Cannabis is a plant that contains a variety of substances among which the cannabinoids are mostly recognized and studied. Cannabis extracts are increasingly used in the cosmetic and food industries, and also for medical purposes due to their beneficial and healing properties.
Endocannabinoid system
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is present in the human body as well as in other mammalian species. ECS represents a system of enzymes that synthesize the degraded (endo)cannabinoids, the (endo)cannabinoids as ligands and cannabinoid receptors. The main purpose of ECS is to provide homeostasis or balance of metabolic functions such as neurotransmission, inflammation and energy modulation. There are two main groups of cannabinoid receptors – CB1 and CB2 receptors, which differ in their location in the human body and have varying effects. CB1 receptors are primarily present in the brain and the central nervous system, and to a lesser extent, they are also present in other tissues. They modulate mood, appetite, memory and pain. CB2 receptors are more common in peripheral tissues, particularly in immune cells, and therefore have a role in modulating the immune system.
How does CBD work?
Over 140 cannabinoids can be found in cannabis, among which cannabidiol (CBD) is the one with the most scientifically proven positive effects. CBD is not psychoactive unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is considered an illicit drug. THC is present in industrial hemp in negligible amounts and is therefore not present in products containing industrial hemp extracts.
CBD has a number of proven effects, such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, i.e. protective action. CBD also acts as an antiemetic, relieves pain and insomnia, and calms you down in stressful situations. It should be noted that CBD does not affect psychomotor abilities and physiological parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature.
In addition to CBD, as mentioned above, cannabis extract also contains other cannabinoids with similar effects on the human body. The synergism of the most common cannabinoids such as CBD, cannabigerol (CBG), CBDA (CBD acid form), cannabidivarin (CBDV), CBGA (CBG acid form), cannabinol (CBN) and cannabichromene (CBC) has been investigated and proven in numerous studies.
How do we get hemp extracts?
The production of industrial hemp extracts is most often carried out with the help of supercritical CO2 extraction, which, unlike alcoholic extractions, is more ecological (carbon dioxide – CO2 is a solvent that is environmentally friendly). In addition, this process allows the extraction of all major cannabinoids from cannabis and at the same time, excellent efficiency since unwanted substances such as e.g. waxes are removed during the process.
The High Life products contain industrial hemp extracts with CBD and many other bioactive substances such as other cannabinoids, flavonoids, terpenes, fatty acids and vitamins.
Literature
- Bergamaschi MM, Queiroz RH, Zuardi AW (2011) Safety and side effects of cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent. Curr Drug Saf. 6:237–249.
- Jarvis S, Rassmussen S, Winters B (2017) Role of the Endocannabinoid System and Medical Cannabis. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners – JNP.
- Mackie K (2008) Cannabinoid Receptors: Where They Are and What They do. Journal of Neuroendocrinology 20 (Suppl. 1):10-14.
- Maurya N, Kumar Velmurugan B (2018) Therapeutic applications of cannabinoids. Chemico-Biological Interactions 293:77-88.
- Reekie T, Scott M, Kassiou M. (2018). The evolving science of phytocannabinoids. Nature Reviews. Chemistry, 2(1), 1-12. DOI: 10.1038/s41570-017-0101.
