Like CBD, CBG is a cannabinoid or a naturally occurring compound that is present in hemp. Sometimes CBG is called the “mother of cannabinoids”, because its thought that many cannabinoids start out as a form of CBG.

The compound is synthesised when the plant matures but the amount of CBG declines as the plant ages. CBG oil is derived through the same extraction process as CBD. The extraction is often mixed with a carrier oil to put into the products.

CBG has not drawn much attention from researchers as THC or CBD, but it’s starting to show up in the focus of interest.

One more reason that CBG is less popular than other cannabidiol is regarding its cost. According to recent estimations, CBG costs upwards £ 15 000 per 1 kg, while the same amount of CBD is priced around £ 2500.

Possible benefits

Literature highlights its numerous pharmacological properties. Potential medicinal applications of CBG include pain relief, muscle relaxant, antidepressant and anti-anxiety compound, neuroprotective effect, strengthening of bones, skin problems management¹.

CBG like CBD is non-psychoactive. It means it cannot provoke a “high” or mind-altering effect.

Antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial properties

A number of studies have found that CBG may possess both antifungal and antimicrobial properties. The findings show the compound has some potent activity against a variety of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains².

Fighting drug-resistant bacteria

MRSA is one of the most common hospital superbugs, and according to the survey, it is responsible for about 3000 deaths in the UK annually³. At present options for treating multi-drug resistant MRSA are highly limited. This necessitates the need for finding new approaches to manage the infection.

The scientists have concluded that CBG is capable of killing MRSA microbes in infected mice.  However, its mechanism of antibacterial action is not fully understood. Further, its efficacy in clinical conditions has yet to be established².

Conclusions

The results of the study are very optimistic, but it is still too early for any conclusions. CBG, still, cannot be recommended as a treatment for multi-drug resistant MRSA infection. There is a need for clinical trials in humans to establish its safety and efficacy.

In 2005 GW Pharmaceuticals, a British biopharmaceutical company responsible for the development of Epidolex, a CBD-based drug used to treat epilepsy in children, revealed the analysis showing that a southern Italian hemp plant possesses a heavily CBG-dominant profile⁴. This may help produce more CBG products in the future and popularise its use.

References

1. Deiana S. Chapter 99 – Potential Medical Uses of Cannabigerol: A Brief Overview. In: Preedy VR, ed. Handbook of Cannabis and Related Pathologies. San Diego: Academic Press; 2017:958-967. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-800756-3.00115-0
2. Appendino G, Gibbons S, Giana A, et al. Antibacterial cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa: a structure-activity study. J Nat Prod. 2008;71(8):1427-1430. doi:10.1021/np8002673
3. Johnson AP, Pearson A, Duckworth G. Surveillance and epidemiology of MRSA bacteraemia in the UK. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2005;56(3):455-462. doi:10.1093/jac/dki266
4. de Meijer EPM, Hammond KM. The inheritance of chemical phenotype in Cannabis sativa L. (II): Cannabigerol predominant plants. Euphytica. 2005;145(1-2):189-198. doi:10.1007/s10681-005-1164-8