When it comes to CBD Oil, there are various terms that can sound quite intense or technical and difficult to grasp. Words such as Cannabidiol, Endocannabinoids, and such are a little scary at first, but it’s important to know what they mean exactly so that you can go ahead and dive into your research without any literary barriers to truly understand the benefits of Medical Cannabis and how exactly it works inside the human body.
To make life that much easier for you, we’ve curated a list of 10 terms and what they mean for you to refer to.
1) Cannabis - This is the alpha plant. Both hemp and marijuana belong to the same species, Cannabis. Native to Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various traditional medicines for centuries.
Marijuana is one variant of the plant that contains high THC and low levels of CBD. It commonly refers to cannabis plants that have more than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight and is the strain of cannabis popular for intoxication.
Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a botanical class of cannabis sativa cultivars grown specifically for industrial or medicinal use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest growing plants on Earth. It has high amounts of CBD, and is also used for its seeds, seed oil and fibers. It contains less than 0.3 percent THC, and is hence legal in a lot more parts of the world for farming.
2) Cannabinoids - Phytocannabinoids are cannabinoids that occur naturally in the cannabis plant. Of over 480 different compounds present in the plant, around 114 are identified as cannabinoids. The most well known among these compounds are CBD and THC.
Endocannabinoids - All mammalian bodies produce certain cannabinoids naturally as well. Endocannabinoids are nothing but cannabinoids that are produced naturally within our body by the brain. The two primary endocannabinoids, Anadamine and 2-AG, produced by the human body interact directly with the ECS receptors. Endocannabinoids are signaling molecules that help regulate various processes such as pain, memory, mood, immunity, and stress.
3) CBD - Cannabidiol (CBD) is the second most prevalent active ingredient in cannabis, and can account for up to 40% of the plant’s extract. It is derived directly from the hemp plant, a cousin of marijuana, or manufactured in a laboratory.
CBD does not produce any psychoactive effects like THC does and has been shown to help in an array of health issues from epilepsy, arthritis and cancer pain to acne and eczema . It interacts with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) – a part of the nervous system that’s thought to play a regulatory role in all kinds of bodily functions, including mood, sleep, and appetite and improve its functioning.
4) THC - Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a cannabinoid like CBD and the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis and the one responsible for intoxication. Despite the negative perception of THC, it has several medicinal properties. For eg. Synthetic form of THC i.e. Dronabinol is an FDA-approved drug for chemotherapy induced nausea and pain.
5) Terpenes - They are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in plants and some animals too. They’re essential oils responsible for the aromas, flavors, and even colors associated with various types of vegetation. In terms of cannabis, terpenes are what make certain strains smell or taste different from others.
To explain that a little better, terpenes are responsible for the odor of pine trees and for the colors of carrots and tomatoes.
6) Psychoactive - Psychoactive, also called psychotropic, is a term that is applied to chemical substances that change a person's mental state by affecting the way the brain and nervous system work. This can lead to intoxication, which is often the main reason people choose to take psychoactive drugs.
7) Full Spectrum CBD, Broad Spectrum CBD and CBD Isolate - You’ve probably heard of ‘full-spectrum’ CBD oil and ‘Broad-spectrum’ CBD oil. Here’s what they mean.
Full Spectrum CBD:
Refers to a CBD product that contains all elements of the cannabis plant, including CBD, THC, minor cannabinoids, terpenes & flavonoids.
Broad Spectrum CBD:
This CBD product contains every element of the cannabis plant i.e. minor cannabinoids, terpenes & flavonoids except THC.
CBD Isolate:
CBD isolate is the purest form of CBD, containing none of the other plant compounds except CBD
8) Endocannabinoid System (ECS) - ECS is a complex cell-signalling system responsible for maintaining balance within our body. The ECS plays a crucial role in regulating a broad range of physiological processes that affect our everyday experience – our mood, our energy level, immune activity, blood pressure, bone density, glucose metabolism, the way we experience pain, stress, hunger, and more. The ECS is composed of cannabinoid receptors, endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids), and the enzymes responsible for the synthesis and degradation of the endocannabinoids.
9) Entourage Effect - When multiple cannabis compounds are integrated, their medicinal effects may be altered or enhanced. Several scientific studies point to various cannabinoids, terpenes, & flavonoids working together synergistically to produce an enhanced medical effect also called the “Entourage Effect”. Hence, certain people prefer Full/Broad spectrum CBD products over CBD isolate products.
10) Bioavailability - This basically talks about the amount of CBD available at its intended biological destinations. Holding a few drops under the tongue has faster and higher absorption as the Cannabinoids are able to directly enter the bloodstream through the thin mucous membranes. Whereas a soft gel capsule or gummy ingested orally can take up to several hours because it has to work through your digestive system and in the process some amount of CBD is wasted.
Hope these terms helped you understand the subject a little better. Stay tuned to our Blogs section on the website for more such information, and do share this with fellow friends/users/people curious about how CBD works!