cannabis plants produce cannabinoids?” Well, the answer that question is that if you were to look closely at a mature cannabis plant, you would see that it was covered by small protrusions called “trichomes” which are glands that manufacture and secrete the plant’s various cannabinoids.
Therefore, biologists believe that cannabis plants produce cannabinoids as a means of protecting the plant from excessive heat and ultra violet light as well as to discourage predation from voracious insects and herbivores in addition to protecting it from disease. Therefore, without cannabinoids, cannabis plants would have no defense against the harmful effects of ultraviolet light, nor any means of defending themselves against predation.
What are the most important cannabinoids?
most important cannabinoids produced by the cannabis plant are THC and CBD; however, although they are both classified as cannabinoids, they are as different from each other as is day and night. For instance, while the cannabinoid THC is responsible for producing the psychoactive effects that most cannabis uses seek, the cannabinoid CBD is not psychoactive at all. However, CBD is believed to have a dampening effect on THC and thus, when THC and CBD are metabolized together, the “high” produced by the THC is moderated by presence of CBD.
In addition, when THC is exposed to air, it oxidizes (combines with oxygen) and forms the resulting cannabinoid CBN which is only very weakly psychoactive. However, like CBD,
CBN interacts with THC to lessen its effects. Therefore, you should always store your cannabis in an airtight container because leaving it exposed to air will increase the conversion of THC to CBN which will ultimately reduce your pot’s potency over time.
So, although there are many other cannabinoids contained in cannabis such as CBDL, CBC and, CBG, the cannabinoids THC, CBD, and CBN are the ones that you need to keep in mind because they have the greatest effect on cannabis users.
What are the medical benefits of cannabinoids?
However, unbeknownst to many people, the human body has an internal biological system called the Endocannabinoid System which is part of the Central Nervous System and which is responsible for maintaining homeostasis as well as for regulating psychological and cognitive processes in the human body. In addition, this internal system has two known receptors which have been designated as CB1 and CB2 which are specifically designed such that they only allow molecules with a certain shape to bind to them which is where cannabinoids come in.
For instance, certain cannabinoids produced by certain plants, and most especially by the cannabis plant, just happen to have the same shape as certain cannabinoids produced internally by the human body. Therefore, when humans ingest cannabis, some of the cannabinoids it produces bind with the Endocannabinoid System’s CB1 and CB2 receptors which, in turn, produce the “high” that is associated with THC as well as the relaxation and relief from pain that is associated with CBD.
Final thoughts
So, what is a cannabinoid? Well, in a nutshell, a cannabinoid is one of a family of some 111 chemical compounds found in various plants species but, most especially in the cannabis plant, which aid a plant in withstanding excessive heat, ultraviolet light, disease, and predation. But, at the same time a cannabinoid is also a molecule whose particular shape enables it to bond with the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the human Endocannabinoid System and, in doing so, induce a mild hallucinogenic state resulting in euphoria as well as a cessation of anxiety and relief from pain among many other positive effects.
Consequently, not only are cannabinoids necessary for the continued survival of certain plant species, they are also very useful chemical compounds to humans who enjoy a wide range recreational and medical benefits from metabolizing them. Thus, anyone who uses cannabis for either recreational or medical purposes should have a basic understanding of cannabinoids and their effects.
