By CBDepot s.r.o.
Cannabinoid applications
CBDepot is a pioneer in the manufacture of high-quality natural and synthesized cannabinoids. From its founding in 2014, the company has been a leader in helping to establish legal and quality standards for cannabinoid-specific ingredients that have a fast-growing presence in sectors including foods, cosmetics, medical devices and magistral formulas.
Cannabinoids definition
The cannabis sativa L. plant contains more than 110 identified cannabinoids, of which several are identified as potentially useful active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The most useful cannabinoids definition is that these are chemical compounds that occur naturally within the plant and its flowers (buds). These are also referred to as phytocannabinoids to indicate that they are plant-derived, as opposed to endocannabinoids that are formed endogenously in mammalian bodies and interact with enzymes and receptors.
CBD vs CBG
For many years, the best known cannabinoid has been tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): the main psychoactive component in cannabis. Research over the past two decades has also shown that THC reduces pain perception and is neuroprotective, with affinity for the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the human brain and nervous system. This research has also identified cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) as cannabinoids of interest.
Both CBD and CBG are non-psychoactive and shown in research to interact with CB1 receptors in the nervous system and brain and CB2 receptors in the peripheral nervous system and immune systems, influencing pain, and inflammation. These interactions are more quantified for CBD than for CBG, which has been less widely studied so far.
Research on CBD benefits
CBDepot makes no claims for the benefits of CBD therapy in medicine. Rather company’s focus is on ensuring it supplies CBD that is of very high pharmaceutical and food-grade quality, ready for use in research, magistral formulations, cosmetics and in food applications.
However, CBDepot takes a keen interest in the rapidly increasing body of scientific knowledge about cannabinoids and publishes the most interesting research highlights. From the year 2017 alone, these have included findings on CBD linked to stroke/TBI, ischemia, stress, spinal injury, sleep disorders, skin conditions, psychosis, and nausea.
Potential CBG applications
Cannabigerol may also have potentially useful pharmaceutical and ‘wellness’ applications since CBG is known to kill or slow bacterial growth, reduce inflammation, (particularly in its acidic CBGA form), inhibit cell growth in tumor/cancer cells, and promote bone growth. CBG interacts with several cannabinoid, and non-cannabinoid receptors and inhibits specified enzymes in the human body. Scientific research so far has established the following CBG properties with potential links to a number of indications:
- CB1 Receptor: Low affinity antagonist (pain management)
- CB2 Receptor: Potential agonist (immune system functions)
- 5HT1a Receptor: Antagonist (serotonin levels, memory, cognition)
- Alpha-2 Adrenergic Receptor: Agonist (pain, mood disorders, blood pressure)
- COX 1/2 Enzyme: Inhibitor (gut issues and inflammation).
Thus there are potential pharmacological applications for CBG but the science here is insufficiently developed to make any substantiated claims. Nor is cannabigerol recognized in international pharmacopeias as an active pharmaceutical ingredient, which means there are no permitted CBG medical applications.
However, the more immediate applications for Cannabigerol are in CBG food additives. During 2021, CBDepot filed a pre-submission with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for CBG as a novel food ingredient, under the provisions of the EC’s Novel Food regulations that aim to establish a food safety mechanism to control newly developed, synthetic, or genetically produced food in the EU. If a food is considered novel, it must be authorized by the EU Commission and undergo a pre-market safety assessment by the EFSA before it can be legally marketed in the EU.
CBD foodstuffs
The fastest growing markets are for Edible CBD, specifically flavoring and other food additives and CBD nutraceuticals.
CBDepot’s commitment to Novel Food compliance began in early 2016, shortly after the CBDex® brand was launched by Cannabis Pharma, the JV partner in CBDepot. Their EU application NF 2019/1371 was the first-ever CBD-specific dossier to have reached valid status on March 27th, 2020.
In early January 2021, CBDepot filed two Regulated Product applications with the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) to grant access, post-Brexit, for its two grades of Cannabidiol to the most significant legal CBD food supplement market worldwide: application RP70, for Pure Cannabidiol with 4MP®- branded secondary products in the forms of carrier oils, measured dose spray, and chewable tablets, and application RP85, for Isolated Cannabidiol and CBDex®-branded secondary products in the form of carrier oils linked to this dossier.
In April 2021, the Regulated Products applications with the UK FSA were declared validated. This means validated food supplements under the CBDex® and 4MP® brands will be available to the UK market for legal sale leading up to final authorization in 2022. CBDepot’s battery of proprietary Tier 1 and Tier 2 studies on Genotoxicity, Subchronic Toxicity and Toxicokinetics of Cannabidiol, already presented to the UK and EU authorities, provides solid grounds for marketing of CBD across the EU.
Resources
Click on CBDepot CBD Research for scientific information.
Click on Upmarket cannabinoid solutions from CBDepot for further information.
Click on CBDepot takes the first step towards marketing authorization of CBG in foods for further information.