Over the past decades, researchers have discovered over 5,000 types of flavonoids in nature. Many of them are unique to specific plants, including those found in Cannabis varieties that are not found in other plants - known as cannaflavins.
Flavonoids help regulate cellular activity, which fights off free radicals that cause oxidative stress in our body. In other words, these help our body function at its peak while protecting it against everyday toxins and stressors within our environments.
Flavonoids are potent antioxidant agents that help your body fight off potentially harmful molecules that can be introduced to the body purposefully, such as in a poor diet, with pharmaceutical or other drugs, or often due to illnesses and other treatment modalities. Our bodies produce antioxidants naturally, but it's generally not enough in today's world - we need supplements.
Inflammation is one of your body's most basic immune responses that can help or hurt. Too much inflammation in the wrong area due to the wrong reason - especially in the lungs - we know to have devastating effects. In other regions, exerting inflammation is more of a self-protection device our body uses.
Allergens, germs, toxins, and other irritants can trigger inflammation as a response. Flavonoids may help your body dismiss that inflammatory reaction to reduce those symptoms.
These elements of nature have become of heavy interest over the past few years due to the ongoing viruses - and the promising ability of flavonoids to halt excessive inflammation, especially within the lungs.
Let's expand on the two most researched Cannaflavins: Cannaflavin A and Cannaflavin B.
Properties:
Anti-inflammatory: Cannaflavins have been identified to possess potent anti-inflammatory properties. A study from the 1980s found that Cannaflavin A, in particular, inhibited prostaglandin E2, a molecule involved in the inflammatory process, 30 times more potent than aspirin. However, more recent research is necessary to understand these properties and their potential applications fully.
Antioxidant: Like many flavonoids, Cannaflavins might have antioxidant properties, but further research is needed to validate this.
Therapeutic Potential: Given their anti-inflammatory properties, there's interest in the potential therapeutic applications of Cannaflavins, especially for conditions characterized by inflammation. However, it's important to note that while preliminary research is promising, comprehensive clinical studies are needed before making definitive claims about their medical utility.
Extraction and Utilization: Because these flavonoids are present in relatively small amounts in the Cannabis plant, researchers are looking at methods to produce them in larger quantities, either through extraction techniques or biosynthetic production.
Does CBGa have CannaFlavins?
Now, when we talk about "CBGa plants," it's crucial to clarify that virtually all cannabis plants produce CBGa to some extent, as it's a foundational compound in the synthesis of other cannabinoids. However, some strains or specialized plants might be bred or modified to produce higher levels of CBGa specifically.
Flavonoids are another group of compounds found in Cannabis (and many other plants). They're responsible for the non-green pigments in plants, like the reds, blues, purples, and yellows in stems, leaves, and flowers. Beyond their coloring role, as we've stated, flavonoids are researched for potential health benefits.
Specifically, regarding CBGa plants and flavonoids:
Presence: All cannabis plants, including those with higher concentrations of CBGa, contain flavonoids. There's no intrinsic property of CBGa-rich plants that would exclude them from having flavonoids.
Cannaflavins: As previously mentioned, certain flavonoids are unique to Cannabis, like Cannaflavins. While no established research indicates a direct correlation between high CBGa content and specific flavonoid profiles, the plant's genetics will determine both the cannabinoid and flavonoid composition.
Entourage Effect: One of the intriguing research areas in cannabis science is the potential for synergistic interactions between cannabinoids (like CBGa) and flavonoids. This synergy, often termed the "entourage effect," suggests that the combined action of these compounds may produce a more beneficial effect than each compound alone.
Breeding and Cultivation: As breeders develop strains with specific cannabinoid profiles (like high CBGa), they may inadvertently or intentionally select for particular flavonoid profiles, given that the plant's genetics influences cannabinoids and flavonoids.
It's crucial to keep in mind that while the potential of Cannaflavins is promising, much is yet to be understood about their full range of effects and potential therapeutic applications. Researchers continually investigate these and other compounds in Cannabis, studying their potential and safety in human applications.
-Mike Robinson, CBGa Crumble, and Creator of ECS Balance Control
CBGa, it's the one Cannabinoid I believe everyone needs...
