Cannabis sativa & indica
Cannabis ruderalis
Cannabis is a semi-tropical/tropical plant that has been used as medicine for thousands of years. It is said to have originated in China and cultivated widely there, but is grown all over the world including in the US. Sativa translates to ‘cultivate’. It has also been vilified by our government for decades as a ‘gateway drug’ and has been illegal in the US since 1906, just before the Rockefeller’s took over the medicine in 1913. I should add cannabis was historically used for recreation as well which prompted its regulation and prohibited use along with other medicines. A federal law passed during this time, the Pure Food and Drug Act, was the law that set up rules for food and drugs sold in commerce in order to raise the standards of both and to decrease the use of harmful ingredients in some foods (some preservatives) as well as make people aware that some medicines in commerce contain addictive harmful qualities (opium, cocaine, Mercury etc ). Apparently cannabis was considered potentially harmful. Its use, just as the use of many plants for medicine, was discouraged, but prior to that cannabis (aka hemp) was used for not only medicine, but for making fiber materials.
THE BASICS
Cannabis contains cannabinoids. These are anti-oxidants (phenols) the plant produces and they come in may different forms in the plant. Cannabinoids, when ingested, cover receptors in our body’s that are present on different cells and affect our body’s in a positive way, typically in an anti-inflammatory, relaxing, and soothing way. There are two types of plants that are referred to as cannabis: one with THC, one without. I will be talking about the one without. While the species of plants listed above CAN contain THC, plants can be grown to contain less than .3% THC through genetic selection and are typically referred to as hemp. While THC is a medicinal chemical (phytochemical) in the plant (a cannabinoid) it is also the one that causes euphoria and sometimes hallucinations and is responsible for the ‘high’ feeling. There are so far about 125 different cannabinoids in the cannabis plant that have been discovered. I will go over just a few of the different cannabinoids in the plant and briefly mention the basic affect they have on the body. It’s worth mentioning that cannabinoids can come in the acid form or the non-acid form. Most products you buy will contain the non-acid form. That’s ok.
Cannabis also contains a class of phytochemicals called terpenes and are the ‘smelly’ parts of the plant. Terpenes are the largest class of phytochemicals in the plant world and are isolated in used as ‘essential oils’ that have become so popular. These chemicals are why rosemary smells like rosemary, mint smells like mint, and so on. I won’t be discussing the terpenes of cannabis in this article, but they have a diverse medicinal affect on the body from anti-cancer to anti-anxiety.
THC - tetrahydrocannabadiol
Insecticide, fungicide, necrotic to leaves.The more sun, the more THC in the plant. High THC: high anxiety if unopposed with CBD. It’s actions on the body are: Analgesic, muscle relaxant, neuroprotective, Potentiates opiates (30%), reduces pain response, antioxidant, Euphoric, Intoxicant, energetic, antiemetic, anticonvulsant, induces cancer cell death, reduces cancer growth, reduces cancer blood vessel growth, sedative, anti-inflammatory, Modulates immune system, increases appetite, reduces energy wasting (cancer).
THCA - tetrahydrocannabadilic acid
Anti-inflammatory, Neuroprotective, Anti-seizure, Anti-proliferative (tumor growth), Antiemetic, increases in plant with more sun.
CBD - Cannabadiol
UV protectant, Modulates THC, antisposmodic, antiemetic, Potentiates THC analgesic action, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuro-protectant, anti anxiety (binds to serotonin receptor), Antipsychotic, anticonvulsant, reduces cancer tumor invasion, prevents chemo-induced neuropathy, increases cancer cell death, helps with alcohol withdrawal, improves sleep.
CBDA - Cannabadiolic Acid
Binds serotonin receptor 100 times more than CBD (may help with migraine, anxiety, vomiting, nausea, depression), anti-inflammatory, analgesic, works with COX-2 to reduce pain and inflammation.
CBN - Cannabanol
CBN because this cannabinoid begins to appear as the plant material ages. Over time the THC in it begins to turn into CBN. When marijuana ages, the THCA inside of it converts to CBNA.This process happens even faster if cannabis is exposed to light and air. This is why it’s recommended to store cannabis in airtight containers away from UV light. CBN is good for sleep and pain relief. It can make you drowsy.
CBG - Cannabagerol
All cannabinoids in cannabis start out as CBG and over time it reduces down to make all other cannabinoids so there is typically very little of this in the plant. It’s found to have anti-anxiety affects and counters the THC ‘high’, so it’s one of the calming cannabinoids in the plant. Also used for appetite stimulation, glaucoma, depression, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and as a neuroprotectant.
So when you hear people talk about CBD, some are literally ONLY talking about cannabadiol, but in general it is used to describe ALL of the cannabinoids in the bottle you just purchased….not always, but because of marketing, it seems to be the thing to say and the term thrown around as such. I suggest people purchase a CBD product from someone who knows how to use it and is educated about the plant and a product that is full spectrum, meaning you are getting MORE than just CBD, since so many cannabinoids are highly medicinal and you get a synergistic affect when you include them all in the medicine. Herbalist call this whole plant medicine and SYNERGY. The cannabis industry calls this the ‘entourage affect’, but whatever you call it, CBD isolate products out there that isolate JUST CBD I find do not work as well and are a waste of money in my opinion.
You can take whole plant non-THC cannabis in a few forms, but the most popular is in an oil base. The industry calls this a tincture - it is not a tincture, but an oil infusion. Here at my shop I buy the whole extracted resin (full spectrum) and infuse it in a hemp seed oil that I buy in commerce, dosing people accordingly depending upon why you want it and what strength the oil is. I can mix different strengths depending upon the proportion of resin to oil I use. I also make whole flower extract and this is in a 95% alcohol base. THIS is a tincture. Tinctures are alcohol-based. The whole flower is straight from the plant with no extraction process done to it except what happens in the alcohol. I find that this form of medicine is very beneficial and efficacious and it has passed less hands, also made with love. :)
You don’t have to take cannabis products internally. I also make salves for pain and inflammation and other skin care products as the cannabinoids are wonderful for skin. In fact I have used it successfully for hard to heal eczema (both internal and external use), psoriasis, and skin health in general. It’s a tissue healer.
The reason many people are interested in cannabis products is because the market has opened up in many states since it is now legal in these states to grow and sell these products. Some states allow for recreational use of the THC containing plants, but here in NH we are not quite there yet, although we have dispensaries that allow for medicinal use which you need to go through your doctor to utilize. Your doctor, if they see it’s beneficial for you, will give you a card and you can go get THC cannabis. It comes in many forms (gummies, candy, whole plant, etc). Many people use either THC cannabis or non-THC cannabis for pain relief, to help you sleep, for anxiety, depression, cancer, PTSD, epilepsy, to reduce inflammation, and for autoimmune dis-eases. The application is almost endless. I find that the non-THC form is highly beneficial and can help with pain and sleep just as well as the THC kind, it just depends upon dose and consistency. THC is for sure a strong component of cannabis and can have ill-effects for many (including addiction in high doses), so it’s just not suited for everyone. This is the beauty of the non-THC kind. It doesn’t give you anxiety as the higher THC cannabis can do, and is safe for children too.
If you have a job that drug tests, they are typically testing for THC, but be mindful you can test positive if you take any cannabis product, at least this is my understanding.
Thanks for reading…..
~Sara
Sara Woods Kender
sara@sarasherbs.com
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Sacred Tree Herbals
169 Daniel Webster Highway, Unit 1
Meredith, NH 03253
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