The human body has cannabinoid receptors throughout the body. This is what is known as the “Endocannabinoid System”. It is a natural part of our bodies. Cannabinoids are Some receptors that have an effect on our system are in the brain and central nervous system, and some are in our muscles and other tissues and organs. The combinations of these compounds in different strains of Marijuana have been shown to have an entourage effect. Sometimes one cannabinoid alone will not have the same effect when more than one compound is used, or even having different ratios of the Cannabinoids produce different effects. There are bound to be more uses to treat various ailments as more research is conducted. The research on Marijuana has been stymied by the Federal and State laws concerning Marijuana, and as such, has limited the research and education that is needed.
The symbiotic relationship of these compounds with our endocannabinoid system show promise as using Marijuana and related compounds as safe, therapeutic agents. Perhaps that is why there are no reports of death by overdose of Marijuana.
The 2016 article published in PubMed Central 1 provide information about Cannabis Sativa and the interactions with the human body and the cannabinoid type compounds in the Cannabis plant. The cannabinoids have acronyms such as the more commonly heard of THC and CBD, and also includes other cannabinoids like CBC, CBN, and CBG. (THC is known as Tetrahydrocannabinol, CBD is cannabidiol, CBC is cannabichromene, CBN is cannabinol, and CBG is cannabigerol) Other known cannbinoids are – Cannabichromevarin (CBCV), Cannabidivarin (CBDV), Cannabigerol Monoethyl Ether (CBGM), Cannabigerovarin (CBGV), Cannabicyclol (CBL), Cannabivarin (CBV), and Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV)). Endocannabinoids are thought to modulate or play a regulatory role in a variety of physiological processing including appetite, pain-sensation, mood, memory, inflammation, insulin, sensitivity and fat and energy metabolism (De Petrocellis et al., 2011; Di Marzo and Piscitelli, 2015).
The World Health Organization has published a report on CBD and has noted in that report the idea that is has no potential for abuse.
There are also compounds called Terpines which also have an entourage effect with the other cannabinoid compounds. See our page on Marijuana Strains for more information.
- Andre CM, Hausman JF, Guerriero G. Cannabis sativa: The Plant of the Thousand and One Molecules. Front Plant Sci. 2016;7:19. Published 2016 Feb 4. doi:10.3389/fpls.2016.00019
