CBC, a derivative of CBG, offers antibacterial, antifungal, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties and effects. It is highly effective in slowing tumor growth and combating cancer.
(Anti-Seizure, Anti-Epileptic, Pain Reducer, Sleep Aid, Anti-Oxidant)
By now you’re probably familiar with cannabinoids, especially the most common ones, THC and CBD. But you likely haven’t heard of cannabichromene, also known as CBC.
Discovered over 50 years ago, CBC is considered one of the “big six” cannabinoids prominent in medical research. It doesn’t get as much attention, but CBC’s benefits are extremely promising.
CBC has the same origins as both THC and CBD do in that they all stem from cannabigerolic acid (CBGA). Cannabis plants produce CBGA, the precursor to three major cannabinoids: tetrahydrocannabinol acid (THCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), and cannabichromenic acid (CBCA).
The specific plant enzymes cascade and “direct” the breakdown product into one of the three lines. For CBC, it converts from CBGA into cannabichrome carboxylic acid (CBCA), and then finally to CBC after exposure to heat or ultraviolet light.
CBC Works With Other Cannabinoids
CBC is non-intoxicating, so it doesn’t produce the euphoric high that THC does. It remains non-intoxicating because it binds weakly to CB1 cannabinoid receptors in the brain. However, CBC binds to other receptors in the body, such as vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1) and transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1), which are linked to pain perception.
When CBC activates these receptors, it triggers the release of increased levels of the body’s natural endocannabinoids, like anandamide.
While CBC has notable benefits on its own, researchers believe it works synergistically with other cannabinoids, a phenomenon known as the entourage effect. The collaboration between THC and CBD is well-known, but researchers still don’t fully understand whether other cannabinoids exhibit entourage effects.
Medicinal Potential
The purported benefits have far-reaching implications. Below are a few medical conditions that may be alleviated by cannabichromene.
Cancer
Cannabichromene may be a powerful cancer fighter, and the reason might be its interaction with the body’s natural endocannabinoid, anandamide. It also appears to inhibit the uptake of anandamide, allowing it to remain longer in the bloodstream.
A recent study that initiated tumor growth in mice (using a two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis model) suggests cannabinoids may effectively inhibit both inflammation and tumor growth. Since studies have shown that anandamide fights breast cancer in vitro and in vivo, this finding shows promise, and other cannabinoids could potentially become chemo-preventive agents.
It as a potential cancer fighter was first published in a 2006 study that looked at cannabinoids other than THC and their possible effects on cancer.
While THC is known for its anti-tumor properties for several different forms of cancer, its powerful psychotropic qualities can make it difficult for chemotherapy use. So far, research has found to be the second-most-potent cannabinoid at inhibiting the growth of new cancer cells (CBG was the most potent).
Pain and Inflammation
Cannabichromene has been shown to block pain and inflammation associated with collagen-induced osteoarthritis. Cannabinoids act on inflammation differently than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) do, and don’t have the side effects of these medications. In another example of the entourage effect, in combination with THC had significant anti-inflammatory response in a recent animal study; together, the two cannabinoids produced a much greater effect on inflammation than by themselves.
Brain Cells
In a 2013 mouse study, it had a positive effect on neural stem progenitor cells (NSPCs), a cell essential to healthy brain function. NSPCs became more viable when in the presence of it, and that shows promise because NSPCs differentiate into astroglial cells, the most important cells for maintaining brain homeostasis. The astroglial cells perform a whole host of functions, including neurotransmitter direction and defending against oxidative stress.
Astroglia counteract many of these issues—oxidative stress, inflammation, toxicity—that create neurological diseases and brain pathologies like Alzheimer’s disease.
Acne
A research team that had previously demonstrated CBD’s effect on acne studied other cannabinoids, including CBC, for similar effects. They found that CBC was a powerful inhibitor of acne. Acne, a skin disease, is characterized by excess sebum production and inflammation of the sebaceous glands. The study revealed that CBC exhibited strong anti-inflammatory properties and suppressed excessive lipid production in the sebaceous glands. CBC also reduced levels of arachidonic acid (AA), which is essential for lipogenesis. While more research is needed, CBC could one day become a powerful anti-acne treatment.
Depression
In another amazing display of the entourage effect, it appears to work in conjunction with both THC and CBD to deliver a trifecta of antidepressant properties.
The therapeutic promise of it is important and requires more research to determine its power by itself. As well as with other cannabinoids working together for an entourage effect. Cannabis patients today face limitations in the products available to them, but as new studies emerge and cannabis l