Cannabinoid
Pronunciation: /kuh-NAB-ih-noid/
Definition
Cannabinoids are a class of chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant. The plant contains more than 100 of them.
The two best-known cannabinoids are CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), but the plant also produces minor cannabinoids including CBG (cannabigerol), CBN (cannabinol), CBC (cannabichromene), and CBDa (cannabidiolic acid).
Cannabinoids interact with the body's endocannabinoid system through receptors called CB1 and CB2. Different cannabinoids bind to these receptors with different strengths, producing different effects.
Related terms
- CBD (Cannabidiol)CBD is one of more than 100 naturally occurring compounds called cannabinoids found in the hemp plant. Unlike THC, CBD does not produce a 'high.'
- THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol)THC is the cannabinoid responsible for the psychoactive 'high' associated with marijuana. Hemp-derived CBD products may contain up to 0.3% THC under federal law.
- CBG (Cannabigerol)CBG is a minor cannabinoid often called the 'mother cannabinoid' because other cannabinoids are synthesized from its acidic form (CBGa) in the plant.
- CBN (Cannabinol)CBN is a mildly psychoactive cannabinoid that forms when THC ages and oxidizes.
- CBC (Cannabichromene)CBC is a non-intoxicating minor cannabinoid found in trace amounts in most hemp varieties.
- Endocannabinoid System (ECS)The endocannabinoid system is a body-wide signaling network involved in pain, mood, sleep, immune function, and many other processes.
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