CBD (Cannabidiol) is one of over 120 naturally occurring cannabinoids found in Cannabis or Hemp plants. For those of you who don’t know already, Hemp is a variety of the Cannabis Sativa L plant which tends to have low levels of THC and high levels of CBD. Unlike THC, CBD will not get you high and studies have found that it is perfectly safe for regular human consumption.

A cannabinoid is any chemical that binds to or affects cannabinoid receptors such as CB1 and CB2 in the brain and body. The three main groups of cannabinoids are phytocannabinoids, endocannabinoids and synthetic cannabinoids.

Phytocannabinoids are cannabinoids found in the Cannabis Sativa L plant, however, cannabinoids in fresh plant matter are in acidic forms such as: CBDa, THCa, CBCa and CBGa. When these acidic forms are exposed to heat or light, they transform into CBD, THC, CBC and CBG. This transformation is known as decarboxylation. 

Endocannabinoids are cannabinoids that are produced naturally within the bodies of nearly every animal organism. The two most important endocannabinoids are anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol. Endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors are the two pillars of the endocannabinoid system, which controls vital bodily functions such as our immune system, mood, memory, appetite, sleep patterns and pain.

Interestingly, CBD and many other cannabinoids found in CBD Oil seem to react with our own cannabinoid receptors in a similar way to endocannabinoids.

The final group, synthetic cannabinoids, are as the name suggests, cannabinoids that have been produced synthetically in a laboratory. One example of a synthetic cannabinoid is dronabinol which is the active ingredient in MARINOL, a medicine that has been used to prevent nausea, vomiting, weight-loss and loss of appetite.