Today, it is becoming more and more fascinating to employ cannabis for the treatment of aches in the body and other ailments. Generally, it is THC and CBD that is the active substance for relieving pain. But apart from THC and CBD, there are more than a hundred more of them, less well-known and definitely less studied cannabinoids, called minor cannabinoids, present in the cannabis plant. These minor cannabinoids, even when present in low percentages, have been found to be effective at relieving pain and targeting pain relief. In this article, we will find out how minor cannabinoids like CBC, CBN, and THCV are useful in the field of pain management.
How Does the Pharmacology of Minor Cannabinoids Work?
Minor cannabinoids refer to cannabinoids that are traceable in plant biomass in lesser amounts. All of these known and unknown minor cannabinoids, which are currently being studied for potential applications of modification of the human body, are considered cannabinoids that do not fall in the THC and CBD categories. While many of their functions are still unknown, some studies suggest that their mechanism of interaction with ECS differs from THC and CBD and might help with pain relief, inflammation, and some other aspects related to health.
List of Minor Cannabinoids
A few of the most popular minor cannabinoids with therapeutic advantages are as follows:
- Cannabigerol (CBG)
- Cannabinol (CBN)
- Cannabichromene (CBC)
- Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV)
- Cannabidivarin (CBDV)
All these cannabinoids have inhibited pain or have shown promise in relief, and this has led to some research on their pain-relieving capabilities, which seem to be gaining traction.
How Minor Cannabinoids May Help in Alleviating Pain
Let's investigate the pharmacology of the minor cannabinoids, analyzing how the effects of the most widely sold cannabis products might be medicinal.
Cannabigerol (CBG)
Since CBG leads to the creation of THC, CBD, and a number of additional cannabinoids, it is sometimes referred to as the “mother” cannabinoid. Owing to its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, CBG is becoming quite common due to its efficacy in the management of pain caused by inflammation and muscle contractions. It has an effect on the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors in the ECS and many pain pathways throughout the body, indicating that it could assist with chronic and neuropathic pain.
- Inflammation Reduction: The antic sense of CBG may help the body to get rid of pain causing inflammatory processes like arthritis.
- Neuroprotective Effects: CBG’s effectiveness in mending and shielding nerve cells may be useful when dealing with neuropathic pain.
Cannabinol (CBN)
CBN, which can be found in trace amounts in hemp, has mild psychoactive effects, making it a unique case of a compound that is produced in small quantities as THC slowly breaks down. CBN has many advantages, including its ability to aid with anxiety, promote restful sleep, and alleviate muscle and joint pain. Many people find it helpful because it makes them feel sleepy, making it a promising treatment for pain-induced insomnia.
- Muscle Relaxation: CBN may alleviate muscle spasm and tension, which could prove advantageous to patients suffering from fibromyalgia or muscular pain.
- Sleep Support: CBN expands on the aforementioned advantages by using sleep as a tool for therapy. Since CBN is capable of alleviating pain, sleep could become less of a fight for therapeutic benefits, allowing CBN to be an effective pain treatment.
Cannabichromene (CBC)
Although CBC is not as popular as other cannabinoids, it has the strongest anti-inflammatory effects among them, which suggests that their pain resolution capacity could be quite powerful. Different from THC, CBC does not induce direct activation of the CB1 receptor, which is critical in producing the psychotropic effect. Instead, CBC binds to receptors located outside the ECS, specifically targeting TRPV1 and TRPA1 receptors that are linked to perceiving pain.
- Reduction of Pain and Inflammation: Because CBC binds to non-cannabinoid receptors that are involved in the perception of pain, it is possible that it reduces pain and inflammation without the high that comes from THC.
- Additional Pain Relief from CBD and THC: The concept of an entourage effect is supported by the fact that CBC helps other cannabinoids work better, probably making them more effective in relieving pain.
THCV (Tetrahydrocannabivarin)
THCV has molecular characteristics that are close to THC. Despite this, it seems to work in quite a different way. It is important to stress that THCV, unlike THC, which encourages eating, may curb appetite while possibly increasing energy levels. THCV-specific details include its anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities, which may be useful in the treatment of inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain.
- Inhibition of Response to Inflammatory Stimuli: THCV points out specific areas of inflammation that focus on its inhibition, which may be beneficial for treating various chronic inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA).
- Nerve Pain Relief: There is the possibility that THCV could have neuroprotective effects, which in turn may provide support for nerve pain and other ailments, as does CBG.
Cannabidivarin (CBDV)
Particular focus has been directed towards CBDV in relation to pain alleviation, particularly within individuals who are neuropathic or inflammatory in nature. Most people don’t associate CBDV with the psychotropic effects that are common with most cannabinoids found in marijuana.
- Reduction of Inflammatory Reaction: Chronic cystitis and interstitial cystitis patients, in particular, can benefit from CBD-CBV as it can provide relief from inflammation, aiding patients with chronic conditions.
- Neuropathic pain relief potential: CBDV has been studied to effectively eliminate or reduce the pain caused by the injury of nerves. It could be helpful for those patients who have multiple sclerosis or diabetes and suffer from diabetic neuropathy.
How Does the Entourage Effect of Major and Minor Cannabinoids Help in Pain Reduction?
The potency and efficacy of cannabinoid-Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) increases when it is taken with other cannabinoids due to the 'entourage effect.' That is why Eicher's formulation containing THCA, THC, CBG, CBN, and terpenes is 10 times more effective than one containing THC alone. THC should always be used with other cannabinoids and terpenes for increased anti-pain effects. One such cannabinoid is CBN, which may act synergistically with THC in improving its psychoactive and analgesic properties.
What is the Future Therapeutic Potential of Minor Cannabinoids?
We are still in the earliest stages, yet studies show an encouraging near-term trajectory and specific clinical applications for pain management:
- Cannabigerol: CBG is a non-psychoactive cannabis constituent that is safe, like CBD, and exhibits anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. CBG has the potential for the treatment of inflammatory and neuropathic pain, injuries caused by damaged nerves that vary from mild to severe.
- Cannabichromene (CBC) is a new compound with a more comprehensive range of action that might work in reducing inflammation and pain in the body. This makes it suitable for use in chronic pain accompanied by other inflammatory conditions.
- THCV and CBDV have a potential role in the treatment of chronic pain, such as neuropathic pain and inflammation, and maybe a good option for those who are in chronic pain and are unable to find pain relief through orthodox medicine.
Are There Any Problems and Considerations?
The potential of these lesser-known cannabinoids to be used broadly is hindered by a number of issues.
Most cannabis sativa and other cannabis strains have only very tiny amounts of minor cannabinoids, and even if they can be found, they would take a lot of time and money to isolate and study them.
Regulatory constraints also restrict in-depth clinical studies on these substances, and further non-preclinical studies on humans are needed to establish the efficiency and safety of plant cannabinoids.
Also, as with any cannabis treatment, patients should always seek the advice of a doctor before starting even the minor cannabinoids in their pain management. The dosage, possible interactions with other drugs, and the type of pain should be taken into account when using such treatment for pain management.
Conclusion
The health-enhancing possibility of minor cannabinoids for pain is an under-researched area which is likely to have a big impact. Cannabigerol, cannabinol, cannabinoids other than THC or CBD for that matter, even THCV and CBDV may work as strong proponents for people needing pain management as they target pain and inflammation from various directions while synergistically combining with the major cannabinoids.
As studies move forward, there is a real possibility that these minor cannabinoids will become increasingly prominent in the future when it comes to pain relief, where people with chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain will have a variety of options to choose from.