by Amy Winner – July 14, 2019
CBN or cannabinol in full is one of the many astonishing extracts of the Cannabis sativa plant. It is a cannabinoid. Before going into more detail, it would be appropriate to give a very brief introduction into what a cannabinoid is and its therapeutic implications.
Simply put, a cannabinoid or cannabinoids are extracts of the cannabis flower of chemical nature. They serve therapeutically to alleviate a wide array of medical issues. These issues include nausea, pain, inflammation, and even anxiety. Naturally, the human body produces compounds known as endocannabinoids. These endocannabinoids are able to act in order to maintain and stabilize internal body conditions and optimize health status to some extent. These cannabinoids act by binding to different receptors in the body (based on the specific cannabinoid) and imitating the effect of the naturally occurring endocannabinoids on those receptors and the body in general. Some act on the brain and nervous system, while some others are active all over the body. This is why different types of cannabinoids produce different effects on the body. Examples include CBN, CBD, THC, and many more (about 90 or more have been documented to have vital therapeutic uses).
Since we are already aware that cannabinoids act on various receptors to induce different reactions, to understand CBN properly, we have to find out where in particular it carries out its effects. Cannabinol or CBN binds especially strongly with the CB-2 receptors. These CB-2 receptors are found throughout the human body. Cannabinol is believed by a majority of the population to have sedating effects. While this might be true, it could also be very far from the truth as there is no standard research or proof to support this belief.
Moreover, CBN has been proven to have an excellent entourage effect. This is to say that, when added to other cannabinoids or cannabis compounds, the resulting product will experience a boost in its general therapeutic effect profile. But so far, the effects of cannabinol or CBN as an independent cannabinoid still has a long way to go by way of research.
Nevertheless, CBN has shown very little to no proof of having an intoxicating (feeling high) effect. These effects have been proven to be more associated with another unique cannabinoid known as THC. This research has been highly appreciated by those in the medical field, especially working-class patients who still need to medicate using an extract of the cannabis flower. This is because the THC content responsible for the sluggishness can be reduced to the barest minimum or totally done away with. But naturally, a majority of the flowers have only trace amounts of CBN. In dry flower samples, the total amount of CBN present is usually lower than 1%. Meanwhile, its THC component could be almost 30% (if not more). Only on rare occasions will you be able to notice a plant with CBN content exceeding 1%.
For those who are new to the topic of cannabinoids, it would be a major error to assume that since CBN and CBD sound similar, they have the same effects. The effects of CBN are all unique and outstanding enough that it (cannabinol) could be further expanded to an isolated field on its own. As a matter of fact, some researchers have even taken up the task and are still stressing for application on extra effort in the researching of cannabinols.
The fact that the natural component is rare does not mean that it is totally impossible to access its oil. Besides, you should be interested in knowing that the longer or more aged the cannabis sample, the more CBN content it will possess. This is because, as the THC component is exposed to light, heat, and oxygen over a significant duration of time, it (THC) is converted to CBN. This, however, does not imply that in order to obtain CBN oil and other related products, you should open a “museum” and allow the plants to adequately age before extracting. So far, some products already exist with high concentrations of CBN. Moreover, as time goes on and the current attitude of the public toward cannabis improves, no doubt the number of products available containing CBN would multiply accordingly. In the meantime, lab tested flowers, and other extracts should be sufficient for your needs.
First and foremost, the use of CBN for sleep has proven to be effective. This effect has been attributed to its ability to bind with the CB-2 receptor. It has proven to be effective in aiding sleep (when taken according to medical recommendations). Hence, the use of CBN or related products for sleep is not in any way, over the top.
Next, CBN has proven its worth when used for pain relief as it interacts to some extent with a few of the receptors in the pain neural pathway.
Additionally, CBN is useful as an anti-inflammatory agent or drug. It has been discovered to be able to display immunomodulatory effects on the immune system of humans. Hence, it is useful in the treatment of inflammatory disorders.
Moreover, CBN can serve as an appetite stimulant. Although this area is still being researched, CBN has indeed proven to be effective in increasing appetite.
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