مركبات الحشيش: ما وراء THC 🧬

Ok so I've actually tried to write this piece in a different style to the others. Some A/B testing. This one is longer and leans more into a referenced style article. If you just jumped off cause you got bored that's handy to know, everything helps x Anyway lez gooooooooo!

"What percent is that?" The THC Obsession

"What percent is that?" is probably one of the most common phrases you'll hear when people talk about cannabis. It's shorthand for asking about how much THC is in your weed, the most abundant psychoactive compound in cannabis.

For years, I thought the same way, which is fair. The higher the THC percentage, the better the weed, right?

No.

The Alcohol Analogy

So how do drinks differ so much in taste, smell, appearance, texture, and the effect they have on you? It's all about the other ingredients and how they interact.

Cannabis works the same way. Focusing only on THC is like judging a book by its cover. You're missing the deeper story inside.

Think of cannabis flavor and aroma variation like the differences you find across various types of beer. Just as beers can range from crisp and subtle lagers to hoppy IPAs or dark, robust stouts, cannabis strains offer a spectrum of flavors and smells shaped by their unique terpene profiles.

These terpenes, found in both hops (used in beer) and cannabis, create notes that can be citrusy, piney, earthy, skunky, or fruity.

That story is largely about terpenes, aromatic compounds that give cannabis its unique flavors and smells. But terpenes do more than just smell good; they interact with THC and other cannabinoids to shape the overall effects, a phenomenon known as the entourage effect.

Let's dig into that story. And trust me, there's some fascinating science here.

But before we dive in, let's get one thing straight: I'm not a doctor. Please don't take medical advice from me. If you're looking to use cannabis to treat a medical condition, consult a healthcare professional. I'm just a guy who's passionate about educating people about cannabis. Yuppp the C-Bar Beatz lad 🕊 Ándale Ándale!

Setting the scene - Knowing what you are consuming

Whether you're already a cannabis user or you're thinking about trying it for the first time, knowing what you're consuming is v important.

Maybe you're planning a chilled night with your partner, homemade pizza, a glass of wine, and a good movie. Or maybe you're gearing up for a hike with friends, followed by a dip in the sea and some food afterward. Whatever the situation, the type of cannabis you use, matters.

Different strains will have different effects on your body and mind. Understanding these effects helps you navigate your experience responsibly. The more you can tailor your experience for your given situation, the better. It's not a one size fit all plant. Understanding the different compounds in cannabis will help you make more informed choices and can help avoid any potential negative side effects.

A lot of bad experiences with cannabis happen because people don't know what they're consuming or how much. It's like downing a bottle of vodka without knowing what to expect. Knowledge is power, so here's your knowledge x

There are three main types of cannabis plants you will consume: sativa, indica, and hybrids.

Sativa strains have been known for their energizing and uplifting properties

Indica strains have been known for their relaxing and sedative qualities

Along with this, most cannabis strains today are hybrids, combining traits from sativa, indica, to create plants with tailored effects and improved flavors. This hybridization allows growers to meet diverse consumer needs, blending the stimulating effects of sativa with the calming properties of indica. As a result, pure sativa or indica strains are now rare, with hybrids dominating the cannabis market Understanding what you're consuming becomes nearly impossible unless you're purchasing from licensed retailers who provide detailed cannabinoid and terpene breakdowns of their products.

The flower/bud of these different cannabis strains are all made up of hundreds of cannabinoids and hundreds of non cannabinoid chemicals. Whether it's a sativa, indica or hybrid, they are all made up of different variations of these compounds.

I'ma break these compounds down for ya.

The Characters in Our Story

My guess is that you've heard of THC & CBD when it comes to cannabis. That's as far as it goes for a general human (whatever a general human encompasses)

Think of cannabis as a band.

You've got your lead singers, THC and CBD. But no great band is complete without the rest of the crew: the minor cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids.

Let's meet the band.

The main compounds in Cannabis

Major cannabinoids (Singers)

What are cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are naturally occurring chemical compounds found primarily in the cannabis plant. We talk about these in the endocannabinoid system.

THC & CBD are the two most abundant compounds found within cannabis. Let's quickly see what they are and what they do.

THC = Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol

The star compound of cannabis. The showman, hated, adored, never ignored. Birth certificate name Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. THC is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis and also the most abundant compound found in the plant. It has been widely researched in animals & humans.

Remember the percentage reference we were on about above? "What percent is that man?" Well this refers to THC. So what is it?

THC is a cannabinoid. A phytocannabinoid to be exact, meaning it comes from a plant. It's produced in the glandular trichomes of the plant via an allele (allele exists on genes) (1). When consumed it's absorbed into the bloodstream where it travels our brain, locking to the naturally occuring receptors throughout our body.

It was first isolated from the cannabis plant in 1964 by Professor Mechoulam (2).

When we think of THC we often are thinking about the mind. The psychoactive experience we have with it.

The "high".

So how does it affect us mentally?

When ingested, THC binds to the CB1 receptors located around our brain. When THC binds to CB1 receptors in the brain, it hijacks the usual communication between neurons. Under normal circumstances, neurons use chemical messengers, called neurotransmitters, to pass information across tiny gaps known as synapses.

These neurotransmitters include things like dopamine (which influences pleasure and reward), GABA (which calms things down), and glutamate (which stimulates activity). CB1 receptors sit on the sending side of that synapse and act like volume knobs, helping regulate how much of each neurotransmitter gets released.

But when THC activates these receptors, it throws that balance off. It can reduce the release of GABA, which normally helps inhibit overactivity, so things feel more intense. It also boosts dopamine, leading to feelings of euphoria. And it interferes with glutamate, which messes with memory, focus, and perception.

The result is a kind of neural remix, some parts of the brain get louder, others quieter, and you're left with a state we call being high.

I could attempt to explain how it interacts with all the different parts of the brain, but we would be here a while and you could lose interest easily. And we don't want that. I want your eyes glued to this screen please. No outdoors, don't socialise with anyone, stay inside, look at the screen and give me all your attention. Thank you.

So below, there's a nice picture to give you a rough idea of how it interacts with the various parts of our brain. Cmon the pictures!

Source: American Psychological Association (2023) - Reference [3]

THC & our sleep cycle is an interesting one. I'm fascinated by sleep. Matthew Walker's "Why we sleep" is a must if you're curious about this topic. Sleep is literally the biggest game changer/superdrug out there, I swear to god. You want to change how you feel day to day, get your 8 hours. There's also a great article by Danielle Pacheco on how cannabis is used for sleep by humans. It outlines the risks and benefits involved. I really think it outlines the point of you have to know what you're consuming and why, to reap the benefits from cannabis consumption.

Interesting information below:

The hippocampus. The hippocampus is important for learning & memory. In long term cannabis users the hippocampus capacity/volume is reduced (4). Meaning you aint got as much capability available for your hippocampus to do its thing. We can see that both hippocampal volume and neurochemistry are reduced to the greatest extent in users exposed to THC without CBD (5). This is seen as a negative and it is.

So with this, THC has been shown to increase NREM sleep and decrease REM sleep, respectively. What does that mean? Well REM sleep is important for dreaming, processing emotions & creating new memories. So reducing this capability & capacity is bad, yes? The less you're able to process emotions & create new memories is not good…

Yes but sometimes no 🤔

Let's take PTSD patients who wake up with night terrors. REM sleep is allowing for these night terrors to come about during their sleep cycle, as REM sleep is where dreaming happens. They dream but they dream about the most horrific situations they have experienced in life.

They then take a bit of cannabis.

Cannabis enters their system and their REM sleep is stopped. The reduction in REM sleep stops the volume of night terrors and allows for patients to enjoy a full night's uninterrupted sleep (5). So we can see how at first glance THC is acting negatively by stopping REM sleep but in reality for certain patients it's actually a huge positive. This doesn't start and end with PTSD patients.

Low dosage of THC has been shown to reduce sleep onset latency and has been associated with greater ease of falling asleep, increased slow wave sleep and increased total sleep time. (6) Many cancer patients use high level THC content to combat the nausea that comes with chemotherapy and helps them with appetite issues. (7)

People with chronic pain & multiple sclerosis can also utilise cannabis for improved sleep. I hope this can touch on how we need to be knowledgeable in what we are consuming and why. There are many various aspects that work in different ways. There is huge potential to utilise this for positive outcomes in people's lives. I'm positive about that. We just gotta be more informed on the subject matter.

THC gives people a euphoric feeling, the "high" we talked about. It alters your reality. Life starts to feel a little lighter. The world feels a bit more fun. It heightens your senses. Listening to music can be more enjoyable. Food can taste amazing. Libido can be increased. That edge of our "serious" lifes can be taken away if consumed correctly.

Overall, the potency of illicit cannabis plant materia (THC) has consistently risen over time since 1995 from approximately 4% in 1995 to approximately 12% in 2014. It must be noted that THC level has been increasing year in year and it follows the, more is better way of thinking.

As in many cases, this ain't the way to look at it. It might sell to the masses but if you're interested in actually seeing what the plant is about don't go chasing numbers.

It's a mix of the various compounds that will help you enjoy this plant as much as possible. I probably sound like a broken record and if you've read this fair, fair play to you. The one thing I want you to take away from this article is…

If you are actually interested to see how cannabis could be a small part of your life, listen to me on this. You have to understand what type of plant you are taking and what situation you're looking to consume it in.

If you're interested in trying cannabis, start with much lower levels of THC. There's no point getting something so strong that was never meant to be as strong as it is now.

We've all done this so it's pot called the kettle black situation, but would you go out and smash a litre of vodka as your way of consuming alcohol…? 😶😶😶

Ok, maybe in your earlier years more often but it never really ends too well. Try to be smart when consuming cannabis. Start slow and go from there. If you're going to try it, might as well try to avoid the negative effects you can get as much as possible, yeeee?

CBD = Cannabidiol

CBD (Cannabidoil) is THC's well respected sibling. Straight A's, College graduate , 9-5, happy family, never causes trouble. They have their shit in check.

CBD is the second most abundant compound in cannabis (8). It's a non psychoactive, non intoxicating compound. It doesn't alter how we think. It doesn't get you high. It works in the background. CBD is extracted mainly from the hemp plant as hemp contains far more CBD and little to no THC (9).

How does it work?

CBD enters us and has a low binding affinity for cannabinoid receptors but a strong one to your serotonin receptors. CBD has a strong affinity for 5-HT1A serotonin receptors, which are involved in mood regulation and anxiety reduction. Studies (Russo, 2005) (10) show that CBD's interaction with serotonin pathways contributes to its anxiolytic and antidepressant effects.

I think this is one of the most interesting pieces of information I have come across as of yet.

An understanding of the endocannabinoid system would really help here.

So our body makes its own naturally occurring cannabinoids to help with the overall function of your existence. Now these cannabinoids do not have an off button, so our enzymes come into play to degrade and clean them up. It's a cycle that is continuously happening inside you right now.

So how does CBD come into play here?

Well when you consume CBD it tells your enzymes to stop doing their job. So stop degrading the naturally occurring cannabinoids inside you. This then allows for the production of more cannabinoids to be circulating inside you. Your body makes more of the naturally occurring cannabinoids such as Anandamide. Anandamide is often called the bliss molecule because it helps regulate mood, pain, and balance in your body.

That in itself is a cool auld fact for ya now.

Again CBD is a cannabinoid. A phytocannabinoid to be exact, meaning it comes from a plant. Rinse repeat for anything under the major/minor cannabinoid family. CBD is being utilised in the medical sector for a wide array of conditions & ailments. I touch more on this in the medical uses of cannabis.

It's the second most abundant compound found in cannabis. So what does it do?

Clinical research on CBD has shown promising results in areas like anxiety, addiction, psychosis, movement disorders, and pain. But here's the catch, there's still insufficient high quality evidence to conclusively say it's effective for most of these conditions.

Now, you might be thinking: "Well then, aren't you just speculating and talking out your arse?" Fair question. Let me explain.

We've made it near impossible to actually study this plant properly. Decades of laws, regulations, and classification under restrictive drug schedules have blocked researchers from even getting approval to study cannabis in the first place. It's not that science has failed to prove cannabis works, it's that science hasn't been allowed to try.

And if we're all sitting around with our tinfoil hats on, asking why it was restricted so heavily, here's what I'd throw into the ring:

Cannabis doesn't easily fit that model. At least, it didn't. For years, you couldn't patent or commodify the whole plant in the same way. So from a profit perspective, it wasn't convenient.

Now? Big pharma is slowly stepping in, breaking cannabis down, isolating individual cannabinoids like CBD, CBN, and THCV, synthesizing them, and turning them into neatly packaged products. So even cannabis is starting to become A, B, C, D.

And then there's the darker part of the story. Cannabis prohibition wasn't just about medicine, it was a political and racial tool. It targeted Black and Latino communities. It helped fuel the rise of private prisons. Harsh drug laws kept people locked up while companies profited from incarceration.

So yeah. Money, power, control. It never really stops.

Tinfoil hat off, but only just.

Now, back to CBD, what it's doing and studies currently being conducted.

As laws are loosening and we can now conduct studies, the findings are interesting to say the least.

With regards to CBD and sleep many studies have linked CBD as effective treatment for anxiety. Subduing those thoughts we have before sleep that can keep us awake, tossing & turning can help us fall asleep. (11).

There was an open-label 12-week trial of CBD, looking at how CBD can be an effective treatment for anxiety. CBD was administered at escalating doses between 200 mg and 800 mg per day in young people with anxiety disorders (n = 31) who had previously not responded to standard treatment. Anxiety severity was significantly improved after the 12-week intervention with adjunctive CBD. Twelve of 30 (40%) participants had a reduction of at least 50% in Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale (OASIS) scores by week 12, and 18 of 30 participants had a reduction of at least 33%. Twenty-six (86.7%) of 30 participants showed significant clinical global improvement at Week 12 (12).

Furthermore there are Interesting studies including an ongoing study sponsored by Staci Gruber Ph.D. This is an open label to double blind study evaluating the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) for the treatment of anxiety in adults. It will be interesting to see results in 2025 from experiments like this.

We can see CBD is heavily linked with the therapeutic properties in cannabis. As mentioned, it's discussed in the medical uses of cannabis.

So we have touched on the two main cannabinoids in cannabis. The two compounds you've heard about before. Is that where it ends? Is that all we look out for when consuming cannabis?

No it's not. Let me introduce the boys on drums, bass and guitar. We've had our lead singers. Let's have the rest of the band, production team and anyone who helps in making a band a band.

Minor cannabinoids (Electric Guitar)

Minor cannabinoids are just like the major cannabinoids. Same thing, just less abundant in the plant. Major cannabinoids are THC & CBD, the rest are minor cannabinoids.

There are over 100 various cannabinoids in Cannabis. There's smaller quantities of these specific cannabinoids in cannabis compared to our major cannabinoids.

The majority of scientific research has been conducted on what are known as the "Big Six". Also known as the Sixicans, a mariachi band composed of THC, CBD, CBG, CBN, CBC & THCV. The band goes around from town to town playing tunes and singing the praises of cannabis. So I'll touch on the remaining 4 of the Sixicans.

THCV = Tetrahydrocannabivarin

THCV is a mildly psychoactive compound found in cannabis. It's structurally similar to THC but has different effects. Why there has been focus on researching THCV has mainly to do with its appetite suppression properties. (13)

If anyone has consumed cannabis and particularly cannabis with THC in it, we get what's called the munchies. The appetite shoots up and that endless pit that is our stomach, opens up. Food can taste amazing but we definitely consume more than we need while high. What THCV has been shown to do is decrease appetite, increase satiety, and up regulate energy metabolism, earning it the nickname "diet weed".

So it can suppress your appetite and help you metabolise what you've eaten already. That's pretty sick. It must be noted this isn't just a straight swap for THC, THCV is not as psychoactive as THC.

Along with this is also help with blood sugar regulation, anxiety, bone health, energy & focus, (13)

CBG = Cannabigerol

CBG is a non psychoactive non intoxicating compound like CBD. Recent CBG studies are uncovering some interesting uses for this particular cannabinoid. Early findings have found CBG to have anxiolytic & antidepressant effects. Ethan Russo, M.D., conducted a study along with the help of his colleagues to investigate the acute effects of CBG on anxiety, stress, and mood. The secondary objectives were to assess subjective drug effects (intoxication, drug effect, drug liking), potential side effects (dry eyes, dry mouth, sleepiness, appetite, racing heart/heart palpitations) as well as to determine whether CBG produces motor or cognitive impairments. (14)

What they concluded from the study was results of the double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over field trial indicated that 20 mg of hemp derived CBG reduces subjective ratings of anxiety and stress in healthy cannabis using adults in the absence of motor or cognitive impairment, intoxication, or other subjective drug effects (e.g., heart palpitations, dry mouth).

It appears CBG may be able to be used in adults to reduce stress & anxiety without the side effects that can come from other various cannabinoids. Positive beginnings.

So what's the difference between something like CBD and CBG? Lot's and not much.

It's extremely similar to CBD but with certain distinct characteristics. CBG uniquely interacts with α-2 adrenoceptors and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT1A) (14). This helps with physiological responses to stressors we experience. You become stressed and anxious, what's CBG doing? CBG is looking to stop your blood or heart rate spiking, removing the progression of the state of feeling stressed or anxious.

Dr Jim Connell discusses CBG in his podcast and it offers interesting insight. He discusses how CBG has additive properties to THC and CBD. Normally when we consume cannabis, CBD mitigates the desired effects we look to seek from THC. So it subdues it a bit. What CBG does is it doesnt do this. It doesn't subdue THC. It still allows THC to do its thing in full, while also doing what CBD does best. This can be useful in certain settings.

CBN = Cannabinol

CBN was actually the first cannabinoid to be extracted from cannabis at the end of the 19th century. That's the 1800's time (15). Never understood why it's the 19th century but the years start with 18 something. Brain can't compute it, doesn't seem right, anyway.

CBN is a mildly psychoactive compound produced in cannabis. It can be looked at as a less potent cannabinoid version of THC. It's actually a product of THC oxidation (16). It's created when THC molecules degrade as cannabis ages, especially when exposed to heat, light, and oxygen. It's about 25% as potent as THC in terms of psychoactive properties (17)

CBN has a higher selectivity for CB2 receptors, which are primarily associated with immune function.

From early studies the feedback provided is that it can be helpful as a sleep aid, for pain relief and has neuroprotective properties & anti-inflammatory effects. One 2005 study found that CBN could help delay the onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disease that affects cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

Again we need more studies conducted to further the validity of these initial promising results

CBC = Cannabichromene

Cannabichromene (CBC) is a non psychoactive, non intoxicating cannabinoid found in cannabis that offers several potential therapeutic benefits.

It activates the CB2 receptor, which is associated with immune function and inflammation response (18). CBC doesn't significantly interact with CB1 receptors, which are primarily responsible for psychoactive effects.

From early studies the feedback provided is that CBC has several beneficial effects such as anti inflammatory properties, pain relief, neuroprotection, antibacterial effects, acne treatment, and potential anti cancer properties. CBC has been found to be one of the most potent cannabinoids at inhibiting the growth of new cancer cells, second only to CBG in some studies. CBC may increase the levels of anandamide, an endocannabinoid, in the body. Anandamide has been shown to fight breast cancer in both in vitro and in vivo studies (19).

CBC appears to work synergistically with other cannabinoids, enhancing their therapeutic effects through the entourage effect. When combined with THC, CBC can boost its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties (20)

So yea that's some info on the minor cannabinoids. Look it ain't sexy and I doubt that information is useful but it should begin to help you understand how many various compounds are within cannabis.

On to el terpenes.

Terpenes (Drums)

Source: CBD Alchemy - Cannabis Terpenes Guide

These little fellas are going to be very important in the coming decades on how we understand what this plant can do to us.

Terpenes are organic, aromatic compounds found in pretty much all types of plants, including cannabis.

They are responsible for the plant's unique flavours and aromas (21). Terpenes are found in oranges, lemons, vegetables, spices, mangos, basil, cinnamon, hops and so on. These naturally occurring chemicals are produced in the trichomes of our cannabis plants. Terpenes contribute significantly to the plant's distinctive scent, flavour, and potential therapeutic effects.

See how I bolded significantly. I want you to understand the terpenes in cannabis play a major role in what you get out of this plant. My guess is in 20/30 years the terpene portfolio of each cannabis plant will be what a consumer looks for before purchasing some of the devil's lettuce. It will help the consumer understand what they are going to get out of the specific strain.

An example of this is Myrcene.

Myrcene is widely recognized for its sedative properties, potentially helping with relaxation, sleep, and anxiety reduction. Strains high in myrcene (>0.5%) tend to have more soothing, calming effects, while those with lower concentrations (<0.5%) may have more uplifting effect. (22).

So with that logic if you're looking for cannabis to take during the day, maybe you're going for a walk in nature with a few mates and ye want to add another layer of thinking and feeling to your adventure. You would stay away from Myrcene because it sedates and would potentially make you feel somewhat lethargic. I hope that makes sense x

The different types of smell from each different plant come from our Terpenes.

Cannabis contains over 150 types of terpenes, with more than 100 different terpenes identified in various strains (23).

Terpenes serve several important purposes:

• Attract pollinators and repel predators
• Protect plants from environmental stressors
• Contribute to the plant's immune system
• Enhance colour and pigmentation in leaves and buds

Terpenes are believed to work synergistically with cannabinoids in what's known as the "entourage effect" This phenomenon suggests that the combination of terpenes and cannabinoids may produce more potent or diverse effects than isolated compounds. (24)

The entourage effect. This is an interesting concept when we discuss cannabis.

Imagine you have a big box of Lego blocks. Each block is cool on its own, but when you put them together, you can build amazing things that are much more exciting than just one block.

The entourage effect in cannabis is kind of like that. Cannabis has lots of different natural chemicals in it, like THC, CBD, and terpenes discussed. These are like the various different Lego blocks.

When you use just one of these chemicals by itself, it can have some effects on your body. But scientists think that when all these chemicals work together, they might create effects that are stronger or different than what you'd get from using just one chemical alone

It's like how a group of friends (an entourage) can do more fun things together than they could do alone. The chemicals in cannabis might work as a team to create special effects in your body.

I'm going to write a whole other piece on this because it's needed but for now you have that little summary.

Limonene

Limonene is a colourless liquid hydrocarbon classified as a cyclic monoterpene. It is the major component in the essential oil of citrus fruit peels, particularly abundant in orange peels. Limonene is primarily found in citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, limes).

Research suggests limonene may have: (25)

• Anti-inflammatory properties
• Antioxidant effects
• Anticancer potential
• Stress-reducing qualities

You're probably thinking "Hold on, these things are found in fruits too?". I'll let you in on a secret here now but don't go spreading it around alright. Cannabis is a plant and so is an orange tree…..

FREE. THE. WEED. FREE. THE. WEED!

Sorry, I can't help myself sometimes, ok.

Myrcene

Myrcene is one of the most prevalent terpenes found in cannabis, known for its earthy, musky aroma and various potential therapeutic benefits. Myrcene is found in cannabis, hops, mangoes, lemongrass, thyme, basil.

Research suggests Myrcene may have: (26)

• Anti-inflammatory properties
• Sedative properties
• Muscle relaxant qualities
• Antioxidant effects

Myrcene is widely recognized for its sedative properties, potentially helping with relaxation, sleep, and anxiety reduction. It often dominates the terpene profile of many strains. Strains high in myrcene (>0.5%) tend to have more soothing, calming effects, while those with lower concentrations (<0.5%) may have more uplifting effect. (24)

That sedative feeling when you consume cannabis, the "couch potato" feeling in some since is highly linked to the presence of Myrcene in cannabis. So if that's something you are after then look for the (>0.5%) content of Myrcene in your cannabis and if not? Do the opposite.

Humulene

Humulene is a naturally occurring terpene found in various plants, including cannabis, hops, and sage. It's known for its woody, earthy aroma and contributes to the distinctive scent of some cannabis strains and hoppy beers.

Research suggests Humulene may have qualities such as: (27)

• Anti-Tumor
• Appetite Suppressant
• Anti bacterial
• Anti-Inflammatory

Humulene is found in hops, black pepper, basil, ginseng, and sage. Research suggests humulene may have several beneficial properties including being an anti-inflammatory, analgesic (Pain-relieving), antibacterial and appetite Suppression contributor.

Flavonoids (Bass)

Flavonoids are a large group of naturally occurring compounds found in plants, fruits, vegetables, and herbs (28). Everything's bloody naturally occurring isn't it. They are widespread distribution in plants, contributing to flower coloration and UV filtration. Along with this they possess antioxidant properties, helping neutralise harmful free radicals in the body. (29)

In cannabis, flavonoids make up about 10% of the plant's compounds, with up to 3% by weight in dried leaves and buds (30). In CBD dominant strains, flavonoids are present in a higher concentration. Cannabis specific flavonoids play an important role in the therapeutic effects of cannabis.

We can see this with Apigenin where it inhibits TNF-alpha, an important contributor to the development of multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis (31). β-sitosterol, a phytosterol found in cannabis, reduced topical inflammation 65% and chronic edema 41% in skin models. (32)

Again the entourage effects is where we see our flavonoids come into discussion. They work together with all the other compounds to do what cannabis does.

Wow, that was a slog writing about that for a while. Some interesting ass things in there that aren't there.

If we are to conclude with a main point it would be as follows. What cannabis does for the human endocannabinoid system is similar to what happens when we take the compounds discussed in THC & CBD. The compounds act like the terpenes and flavonoids when they are subject to see how long I can keep this sentence going without having any point at all….

Sorry

If you trust me, to conclude.

It's not just THC that gets you high or CBD that helps medically. There are hundreds of compounds that all work together in what's known as the entourage effect. Each compound gives off a certain reaction in your body and when consuming cannabis we need to be aware it's not just all about THC. Because that's what sells. It only sells from a lack of knowledge that the general public has on this topic. It's not that people won't understand it, the information just hasn't been ready and available.

So if youve gotten to the end of this article, spread the fucking word. Mix it into a conversation you might be in when talking about drugs or cannabis in general. Let's begin the conversation.

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