What is CBD?

Cannabidiol, also known as CBD is the name of one of the most numerous compounds found in the cannabis plant. Cannabinoids are a class of active chemical compounds produced by the cannabis plant that are found throughout the seeds, stalk, and flowers of cannabis plants — including hemp and marijuana. These cannabinoids act on receptors located in our cells as part of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and alter the release of neurotransmitters from body organs, including the brain. The ECS predominantly consists of two endocannabinoid receptors: CB1, located in the central nervous system (CNS), and CB2, found throughout the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Researchers are currently discovering new receptors and are now uncovering that there may be more CB receptors inside of our body.

CBD is the main active compound in hemp and unlike THC, CBD it is not psychoactive, so it does not make you high. Hemp plants have substantial amounts of CBD and only trace amounts of THC which has led to it becoming more popularly recognized for its medicinal purposes. Researchers have been able to identify numerous therapeutic uses of CBD. CBD hemp oil is a natural botanical concentrate.

 

Scientific and clinical research—much of it sponsored by the US government—underscores CBD’s potential as a treatment for a wide range of conditions, including arthritis, diabetes, alcoholism, MS, chronic pain, schizophrenia, PTSD, depression, antibiotic-resistant infections, epilepsy, and other neurological disorders. CBD has demonstrable neuroprotective and neurogenic effects, and its anti-cancer properties are currently being investigated at several academic research centers in the United States and elsewhere. Further evidence suggests that CBD is safe even at high doses.

Inside the human body there’s the endocannabinoid system, with receptors spread throughout the brain and body. Cannabinoid receptors are involved in a series of processes inside the human body, including the regulation of mood, pain sensation, appetite and memory. These receptors can be activated by endocannabinoids produced by the human body as well as by plant cannabinoids and they’re grouped in two main categories: CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are found mostly in the central nervous system, and in smaller numbers in the liver, kidneys and lungs, while CB2 receptors are part of the immune system and found in the hematopoietic blood cells as well [1]. It used to be thought that CBD acts on these CB2 receptors, but it appears now that CBD does not act on either receptor directly. Instead, it seems to influence the body to use more of its own cannabinoids. It has been shown that Cannabidiol (CBD) strengthens and improves the efficacy of mitochondria, the power source for every cell in your body.

Continued studies on the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) have shown that apart from being regulator of homeostasis, the ECS also responsible for repairing damaged cells. Research has also shown that cannabinoids are able to target damaged cells without affecting normal cells, which means that the ECS can act as a biological defense system. When a person ingests hemp oil, CBD, or other cannabinoids, these cannabinoid receptors are activated (CBD seems to have a higher affinity for CB2 receptors than CB1 receptors). Research is showing that supplementing your Endocannabinoid System with plant cannabinoids, you are naturally developing a healthier ECS system and improving the power source of your body’s cells.

Johnson, Jon. (2017, April). CBD oil: Uses, health benefits, and risks. Retrieved from www.medicalnewstoday.com

Source: Article published by Medical News Today; Reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT.