What is CBD?

To understand CBD, it’s first necessary to understand where CBD originates and its chemical importance.

Where does CBD come from?

Cannabis plants – including cannabis sativa, cannabis indica, and cannabis ruderalis (otherwise known as “hemp”) – produce compounds called cannabinoids, lipidic molecules that stimulate the cannabinoid receptors in diverse cells of the body, including the central nervous system and the immune system.

There are at least 113 different cannabinoids isolated from cannabis with different effects, but the most noticeable cannabinoids are CBD, THC and CBN.

What are cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that interact with “receptors” in cells that signal chemical responses to the brain. Ligands – smaller molecules that bind to larger molecules – for these receptors include naturally-occurring endocannabinoids (which exist natively within the body of animals) and phytocannabinoids, which exist in plants (notably, cannabis and hemp). The most widely-recognized cannabinoids are THC – the cannabinoid that provides a “high” from consuming marijuana – and CBD, which carries numerous therapeutic and anti-inflammatory properties.