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Rare Phytocannabinoids
Traditionally medical cannabis products contain two primary compounds from the plant, THC and CBD. These are found in highest concentrations in the plant. However, there are over 100 other phytocannabinoids found in the plant in lower concentrations. CBG, CBN, & THCV are examples of other natural molecules found in cannabis plants. They are structurally distinct from CBD & THC and have different biological activity, and different therapeutic applications. They are valued more highly than CBD due to their lower concentrations in the plant, making agricultural production more costly or in some cases not economically viable to extract at all. BioPharm’s biological and pharmaceutical technology overcomes this limitation, allowing more economical supply of bulk rare phytocannabinoids, in high purity.
The Next CBDs
Cannabis contains over 100 different compounds with various medicinal effects. CBD and THC are the two which occur in highest concentrations, so are the easiest for farmers to extract and are therefore the best known.
However, this doesn’t mean they are the most effective. Many other compounds in the plant also have distinct pharmacological effects. Let’s take Cannabigerol (CBG) as one example, which is rapidly gaining popularity as ‘the next CBD.’
CBG is the natural precursor to THC and CBD, present in the immature plant before metabolising into THC or CBD so it is called the ‘stem cell’ cannabinoid. CBG is found in very low concentrations in the plant and only when the plants are immature, so extraction requires sacrificing the whole crop prematurely, making agricultural production extremely costly. For this reason BioPharm are preparing to produce pharmaceutical CBG via organic chemistry methods instead.
Medical Applications for CBG
- Research into CBG has already shown that this highly sought after compound has a number of medical properties quite distinct from the effects of CBD or THC, creating new potential markets. Links to academic references below:
- CBG outperforms THC and CBD as antibiotic
- CBG regulates mood by boosting anandamide
- CBG shows potential for treating anxiety, muscle relaxation due to GABA activity
- CBG is a potential neuroprotectant
- CBG stimulates appetite with less side effects than THC
- CBG can help with difficult to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Similarly, THCV is another rare phytocannabinoid with distinct biological activity leading to it being studied for a different range of therapeutic applications.
What is the opportunity?
Global research efforts into the underlying mechanisms of medical cannabis have identified over 100 distinct compounds in the plant with a myriad of different pharmacological effects.
There is generalised accord amongst practitioners on ‘the entourage effect’ – that it is the combination of natural compounds in the correct ratio which provide greatest efficacy, yet agricultural production methods are still focused on CBD and THC, becuase the other compunds are found in such low concentrations in the plant that it is extremeley costly to isolate and control the ratios of the other compounds.
BioPharm’s patented method of producing generic cannabidiol and derivatives using organic chemistry and propretary biosynthesis methods are not restricted by the limitations of plant material and are being further developed to produce not only CBD and CBG but other cannabinoids as well. As these systems are developed, BioPharm will supply a whole range of cannabinoids in custom combinations for researchers and medicine manufacturers, economically, with pharmaceutical purity, meaning new medicines can be supplied sustainably in quantities to reach their true potential.
