Most cannabinoid discussions within the Medical Cannabis sphere are related to CBD and THC. That is not surprising, given the fact that the Medical Cannabis movement was founded on leveraging THC for its medicinal benefits. But now we see an emerging interest in minor cannabinoids. Do they have a place at the Medical Cannabis table?
Often referred to as ‘alternative cannabinoids’, minor cannabinoids are basically any and all cannabinoids that are not CBD or THC. There are lots of them. Some estimates peg the total number of cannabinoids in a typical cannabis plant at somewhere around a hundred. That said, it is probably important to distinguish between natural and synthetic cannabinoids.
For the purposes of this post, let us define minor cannabinoids as those that are produced naturally. Alternative cannabinoids are synthetic, derived in a lab. Delta-8 and delta-10 THC are prime examples.
On the other hand, CBDA is a good example of a minor cannabinoid. CBDA is known formally as cannabidiolic acid. It is actually the precursor to CBD. In its natural state, a cannabis plant does not offer CBD per se. Rather, CBDA becomes CBD when it is decarboxylated.
Despite its nature as a CBD precursor, it would appear that CBDA might have some pain-relieving properties. We don’t know for sure because research has been so limited over the last several decades. But a small scale study involving 150 Cannigma readers may provide at least some evidence in support of CBDA for pain relief.
The study challenged participants to use a particular brand of CBDA topical lotion over a 4-week period. They were asked to report their experiences with pain relief, or the lack thereof. This particular brand is a favourite among athletes who swear by its ability to relieve pain. Now we are waiting for the study results to be released.
To tell you the truth, the team here at Utah Marijuana will not be surprised if research data confirms what athletes have been saying about the topical lotion all along. We already have access to a ton of anecdotal evidence from people who report that topical CBD lotions relieve all sorts of muscle and joint pain. Why wouldn’t the new study data back them up?
Full disclosure requires admitting that we still do not know the mechanisms behind how all of this might work. We do know that the human endocannabinoid system plays a predominant role in a large number of biological functions. We just aren’t sure of all the details.
We mention all of this to say that CBDA is considered a minor cannabinoid. If it does indeed provide pain relief for aching muscles and joints, then it is a legitimate part of the Medical Cannabis equation. Likewise for any other minor cannabinoids that could ultimately prove to offer medical benefits.
If you are a Medical Cannabis user in Utah, we would encourage you to not count anything out. Keep an open mind. Stay abreast of all the news and happenings within the Medical Cannabis community. There is more to learn every day, and things are moving at a brisk pace right now.
We feel like there is a lot more to minor cannabinoids than medical science knows. They could end up making big contributions to Medical Cannabis in the coming years. Count the Utah Marijuana team among those who wouldn’t be surprised to see CBDA medications on store shelves in the very near future. We have every reason to believe in minor cannabinoids as much as we believe in CBD and THC.
