Cannabinoids and marijuana

Both cannabinoids and terpenes, along with flavonoids (which will be discussed in another post) are some of the main compounds found in cannabis plants. These compounds are exclusive from this plant, and in this post we want to tell you more about cannabinoids, their different effects and indications.

What are cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are organic compounds which interact with the endogenous cannabinoid system. They are assimilated by CB1 and CB2 receptors, found in the human body and especially in both the nervous and the immune system. This is why cannabis is often useful when treating diseases related to those areas of the body. Cannabis strains from Philosopher Seeds are rich in these compounds, so they can be used in several medical treatments.

5 endogenous cannabinoids - substances produced by the body which interact with cannabinoid recepors - have been identified, being Anandamide and 2-AG the most important ones. They are both related to those functions regulating happiness, sleep, hunger, memory, etc.

Exogenous cannabinoids - also known as phytocannabinoids - were discovered in the 20th century; CBD and CBN in the decade of the 40's, and THC in 1964 (Raphael Mechoulam).

Then, we can alo find synthetic cannabinoids - oftenly used in conventional medicine - like nabilone or dronabinol.

At this moment, 111 different cannabinoids have been found in the cannabis plant, being the phytocannabinoids THC, CBD and CBD the ones found in higher proportions.

What is THC?

THC (delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main psychoactive compound found in cannabis and the most known exogenous cannabinoid. THC is fat-soluble, so it can be dissolved in oils, milk, butter or any fat. Because of this property, it can be accumulated in lipid - fatty - parts of the body, being then one of the hardest cannabinoids to remove from the body.

THC is found in acid form in the plant (THCA), what means that it needs to be decarboxylated (a process where the plant material is heated) in order to be active (to become THC) and recognizable by our cannabinoid system.

THC is mainly used to combat diseases of both the immune and the nervous systems, like chronic pains, anorexia and eating disorders, etc.

Philosopher Seeds strains with high THC level

We present you here the highest THC varieties from our catalog, although all our strains are rich in this cannabinoid.

• The Amnesika marijuana: Early flowering and high yields
• The K13 Haze marijuana: Fast Sativa with incensed/tropical flavour
• The Naranchup marijuana: Orange-flavoured hybrid perfect for the SOG technique

What is CBD?

CBD (Cannabidiol) is one of the most important cnnabinoids found in cannabis plants. It is believed to counteract the euphoric effects of THC, although research is still being performed on this subject. CBD is not psychoactive and is suitable to treat nausea, anxiety, convulsions, etc.

Some recent studies are showing that it could help to prevent the development of tumour cells since it favours apoptosis.

Other studies are demonstrating its effectiveness when treating certain types of schizophrenia, since CBD reduces the psychotic episodes caused by this disease and with few side effects. Parents are also starting to use CBD to treat cases of childhood epilepsies in their children with very nice results.

CBD strains from Philosopher Seeds

Some of our strains show high ratios of this interesting cannabinoids, being these three on the top of the list:

• The SuperJuani marijuana: Spicy flavour, perfect for the SCROG technique
• The Jack el Frutero marijuana: A high yielder both indoors and outdoors
• The Guayita marijuana: American genetics with Kush flavour.

We recommend you to read our post on how Philosopher Seeds began its breeding project with CBD cannabis strains.

Transformation of THC into CBN

CBN (Cannabinol) is a psychoactive cannabinoid oftenly found in Indica strains like Tropimango from Philosopher Seeds. It is also found in the plant in acid form - CBNA - and needs decarboxylation in order to become active (non-acid form, CBN). CBNA is produced by the degradation of THCA, what can be caused by bad drying conditions, light exposure, high temperatures, poor ventilation, etc.

This cannabinoid has - among others - analgesic, antiemetic and anticonvulsant properties, with a psychoactive compound which is often linked to the relaxing effects of cannabis. This is why marijuana plants rich in CBN are recommended to treat sleep disorders, insomnia, etc.

We hope this post helped you to better understand what are these cannabinoids and which are their main properties.

If you have further questions, please leave a comment here!

Have a nice smoke!