This article is brought to you by the new Higher Learning LV Core Cannabis course.
Welcome to homework assignment 1.12 of the Core Cannabis Lite Track from Higher Learning LV. When you complete this assignment, simply click the link at the bottom of the article to return to the master page for this training track.
Welcome to Cannabinoid Clinic, an education project powered by Higher Learning LV. This series provides cannabis and hemp industry professionals with easily digested cannabinoid profiles that ask little of your time—but provide plenty of science-based information.
There are two categories of cannabinoids: Phytocannabinoids and endocannabinoids. Phytocannabinoids are those produced by cannabis/marijuana/hemp, while endocannabinoids are made by the human body. This series covers both.
CBD molecular structure
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is the result of CBDA, the acidic precursor for this famous cannabinoid. It is considered a major cannabinoid produced by hemp because it typically dominates other cannabinoids, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
CBD has been shown to be of value to patients who suffer seizure activity (including epileptics), anxiety, and sleep disorders. It has also exhibited anti-inflammatory powers and research has revealed that it buffers the effects of THC, sometimes preventing the anxiety and paranoia that can result from this cannabinoid, especially when consumed by novices and in potent doses.
"CBD has been shown to be of value to patients who suffer seizure activity (including epileptics), anxiety, and sleep disorders."
Modern commercial and underground cultivars of loose-leaf hemp flower typically contain 12-30+ percent CBD. Many examples of the hemp plant have been bred and cultivated with the intent of maximizing the production of CBD.
CBD History
CBD was first isolated by celebrity U.S. chemist Roger Adams in 1940. In the same year, Adams and Lord Todd in the United Kingdom synthesized the cannabinoid CBN.
U.S. chemist Roger Adams in 1940
In 1963 through 1965, a group of Israeli scientists led by Raphael Mechoulam isolated and synthesized CBD and THC, renewing international academic interest in the compounds produced by the hemp plant. The pioneering work of Mechoulam and his team led to the discoveries of more than 100 phytocannabinoids, a scientific exploration that continues to this day.
Image courtesy Dr. Raphael Mechoulam
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