What is CBN (Cannabinol)?
You likely have heard of THC and CBD, the two most researched and popularized cannabinoids, but have you heard of CBN?
CBN, Cannabinol, is just one of over 100 cannabinoids that have been discovered within the Cannabis Sativa plant. Like other well-known cannabinoids, CBN affects the body by interacting with cannabinoid receptors located all throughout the central nervous system, which can influence energy levels, mood, pain perception, appetite, and cognitive functions. You can learn more about cannabinoids by checking out this article here and the endocannabinoid system here.
CBN is mostly found in mature cannabis plants as it is a degraded product of THC, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). Like its precursor, THC, CBN is one of the few psychoactive cannabinoids, although very mild.
You likely have heard of THC and CBD, the two most researched and popularized cannabinoids, but have you heard of CBN?
The scientific community is mostly focused on researching THC and CBD, but other cannabinoids are beginning to gain funding. Research on CBN is slowly being released with astonishing results, showing many potential benefits as it exhibits immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory activities. While research is still in the preliminary phase, it looks promising and demand for high CBN cannabis flower and CBN concentrates is growing.
Potential Benefits of CBN
- Sedation. Recent research claims that CBN is a powerful sedative, possibly the most potent cannabinoid for relaxation. In this rodent study, CBN has shown to increase sleep time. Another study showed that the effects are compounded when paired with other cannabinoids.
- Pain Reliever. This study indicates that CBN has analgesic properties, meaning it can help to relieve pain in the body. By influencing the activity of neurons sensitive to capsaicin, CBN may help to interrupt pain signaling and reduce the perception of pain.
- Appetite stimulant. In contrast to CBD, CBN seems to increase appetite, much like THC. In this study, rodents were observed to have increased appetite when given CBN and decreased appetite when given CBD. This is great news, as the appetite enhancing effects of medical marijuana can still be achieved without the debilitating effects of THC.
- Neuroprotectant. CBN has shown promise to be a powerful neuroprotectant for those battling ALS. In this study, researchers used CBN as a treatment for rodents with ALS and found it significantly delayed the onset of the disease. Human trials still need to be completed.
- Antibiotic. Turns out, many cannabinoids are great antibiotics, boasting the ability to help fight harmful bacteria. In this 2008 study, CBN, CBD, and several other cannabinoids were found to be effective in treating MRSA, a bacterial infection resistant to antibiotics. This is one area where CBN could be truly life-saving, as often times MRSA can be fatal.
- Anti-inflammatory. Like CBD and several other cannabinoids, CBN appears to be anti-inflammatory. Several cannabinoids are currently being researched for their therapeutic potential to reduce inflammation.
- Anticancer therapy. Several cannabinoids are being researched for their potential to stop or slow the growth and spread of cancer cells. In this study, CBN was one of several cannabinoids found to reduce tumor size in lung cancer.
- Anti-convulsant. Like CBD and THC, CBN has shown promise for epilepsy treatment because of its powerful anti-convulsant properties, as evidenced in this study.
- Promote Bone healing & growth. Another promising development is in stimulating the production of new bone. Bone growth is modulated by the endocannabinoid system and when activated can cause stem cells to make new bone cells. According to one study from 2009, CBN and other cannabinoids may be helpful in healing fractures and helping to reverse bone loss. Scientists are currently exploring this as a treatment for osteoporosis.
- Glaucoma therapy. According to this article, several studies have shown that CBN, along with several other cannabinoids, appears to be effective as a treatment for glaucoma.
Legality of CBN
While CBN is a mildly psychoactive cannabinoid and a product of THC, it is not listed as a scheduled controlled substance in the United States. With the passing of the 2018 farm bill, industrial hemp (cannabis with THC under 0.3%) was removed from the Federal government’s drug list, making CBN products made from industrial hemp completely legal. All of our CBN concentrates are made from industrial hemp.
CBN in the Future
There are already a few CBN products out, and we carry a few. There’s still a lot more research being done on CBN and we will continue to report on it as it is released. We are excited to see what happens next as the potentials of CBN and all the other cannabinoids are better understood. To stay up to date on cannabinoid research, including CBN, consider subscribing to our newsletter for monthly updates on the biggest news in the industry and special offers.
