CBG is safe, gets the green light for clinical trials and therapy

Cannabigerol, known as CBG, is a minor cannabinoid that became popular after companies worked on the new FDA regulations for cannabis producers. Even as a common name, CBG has yet to go through the same tests and clinical trials as CBD to ensure that high doses are safe. That has since started to change, particularly with the new green light on CBG’s safety from Ethan Russo and colleagues pushing for more clinical trials.

Ethan Russo, MD. Courtesy photo of the Emerald Cup.

The prequel to CBD

A CBG-dominant cannabis strain was finally bred in 2019 and the cannabinoid has gained a foothold in the industry. Initially, breeding techniques were used to avoid excessive levels of THC in hemp plants; high CBG levels were simply an inevitable by-product.

This is because CBG is the first cannabinoid produced and is converted to THC every growth cycle during the cannabis plant’s growth for the last two weeks. CBG is essentially the mother or “mother” of all cannabinoids.

Breeders managed to wipe out the enzymes cannabis needed to chemically alter both CBG and CBD, but this was done to avoid THC production. However, with CBG-dominant strains now available, research can further improve our understanding of the cannabinoid and its benefits.

The green light

A survey recently published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research analyzed the benefits and side effects of cannabigerol (CBG) dominant strains. Ethan Russo, doctor and founder and CEO of CReDO Science, led the study. Cannabis Life Network spoke to Russo about the dose and different CBG strains. (1)

Some people used flowers while others used extracts. Some of the extracts were made from CBG chemovars that were not lacking significant other cannabinoids (THC or CBD).

Ethan Russo, MD.

The study analyzed potential concerns about side effects and withdrawal symptoms while highlighting the therapeutic potential of CBG in clinical trials.

Another CReDO Science employee, two scientists from the University of California and two researchers from Washington State University co-authored the study with Russo. That list includes the director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, Ziva Cooper, who has a Ph.D. in biopsychology with expertise in neuropsychopharmacology. In addition, Michelle Sexton, a naturopathic doctor, Amanda Stueber Ph.D. and Carrie Cuttler Ph.D. also contributed to this entry into the therapeutic future of CBG.

The benefits of CBG from the survey results

Consumers, including this author, have long believed that CBG relieves anxiety based on experience with various chemovars (strains). Pain, depression, and insomnia are other common reasons that patients self-medicate with CBG strains. And now the therapeutic use of CBG for these symptoms has received support from the recently peer-reviewed study. However, the results confirm what many basic sciences have already told us, according to the lead author.

The survey results seem to support much of what basic research has expected from CBG pharmacology: benefits for anxiety, pain, sleep, etc., with a very benign side-effect profile, a preference for CBG over conventional drugs and no evidence of withdrawal symptoms.

Russo

In fact, cannabis with a predominant CBG content offered better therapy for anxiety, depression, chronic pain and insomnia compared to conventional drugs, according to the majority of the surveyed participants.

More than half of the participants said they used CBG for anxiety, but less than a third (30.7%) treated insomnia with CBG-dominant chemotherapy drugs. Depression and anxiety were a better option than conventional medication for more than 78 percent of the 127 people in the study. Pain and insomnia were only slightly less favored with 73.9 and 73 percent, respectively.

Benefits of CBG

  • anxiety
  • depression
  • pains
  • insomnia

Side effects

THC comes with effects such as dry mouth and eyes, as well as drowsiness and increased appetite. While the latter two can be searched for for the effects of THC, these side effects rarely occur when exclusively consuming CBG.

We know that when side effects were listed, they were clearly what one would expect from THC-containing chemovars … Only CBG supplements did not have these effects.

Russo

How many participants experienced side effects from CBG strains?

  • Dry mouth – 16.5%
  • Drowsiness – 15%
  • Increased appetite – 11.8%
  • Dry eyes – 8.7%

Fortunately, addiction doesn’t seem to be a problem with CBG, with 84.3% of people reporting no withdrawal symptoms.

The unknowns and what’s next?

Russo previously determined a safe and effective dose of cannabidiol (CBD) based on clinical studies, but the ideal dosage of CBG has yet to be analyzed. However, Russo noted that 5 mg appears to have a noticeable effect. (2)

People with anxiety often use 10-20 mg of CBG per dose.

Russo

Additionally, patients are more likely to use cannabis strains and more raw extracts than isolates, which means that consumers are using CBG products with different terpenes and cannabinoids. So we asked Russo about the hypothetical entourage effect. This hypothesis suggests that various terpenes and smaller cannabinoids found in a given strain largely contribute to the novel effects of cannabis that Russo helped define in a groundbreaking study, Taming THC. (3)

I can’t tell how many of the 127 people used CBG isolates, but probably very few. It was more flowers and extracts. However, terpenoids would still contribute to the effects even in the pure CBG preparations.

Ethan Russo, MD.

Despite these limitations, it is evident that CBG has advantages as a therapeutic cannabinoid with limited potential for side effects, especially when compared to conventional therapy. However, this conclusion is not surprising. CBG is safe – so it’s time for more clinical trials so we can figure out the optimal dose for each symptom!

Let us know in the comments if you’ve tried CBG cannabis and what you think of its effects. And check out this story to learn how CBG is only half a cannabinoid powerhouse.

sources

  1. Russo, EB, Cuttler, C., Cooper, ZD, Stueber, A., Whiteley, VL, & Sexton, M. (2021). Survey of patients who consume cannabis preparations with a predominant cannabigerol content: perceived medical effects, side effects and withdrawal symptoms. Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 10.1089 / can.2021.0058. Publish online in advance. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2021.0058
  2. MacCallum, CA, & Russo, EB (2018). Practical considerations in the administration and dosage of medicinal cannabis. European Journal of Internal Medicine, 49, 12-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejim.2018.01.004
  3. Russo EB (2011). Taming THC: Potential Cannabis Synergy and Phytocannabinoid Terpenoid Entourage Effects. British Journal of Pharmacology, 163 (7), 1344-1364. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-5381.2011.01238.x

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