I recently stopped by a headshop that has been in CT since the 1970s. I always enjoy chatting with the manager who is the daughter-in-law of the original owner – a woman who is still alive and kicking at 103 years old. This family business carries beautiful, locally-made hemp-derived products that include CBD and CBG. From vapes to gummies to CBG flower, I was impressed with the variety of items they sold. So I got to thinking …..how do people know if they should take CB I knew from my time doing research on my book, The Cannabis Prescription, that CBG has been studies as a potential curative agent for severe gastrointestinal diseases such as Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative colitis, but with a little more digging I found additional applications for CBG that can potentially help patients with some of the most difficult to treat diseases like ALS and Parkinson’s disease. Here are the highlights:
- CBG acts as an alpha-2 agonist which is a therapeutic target used in several pharma medications indicated for ADHD and blood pressure.
- Clonidine and guanfacine are commonly prescribed for neuropsychiatric diseases because of their effects on α-2 receptors in the prefrontal cortex
- Studies indicate that CBG may have therapeutic potential to reduce the severity of neurological disorders (e.g. Huntington disease, Parkinson disease, and multiple sclerosis) and inflammatory bowel disease, as well as having antibacterial activity.
- Alpha-2 agonists are used to improve working memory and planning ability and reduction of opiate withdrawal symptom severity.
- CBG has anti-bacterial activity against resistant strains of Staphylococcus Aureus
- Renewed adipogenesis and insulin sensitization improve both symptoms and pathology of metabolic syndrome; therefore, CBG could be explored as a potential therapeutic for this devastating disease.
- CBG may help diabetics improve insulin sensitivity
- CBG has a “curative” effect on gastrointestinal disease with severe intestinal inflammation
Pretty amazing stuff! From ADHD to blood pressure to improvement of neurological disease and reduced gastrointestinal inflammation – CBG has much to offer. I wish we had studies to help us determine the optimal dosage for CBG. But, for now, patients will have to follow the basic guidelines when medicating with cannabis – start low and go slow when increasing the dose until you experience optimal benefits with minimal side effects. As always, keep your doctor aware of any new supplements you are taking. The applications for CBG used in this article were found in the article: Rahul Nachnani, Wesley M. Raup-Konsavage and Kent E. Vrana, The Pharmacological Case for Cannabigerol. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, February 2021, 376 (2) 204-212; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1124/jpet.120.000340