Guides

CBC Cannabinoid Effects: What we know in 2024

Woman with sunglasses enjoying a cannabis joint outdoors as sunlight illuminates her face

Shop this article

View all
CBD Delta-9 Relax
CBD Delta-9 Relax
CBD Hybrid Relax
CBD Hybrid Relax
CBD Indica Sleep
CBD Indica Sleep
CBD Indica Sleep
CBD Indica Sleep
CBD Focus Sativa
CBD Focus Sativa
CBD Focus Sativa
CBD Focus Sativa
Table Of Contents

Disclaimer: The information provided here is intended solely for informational and entertainment purposes. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read here.

Our cannabis industry is constantly changing—not just in the use of new forms of the plant and its products, but, importantly, in what we know about it at a chemical level, once we have extracted the active compounds. Well beyond THC and CBD, the list of active cannabinoids is expanding fast. Psychopharmacology is becoming more sophisticated and varied, and the world of mainstream cannabinoid research is accordingly finding more room to grow.

But there are more than 110 major and minor cannabinoids, with one other very important one, CBC. In fact, after THC and CBD, CBC might be one of the most underrated cannabinoids you’ve never heard of.

The question we want to answer today is: just what is the CBC cannabinoid, what are the CBC cannabinoid benefits, and so on. By the time you finish this article, you’ll literally know everything there is to know about the CBC cannabinoid, and especially the CBC medical benefits.

Key Takeaways

  • CBC or cannabichromene is often considered the most prominent cannabinoid behind THC and CBD.
  • CBC is generally considered to be non-psychoactive and non-intoxicating, yet may have a wide variety of potential therapeutic and medical benefits.
  • CBC and CBD are both closely related, with many of the same potential benefits, although there are some differences between the two.

What Is Cannabichromene (CBC)?

As mentioned above, CBC, or cannabichromene, is a cannabinoid that was discovered well over 50 years ago. It is often considered to be the third most commonly occurring cannabinoid in cannabis plants, behind THC and CBD.

It comes from the same place as both THC and CBD as well, because it comes from CBGA, which is then converted into CBCA, which eventually becomes CBC, once it has been exposed to heat, otherwise known as decarboxylation.

CBGA is also the precursor to both THCA and CBDA, which are the precursors to THC and CBD, respectively, this cannabinoid is not considered to be psychoactive or intoxicating, so it should not get you high, but it may have a variety of potential benefits.

Important to note is that the amount of research that has been performed on this cannabinoid so far is somewhat limited, but there are strong indications that it could have some benefits.

CBD And The Endocannabinoid System

The human body contains what is known as the endocannabinoid system. These are a special set of neurotransmitters that can absorb, process, and utilize the cannabinoids that you consume.

Generally speaking, cannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoid system or the cannabinoid receptors, mainly the CB1 receptors and CB2 receptors.

These receptors are what are generally responsible for the psychoactive effects of THC, as well as the potential medical and therapeutic benefits of both THC and CBD. However, what is interesting here is that CBC does not seem to bind or interact very much with either the CB1 or CB2 receptors.

It is thought to interact with both the TRPV1 and TRPA1 receptors, which are both closely connected to the perception of pain, physical and thermal stimulus, and inflammation, among other things.

What Do The CBC Cannabinoid Effects Feel Like?

Once again, the CBC cannabinoid is not considered to be intoxicating or psychoactive. Therefore, unlike THC, it should not make you feel high, impair your cognitive abilities, or affect your fine motor skills. It should in no way alter your state of mind, at least not as far as intoxication is concerned.

However, as you will see further below, CBC may have some therapeutic benefits, just like CBD, as it could help relieve some symptoms associated with depression and anxiety.

In this way, the CBC cannabinoid may act as a mood regulator, which could make you feel a little bit more euphoric, elated, and happier in general. So, although this cannabinoid is not intoxicating, it can still make you feel better by improving your overall mental state.

What Are The Potential Benefits Of CBC?

CBC as a cannabinoid has a wide variety of potential benefits, so let's take a quick look at what all of these might be.

Lower Inflammation

According to this particular study, CBC has the potential to lower inflammation levels in the human body. To be clear, this study was performed on mice, but it still shows a good deal of promise. The bottom line is that if CBC can help reduce inflammation, it should also help increase your overall mobility while decreasing the pain that you feel.

This could also have potential benefits for people suffering from inflammatory diseases such as arthritis. There are also indications that CBC is beneficial for gut health. It is thought that much of CBC's anti-inflammatory benefit is related specifically to the gut.

Pain Perception

Although there has not been much research done on this front, it is believed that CBC can reduce pain, mainly by reducing inflammation. However, it may also be the case that CBC acts as an analgesic, which prevents some pain signals from getting to your brain, therefore reducing your overall perception of pain.

Antimicrobial

CBC as a cannabinoid, also has the potential to be antimicrobial or antibacterial. CBC, when ingested, could therefore theoretically help prevent or reduce symptoms related to bacterial or microbial infections, and could potentially help increase your recovery time when suffering from such an infection.

Furthermore, this would also stand to reason that some kind of topical application using CBC could also be beneficial for your skin, both thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Acute respiratory distress syndrome is characterized by low blood oxygen levels because the lungs can seemingly not take in enough oxygen. It is thought that CBC has the potential to help reduce symptoms associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

This particular study showed that CBC was able to reverse low blood oxygen levels, also known as hypoxia, by up to 8%. This also appears to be linked to the anti-inflammatory properties of CBC, as this study indicates that CBC helps lower inflammation in the lungs.

Reduced Anxiety

Although there is also more research required on this front, there are some indications that CBC could work similarly to CBD in terms of reducing levels of anxiety. It may be the case that CBC can affect cortisol and serotonin levels.

Cortisol is a stress hormone that is produced when your body is stressed out, and it effectively serves to keep you in an alert and stressed-out state. Therefore, by potentially reducing cortisol levels, CBC may be able to help reduce stress.

Furthermore, serotonin is a brain chemical or neurotransmitter that can make you feel calmer and less stressed out, while also producing feelings of euphoria, happiness, and elation. In this sense, CBC may be able to help reduce symptoms related to anxiety. Overall, it shows the potential to put you in a better state of mind.

Depression

Once again, more conclusive research is required here, but there are some indications that CBC may be able to help reduce symptoms related to depression. This is also related to the serotonin neurotransmitter but also may have to do with the dopamine neurotransmitter.

The dopamine neurotransmitter is related to the reward center in your brain. It makes your brain feel like you are being rewarded. It uplifts you, motivates you, and makes you feel happier. Therefore, CBC can help increase dopamine levels or change the way that the dopamine receptors work, it could theoretically also help relieve symptoms associated with depression.

What Is The Difference Between CBC And CBD?

First and foremost, these cannabinoids have a slightly different chemical makeup or molecular structure, which then leads to most of the other differences. One of the biggest differences between these two cannabinoids is the way in which they interact with the receptors in your body.

Specifically, CBC binds directly and interacts with the TRPV1 receptor in your nervous system, which theoretically makes it very useful for treating inflammatory conditions. On the flip side, CBD is thought to link more with the 5HT1A receptors, which is why it is believed to be more effective at relieving neuropathic pain.

Yes, both appear to possess anti-inflammatory properties, although they are a result of different interactions with different receptors in the human body. It is also thought that CBC may be the better option when treating topical inflammatory conditions, such as acne and related issues.

CBC vs. CBD for Anxiety: Comparing the Differences

Unfortunately, there is no conclusive evidence that could tell us whether CBC or CBD is the better option for anxiety. The issue here is just that there is not all that much research that has been performed on CBC in relation to anxiety, whereas there is plenty of research that has been performed, which indicates that CBD is a fantastic option for anxiety.

Therefore, although some people may say that CBD is the better option on this front, this could simply be because there is a lack of information about CBC.

As more research is conducted, we expect to see that CBC may be just as, if not more effective than CBD for treating anxiety and related conditions.

What it comes down to is that both of these cannabinoids appear to be effective for treating conditions and symptoms related to anxiety, and it's quite likely that the best results will be achieved by combining the two.

If you want to try some CBD, check out our very own CBD Sugar Queen Pre-Rolls!

At this time, the CBC cannabinoid is considered legal in the United States of America. This is the case under the 2018 Farm Bill, which states that any cannabinoid or cannabinoid product that is derived from the hemp plant and does not contain more than 0.3% delta-9 THC, should be perfectly legal.

Is CBC Safe?

CBC as a cannabinoid is considered to be very low risk in terms of safety, especially as far as abuse and addictive potential are concerned. Furthermore, at this time, there is also no research to indicate that CBC is in any way toxic, life-threatening, or dangerous.

It may have very minimal side effects, such as slight dizziness, headaches, and in rare cases, gastrointestinal upset. However, in the grand scheme of things, the side effects of CBC are very rare and minimal.

My Personal Journey with CBC

I started with CBC (cannabichromene) not out of curiosity, but because I needed it. Chronic inflammation and increasing irritation at conventional treatments led me to lesser-known cannabinoids.

When I read about CBC’s anti-inflammatory potential, I was curious, but skeptical. So I took a tincture of CBC, and when the effects arrived—if they arrived, and it is hard to say—they were very light, and the relief was not sharp but a constant easing: first in my joints, then more in my head. They were as gentle as essential oil in water.

Publishing my story led to attempts to undersell CBC, but also showed me how undervalued it is—and how for me, it has become a quiet, effective piece of my health program, springing from my supplements’ tray. As science continues its course, I think more people will learn, but I would have liked to have known earlier.

Where To Find CBC For Sale Online

If you are looking to purchase some CBC online, then there are plenty of retailers out there you can consider.

We here at Botany Farms also have a massive selection of CBD products, and these are always worth checking out.

For instance, our CBD Pink Lemonade Gummies are super popular. This Botany Farms Live Resin CBD + THC Tincture is another very popular option.

Sources for this Article:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3417459/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5193087/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7400265/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jphp.12082
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6326553/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3417459/

Note: This article is provided by Botany Farms for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The content is intended to offer insights into the practice of dabbing and the use of cannabis concentrates, reflecting current knowledge and research within these areas. It is not aimed at diagnosing, treating, curing, or preventing any diseases or health conditions. As the legal status of cannabis varies across different regions, it is the responsibility of the reader to be informed about their local laws regarding cannabis use. Botany Farms advises all readers to consult with a healthcare professional before making any decisions about cannabis consumption to understand fully the potential risks and benefits. Botany Farms and the authors of this content disclaim all liability for any adverse effects that may arise from the use of information provided in this article.

Reading next

Assorted colorful gummies arranged on a plate with gentle light highlighting their textures and hues
Assorted colorful gummies arranged on a plate with gentle light highlighting their textures and hues
AD MELIORA