There are more than 100 cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, each with its own set of effects. The most known are THC and CBD. But as the market evolves, other cannabinoids are moving to the forefront. One of those is cannabinol – or CBN.
So, what is CBN and how is it different from other cannabinoids? CBN is a non-intoxicating compound that is produced when hemp and its THC ages. The THC oxidizes and transforms into CBN, greatly diminishing its psychoactive effects.
This non-psychotropic quality is what makes CBN (and CBD) so appealing. People want relief from medical conditions without getting “high” from the THC in marijuana. While CBN is usually found in small concentrations – barely a trace in the cannabis flower – a little goes further than equal amounts of THC and CBD.
BENEFITS OF CBN
Benefits of CBN include qualities as an antibacterial, neuroprotectant, appetite stimulator and an anti-inflammatory. While the medical use of marijuana has for decades included easing the effects of glaucoma, it came with the side effect of making the patient “high.” CBD and CBN provide similar results without the psychoactive effects.
It is that anti-inflammatory trait of CBN that may make it highly valuable in treating the long roster of medical ailments caused by autoimmune disorders.
Studies have shown CBN can also inhibit proliferation of skin cells and the inflammation associated with immune response at the heart of skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, inflammatory skin disease and possibly even melanoma.
Researchers are also encouraged by CBN’s therapeutic effect in treating anxiety, as an anticonvulsant and in slowing the onset of ALS.
DEBUNKED AS A SEDATIVE
At one point, many believed CBN to also have sedative properties. That seems to have been a misconception, though. Researchers are now convinced that many people who felt a sedative effect of CBN were using older cannabis, whose CBN in combination with THC may have been the cause for the sedation. Known as the “entourage effect,” some cannabinoids in combination amplify the effects of others.
Still, CBN’s high potency coupled with its non-psychoactive profile make it a prime candidate to treat a wide range of conditions, from everyday ailments to more serious medical issues.
