Posted on 17 July 202425 August 2024 by Joe

CBD – Full Spectrum, Broad-Spectrum & Isolate

What is CBD?

CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is one of over 100 naturally occurring compounds found in the cannabis plant. CBD is non-intoxicating, meaning it does not produce a “high” or the stoned effect associated with cannabis. CBD is largely known for its potential health benefits, and people have been using it for pain management, calmness, and combating inflammation.

What are Cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that can affect your brain and body in different ways. They’re produced naturally by your own body and also found in various plants like hemp.

Does that mean that other plants also contain cannabinoids? Yes, some other plants contain cannabinoid-like compounds which can also be beneficial. For instance, Cacao, which is the plant from which we make chocolate, contains anandamide, which is a cannabinoid that binds to your C1 receptors and makes you feel happy and relaxed.

Most CBD products that are regulated in our market are derived from hemp, which is a variety of cannabis plant that has very low levels of THC but is rich in cannabidiol (CBD). Some grow more full-spectrum CBD strains. However, due to legislative issues, these flowers are still deemed illegal and have made their market accessibility difficult. Hence why has the market developed the Broad spectrum approach, is it ideal? Is it Natural? Does all of that even matter?

These are Questions that must be asked along the way.

These cannabinoids interact with receptors in our body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a complex system found in all mammals. It plays an essential role in regulating our body’s physical and cognitive processes like:

Sleep
Immunity
Stress Regulation
Pain Tolerance
Appetite
Memory
Reproductive System

and more…

ECS is also crucial in maintaining our overall health and balance. When the ECS is in a state of imbalance, or our body doesn’t produce enough cannabinoids, we can use the help of CBD.

Cannabinoids found in cannabis mimic our body’s natural endocannabinoids and help to restore natural balance in our body, this state is called ‘homeostasis’. Both endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids (the ones found in plants) bind to CB1 and CB2 receptors, which are located throughout our bodies and support homeostasis. We have written a blog on this too. Please feel free to read or listen to it here.

What is Full-Spectrum CBD?

Refers to CBD-high cannabis that includes all the other natural cannabinoids and terpenes found in the plant. Generally, the THC levels are minimal, by law less than 0.2%. People have strong opinions over the % of THC content in the flower, with many saying that THC is necessary for bioavailability. Many studies also have corroborated the ‘bro-science’. Leading to a stronger push for better law-making. Nonetheless, because there is some THC in the ‘legal’ medicine, one can still say it will have an “entourage effect” even though you won’t be intoxicated by the THC, the medicine will have a more holistic benefit.

How is Full Spectrum CBD Oil made?

“There are many ways to skin a cat”…. Some use more sharper tools than others. Industry norms would include solvent extracts such as CO2, Butane or Alcohol. Non-solvent extracts would be Rosin pressed or Bubble hash. In the USA and Europe where cannabis is accessible as a medicine or recreation, Full Spectrum CBD is a normal selection on the shelves. From cured flowers to packaged in a disposable vape. The market has evolved to offer it to people who don’t want to get high but have maximum healing benefits. Inside the recreational spaces, one would normally find CBD products with more than 0.2% THC in them.

What Are The Benefits of Full-Spectrum CBD

A broader range of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds may provide additional therapeutic benefits.
May be more effective and potent than the other types of CBD generally derived from Hemp.
Can provide a more ‘natural’ experience, as it closely resembles the original plant composition.

What is Broad-Spectrum CBD?

Broad-spectrum CBD is a middle ground between CBD isolate and full-spectrum CBD. It contains a wide range of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other plant compounds, but with one key difference: zero THC. Generally speaking, this is a man-made process. Although, today one can find strains that can be considered broad spectrum – or just hemp then?

How is it made?

Broad-spectrum CBD is made through a similar extraction process as full-spectrum CBD. After the initial extraction, an additional step is taken to remove the THC content, usually through a process called chromatography or selective distillation. The result is a THC-free product that retains many of the beneficial compounds found in full-spectrum CBD. Broad-spectrum CBD has no detectable levels of THC. This makes it ideal for those who want to experience the benefits of the entourage effect without any exposure to THC, either due to personal preferences, legal restrictions, or employment-related drug testing concerns. Some people are also just very sensitive to THC and Broad Spectrum eliminates the possibility of any intoxication of THC. Remember that we are all different and our body chemistries are not the same.

Broad-spectrum CBD arose as a means to an end in the market. Farmers were stuck with full-spectrum CBD material but THC levels were too high or still present so they could not move any medicine into the market. So they decided to remove the THC. Even though our market is warming up to better trading each year it becomes easier to get your hands on things. Broad-spectrum CBD won’t lose its relevance since there are people that prefer it.

It’s better for animals like dogs that cannot process THC safely…

Benefits of Broad-Spectrum CBD

A wide array of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other plant compounds that may provide additional wellness advantages
Suitable for individuals who want to avoid THC entirely, while still benefiting from the cannabis plant’s diverse components
May be particularly effective for conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety, and inflammation, due to the synergistic action of the various plant compounds without THC

What is CBD Isolate?

CBD isolate is the purest form of CBD you can get, it contains only the CBD with no additional cannabinoids, terpenes, or other plant compounds.It does not have any THC content, and is not detectable in drug tests. CBD isolate is a crystalline solid or powder comprising pure CBD and nothing else.

How is CBD Isolate Oil made?

Once again there are many ways to skin the cat. We once wrote an article on THC-A diamonds, to get CBD isolate, the same process can also be used. Others use CO2 and fractional distillation to separate various cannabinoids and terpenes and isolate the CBD compound. I have seen someone make CBD isolate with 5 5-ton rosin pressing machines. Regardless, it takes much effort and time to produce. Making it naturally more expensive. The question in this regard would be, why would it be better if it were less natural? Considering that cannabis is a natural healing plant.

Benefits of CBD Isolate

CBD isolate offers many of the benefits of CBD, but does not benefit from the ‘entourage effect’. Some of the reported benefits include:

Better sleep
Elevates overall health and wellness
Improves mood and mental support
Supports quicker recovery after intense exercise
Does not make you feel “high” or show up in drug tests

Because it is isolated it can be used for a more accurate dosing and hence also target more specific healing. People who lean towards 100% natural processes would not be inclined to try isolated forms of anything, one would assume. It is important to understand the products you use and their origin. We have become very trusting as humans and sometimes we don’t ask critical questions concerning critical matters like our Health.

What should you buy?

Whether it is full-spectrum broad-spectrum or CBD isolate, doing more research will help you determine what is best for you. Most THC users will never even look at a CBD product. FOr those that do, Know your product. This is the best advice I can give. It is not as developed as the THC market nor is there a real understanding for the product. Even though there is less legality around it.

CBD and all its benefits also have flaws in its niche, from fake isolate products to ineffective products with high marketing schemes. Be mindful and consider asking more questions before buying anything CBD. if the person cannot have an open and honest conversation then I wouldn’t bother.

Leave us a comment below

Posted on 12 June 20242 October 2024 by Joe

What is HHC?

HHC (hydroxyhexahydrocannabinol) is a THC relative long known to science, but until recently not often discussed by cannabis users. HHC is a minor cannabinoid; it occurs naturally in cannabis, but in amounts too small to make extraction cost-effective. Since commercial production of HHC is just getting off the ground, it’s still not widely known.

Most cannabinoids can be converted to other cannabinoids by altering the chemistry of the molecules. Like 𝚫-8 THC and 𝚫-10 THC, commercial HHC is made from hemp-derived CBD in a lab through chemical processes. HHC has one major legal advantage over 𝚫-8 and 𝚫-10: it isn’t called THC.

My quick 2 cents…

Is any of this even important to you? I believe so. We need to understand cannabis better. And not being aware of semi-synthetic cannabinoids can leave us open to harm and misinformation. Regular cannabis users are more likely to never encounter HHC because they will most likely opt-in for flower or regular concentrate that they know. But newer medical users, or recreational users will be very open to it all as this is a new world. The industry is booming and there are so many flashy things now, it really is not difficult to buy incorrectly.

How is HHC produced?

It was discovered in the 1940s by chemist Roger Adams. He created HHC by adding hydrogen to the THC molecule and altering its physical properties. The process, called hydrogenation, is first described in a 1947 patent document. Hydrogenation modifies the structure of 𝚫-9 THC by replacing a double bond with two hydrogen atoms, which changes its molecular weight and also makes it more stable. According to Mark Scialdone, a chemist and BR Brands Chief Science Officer, hydrogenation improves “stability and resistance to thermo-oxidative breakdown”—which means HHC has a longer shelf life and is less prone to damage caused by UV light and heat.

Does HHC get you high? Does it have side effects?

This is kind of tricky. Although HHC isn’t technically a THC, it does produce similar effects—if you use enough of it. When it’s produced in the lab, an HHC batch is a mix of active and inactive HHC molecules. The active HHC binds well with your body’s cannabinoid receptors; the others don’t.

Manufacturers haven’t yet figured out a cost-effective way to separate high-potency HHC from its low-potency twin, so commercial HHC—which is a mix of the two forms—may be a waste of money to the consumer. But HHC does have noticeable effects. Reports from users generally describe the HHC high as being somewhere between 𝚫-8 and 𝚫-9 THC.

Pretty much everything we know about HHC’s effects and side effects is anecdotal. That said, users report the same set of side effects familiar to 𝚫-9 THC users: anxiety and paranoia, dry mouth, dry and red eyes, hunger, and insomnia. Personally I think that anyone who smokes real weed won’t have intense effects from this hence why it is an in-between feeling.

Will HHC show up in a drug test?

It appears that HHC may not break down in the body in the same way as THC. Unlike the 𝚫-8, 𝚫-9, and 𝚫-10 forms of THC, there is some evidence that HHC doesn’t metabolize into 11-hydroxy-THC, which is the breakdown substance many drug panels test for.

But that hasn’t been studied and isn’t certain. So far, no one knows for sure that HHC won’t leave evidence of use in your blood, urine or hair. If your employer tests for drug use, we suggest you not risk your job by using HHC.

Does HHC have medical benefits?

It hasn’t been widely studied, unlike more abundant cannabinoids like 𝚫-9 THC or CBD, but there has been some promising research. A 2011 study showed that some synthetic analogs of hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) “strongly inhibited breast cancer cell-induced angiogenesis and tumor growth.” Japanese researchers published a paper in 2007 describing HHC’s impressive pain-blocking capability in mice. But it is probably too early to say whether HHC has great promise as a therapeutic drug.

Is HHC legal and will it stay legal?

Yes, as long as it is hemp-derived and remains under the scheduled THC percentage put forth by the authorities.

Where can HHC be found?

A quick Google search brought up about a dozen online retailers offering a variety of HHC products. Most sellers offer vape carts filled with HHC oil, and many have gummies. Less common but definitely available are disposable HHC vapes, tinctures for oral consumption, and concentrates for dabbing. I first saw a HHC product in 2022, at the Sandton Cannabis Expo. It seems like most CBD stores stock them too now. So finding it is a search away.

In conclusion

If HHC remains legally viable, and especially if it becomes less expensive to manufacture high-potency HHC, this promising cannabinoid will become more available in the diverse cannabis marketplace. Even though HHC is found naturally in the cannabis plant, commercial HHC is made by hydrogenating hemp-derived cannabinoids under pressure with a catalyst like palladium. Making it still a semi-synthetic compound. Something you will have to decide for yourself if you want to ingest.

Posted on 29 May 202431 July 2024 by Joe

The Endocannabinoid System: A Brief Understanding

The endocannabinoid system feature image

Humans have used cannabis for centuries, but only in the last 50 years or so has any scientific understanding emerged as to how cannabis works within the human body. While the discovery of the first plant cannabinoids took place in the 1940s, it was not until 1964 that THC produced by the cannabis plant was first characterised and synthesised by Gaoni and Mechoulam in Israel.

The discovery of THC in 1964 sparked the search for its mechanism of action. Initially, it was postulated that THC and other cannabinoids increased cell membrane permeability. Eventually, however, the permeability hypothesis was disproved, which led to the search for a protein receptor molecule in the body with which THC might interact. The first cannabinoid (CB) receptors in the body were not found until the late 1980s. These receptors comprised a new series of homeostatic regulatory mechanisms within the body, which was named the endocannabinoid system.

Role of the Endocannabinoid System

The endocannabinoid system is a very complex regulatory system, broad in its function, and found within all complex animals, from fish to humans. It regulates diverse functions such as memory, digestion, motor function, immune response and inflammation, appetite, pain, blood pressure, bone growth, and the protection of neural tissues. The endocannabinoid system comprises three principal elements: endocannabinoid receptors; specialised molecules called endocannabinoids that interact with those receptors; and enzymes that either synthesise or metabolise these endocannabinoids.

Endocannabinoid Receptors

The two primary subtypes of classical cannabinoid receptors in the endocannabinoid system are CB1 and CB2. These receptors are distributed throughout the central nervous and immune systems and within many other tissues, including the brain, gastrointestinal system, reproductive and urinary tracts, spleen, endocrine system, heart, and circulatory system. Many of the physiological effects of cannabis were first believed to be caused by the interaction of phytocannabinoids with the CB1 and CB2 receptors.

Because the THC family of cannabinoids are the only compounds that robustly activate the CB1 receptor, some have even suggested that its name be changed from CB1 to the THC receptor. It is now known that cannabinoid interactions extend beyond the CB1 and CB2 receptors, however, and interact with other CB-type and related receptors and ion channels.

These include the so-called orphan CB receptors GPR55, GPR18, and GPR119; the transient receptor potential vanilloid-type channel (TRPV1, associated with pain transmission and typically activated by temperatures over 109ºF/43ºC, hot peppers or horseradish, and also known as the capsaicin receptor); and the peroxisome proliferator-activated nuclear receptors (PPAR-alpha and – gamma regulate important metabolic functions involving fatty acid storage, glucose metabolism, and development and progression of malignancies).

Of these, other CB-type receptors, the orphan or candidate cannabinoid receptors are becoming increasingly important to the understanding of the endocannabinoid system. These receptors are so-called “orphans” because their endogenous ligands (molecules that bind to larger molecules, such as receptors) have not been conclusively identified.

The orphan CB receptors have the following functions:

GPR55 is a receptor linked to energy homeostasis and metabolic dysregulation associated with diabetes and obesity.
GPR18 regulates disparate physiological functions ranging from intraocular pressure to cellular migration, including endometriosis and some forms of metastatic disease.
GPR30 responds to estrogen with rapid signalling.
GPR119 functions as a “fat sensor” to reduce food intake and weight gain.

Endocannabinoid Activity

The CB1 receptor is expressed throughout the brain, where endocannabinoids and CB1 combine to form a “circuit breaker,” which modulates the release of both inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters across the synapse. It is the activation of the CB1 receptor that is responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis since THC mimics an endocannabinoid by binding to this receptor.

The list of brain functions that are affected by the endocannabinoid system is enormous:

Decision-making, cognition, emotions, learning, and memory, as well as regulation of bodily movement, anxiety, stress, fear, pain, body temperature, appetite, sense of reinforcement or reward, blood-brain permeability, and motor control. One brain region that does not express many CB1 receptors is the brain stem, responsible for respiration and circulation, which is a primary reason why cannabis overdoses do not cause respiratory depression and death, both of which are possible with opioid overdoses. Until a few years ago, it was believed that CB2 receptors were only primarily found in immune and blood cells, tonsils, and the spleen.

From these sites, CB2 receptors controlled the release of cytokines (immunoregulatory proteins) linked to inflammation and general immune function throughout the body. Recently, with the advent of better probes and methods, CB2 expression has been identified in key regions of the brain, including the hippocampus. CB2 has been shown to modulate midbrain reward circuitry, such as the self-administration of cocaine. In the hippocampus, CB2 receptors appear to modulate self-activity and information flow between brain networks, potentially assisting in the selection of inputs that may guide complex behaviours.

Targeting the Endocannabinoid System with Drugs

The endocannabinoid system as a target for drug delivery goes well beyond the use of cannabis. Cannabinoid-based medicines can either enhance or interfere with the endocannabinoid system’s balancing act, by targeting receptors, the endocannabinoids, or the enzymes that synthesize or degrade those endocannabinoids. However, designing drugs that interact safely with the endocannabinoid system is difficult, and drugs that antagonize or interfere with the function of cannabinoid receptors have met with decidedly mixed success.

Regardless, the positives outweigh the negatives in that regard and with ongoing research our dosing and titrations will only get better.

Have you ever heard of the Endocannabinoid system? Let us know your thoughts below.

Tag: Medical