Understanding Cannabigerol (CBG) Research

Cannabigerol (CBG), a cannabinoid produced by cannabis/hemp/marijuana, plays a special role within the pharmacopeia of wellness and lifestyle benefits offered by the plant species that produces it. In fact, the molecular source of cannabigerol, cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), is the "mother of all cannabinoids" and the biochemical precursor to market-dominating phytocannabinoids cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabniol (THC).

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Cannabigerol, or CBG, was discovered in 1964 by Yehiel Gaoni and Raphael Mechoulam in Israel and has demonstrated a wide range of medicinal efficacy. This includes research indicating that it may be effective in the treatment of bladder dysfunction, cancer in general, colon cancer specifically, glaucoma, Huntington's disease, immune dysfunction, multiple sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Stated the report, "In this study, we investigate the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiapoptotic properties of two non-psychoactive phytocannabinoids, cannabigerol and cannabidiol."

A 2019 study entitled "Could the Combination of Two Non-Psychotropic Cannabinoids Counteract Neuroinflammation Effectiveness of Cannabidiol Associated with Cannabigerol" that was published in the journal Medicina explored the ability of cannabidiol (CBD) and CBG, used in combination, to treat neuroinflammation and, thus, be part of an effective therapy against neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Stated the report, "In this study, we investigate the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiapoptotic properties of two non-psychoactive phytocannabinoids, cannabigerol and cannabidiol."

The study concluded that a combination of CBD and CBG possesses "anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiapoptotic" properties and might be effective in the treatment of neurological diseases such as ALS. "Our results provide preliminary support on the potential therapeutic application of a CBG-CBD combination for further preclinical studies."

A 2018 study entitled "In Vitro Model of Neuroinflammation: Efficacy of Cannabigerol, a Non-Psychoactive Cannabinoid" that was published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences explored the role of inflammation and oxidative stress in neurodegeneration and how CBG might act as a preventative agent to reduce or eliminate this loss of healthy neurons in the brain and CNS.

"[Hemp] represents a reservoir of compounds exerting beneficial properties, including cannabigerol, whose antioxidant properties have already been demonstrated."

Reported the researchers, "[Hemp] represents a reservoir of compounds exerting beneficial properties, including cannabigerol, whose antioxidant properties have already been demonstrated." The researchers reported that "CBG pre-treatment counteracted not only inflammation, but also oxidative stress."

"All together, these results indicated the neuroprotective effects of CBG, that may be a potential treatment against neuroinflammation and oxidative stress," concluded the study's authors.

A 2015 study entitled "Effect of Non-psychotropic Plant-derived Cannabinoids on Bladder Contractility: Focus on Cannabigerol" that was published in the journal Natural Product Communications investigated a number of cannabinoids in the treatment of bladder dysfunction, including CBC, CBD, CBDV, CBG, and THCV.

Cannabigerol (CBG) molecule

Of these, CBG was found to provide the greatest efficacy (followed by THCV, CBD, and CBDV, in order of effectiveness).

A 2015 study entitled "Neuroprotective properties of cannabigerol in Huntington's disease" that was published in the journal Neurotherapeutics explored the potential role of CBG in the treatment of Huntington’s disease, a debilitating condition of the brain. The Mayo Clinic describes it as "a rare, inherited disease that causes the progressive breakdown (degeneration) of nerve cells in the brain. Huntington's disease has a broad impact on a person's functional abilities and usually results in movement, thinking (cognitive) and psychiatric disorders."

The research reported that CBG was "extremely active as a neuroprotectant in mice intoxicated with 3-nitropropionate (3NP), improving motor deficits and preserving striatal neurons against 3NP toxicity." It also noted that CBG "improved the levels of antioxidant defenses" that had been reduced as a result of Huntington's disease.

The researchers concluded that their results "open new research avenues for the use of CBG, alone or in combination with other phytocannabinoids or therapies, for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease."