A guide to Cannabidiol (CBD)

products-servicesCBDepot s.r.o.

September 9th 2020

CBDepot manufactures and supplies a range of hemp-derived and cannabinoid-related products.

The most important of these product groups is Cannabidiol, a phyto-cannabinoid that is one of 113 identified cannabinoids in the cannabis plant and accounts for up to 40% of the plant’s extracts.

CBDepot offers a short guide to address widespread lack of knowledge of what is CBD, CBD effects and what are CBD’s potential applications.

What does CBD mean?

CBD stands for Cannabidiol, a chemical compound from the Cannabis sativa plant, also known as marijuana or hemp.

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) defines Cannabidiol as 2-[(1R,6R)-3-methyl-6-prop-1-en-2-yl-1-cyclohex-2-enyl]-5- pentylbenzene-1,3-diol.

CBD is a naturally occurring substance that’s used in products like oils and edibles to impart a feeling of relaxation and calm and can be used in a wide range of applications, such as a pharmaceuticals, food and food supplements and cosmetics.

CBD THC relationship

CBD has a complex relationship with its fellow cannabinoid delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the major active ingredient in cannabis, and responsible for its euphoric effects of marijuana or hashish.

Unlike THC, CBD is not directly psychoactive in the sense that it does not impart any euphoria or ‘high’. This is not the same as saying CBD is completely non-psychoactive. In the first place, there is copious evidence that CBD modulates the effects of THC.

Secondly, a minority of people (around 5 per cent) report mood-altering CBD side effects, in the same way that some patients can experience psychoactive effects from Tylenol or Advil. However, it is believed the majority of such reports stem from consuming CBD that contains traces of THC. Hence the importance of sourcing Cannabidiol from high quality sources.

CBD and hemp

The Cannabis sativa plant has two primary sub-types, hemp and marijuana. While both contain CBD, but there’s usually much higher percentage of CBD in hemp, which also has much lower THC content (<0.2 per cent).

Hemp seed oil extracted from the seeds of the hemp plant does not contain cannabinoids – CBD or THC – above contamination levels but does contain unsaturated Omega fatty acids that are useful in cosmetics and food applications.

CBD vs CBN and CBG

It is easy to become confused between the similarly named various cannabinoids. CBD is quite distinct from CBN or CBG.

CBG (Cannabigerol) is the non-acidic form of cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), the parent molecule that becomes synthesized into the other cannabinoids during plant growth, leaving only about one per cent CBG in the mature hemp plant.

Meanwhile, CBN stands for Cannabinol, the mildly psychoactive cannabinoid found in trace amounts in Cannabis, especially when aged or cured. Unlike other cannabinoids, CBN does not stem directly from CBG or CBGA, but rather is the degradation product of THC, following exposure to air or sunlight over prolonged periods of time.

The health benefits of CBD

The US Food & Drug Agency has so far approved just one CBD medication, Epidiolex, for the treatment of certain types of epilepsy. While there is a wealth of anecdotal evidence that CBD health benefits include alleviating back pain, osteoarthritis, and even killing some cancer cells, evidence to support or disprove these claims has been held back due to lack of serious medical research.

CBD usage

Research has accelerated as the social, regulatory and legal framework around cannabis consumption is under reform in many parts of the world, generating considerable new data.

Clinical research on CBD has included studies on anxiety, cognition, movement disorders and pain.

CBD can be taken into the body in multiple ways, including by inhalation of smoke or vapor, as an aerosol spray into the cheek, and orally. It may be dispensed as CBD oil or as a prescription liquid solution.

CBDepot CBD Cannabidiol

CBD isolation can be achieved in the laboratory to produce pure CBD powder or pure CBD oil.

CBDepot supplies Cannabidiol in powder form, soluble in alcohols, alkanes, aromatic hydrocarbon, chlorinated solvents, or polar aprotic solvents. The product is manufactured, handled and stored in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines and as outlined un the International Conference on Harmonization ICH Q7 guideline on Good Manufacturing Practice for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients.