How CBDv Interacts with Your System
MA, BS, and MH Medical Anthropology and Chemistry
CBDv is similar to CBD, but these two cannabinoids aren’t exactly alike. The differences between CBD and CBDv are different enough to merit individual research into each compound, and scientists think CBDv might be useful in applications in which CBD is not.
In this guide, learn what CBDv is, how it differs from CBD, and how it interacts with the remarkably complex human body. Then, discover where to find this rare but highly promising cannabinoid.
What is CBDv?
Cannabidivarin (CBDv) is known in the chemistry world as a homolog or a natural variant of CBD. Scientists have discovered more than 100 unique cannabinoids in cannabis and hemp, but most of these substances are simply variations on a few core compounds. It turns out there are quite a few different types of CBD, and CBDv is one of the more well-known variants.
What is the difference between CBDv and CBD?
CBDv is distinguished from CBD by comparing the side chain of atoms at the end of both molecules. CBDv has a shortened side chain or “tail” when compared to the longer side chain of CBD. This tail has two fewer carbons than CBD. There are two other cannabinoids who have the same side chain as CBDv, these are THCv (tetrahydrocannabivarin) and CBGv cannabigerovarin. Thus, all three, CBDv, CBGv, and THCv, are sometimes referred to as the “varin” cannabinoids.
The difference this slightly different chemical structure has on the effects of CBDv and other varin cannabinoids remains largely unknown. There’s a growing consensus, however, that while relatively minor, the differences between varin cannabinoids and normal cannabinoids are significant enough to merit additional inquiry.
How do cannabinoids work in the body?
Each cannabinoid interacts with your body differently. THC and THCv, for instance, powerfully stimulate your CB1 receptors, while CBD and CBDv do not. Most cannabinoids in the CBD family appear to interact with your TRP (specifically, TRPV1, TRPV2, and TRPA1) and 5HT receptors instead, which don’t cause intoxication. Regardless of the particular cannabinoid in question, these cannabis and hemp compounds are usually well-tolerated and surprisingly non-toxic.
How does CBDv interact with your system?
CBDv is generally understood to interact with the human body similarly to CBD. Compared to CBD, however, CBDv may have greater affinity for certain neuroreceptors and lesser affinity for others. For example, CBDv primarily binds to the neuroreceptors TRPV1, TRPV2, and TRPA1 – which are important receptors that regulate body processes, such as inflammation, temperature regulation, and pain communication. Not enough research has been conducted into the effects of CBDv in the human body, however, to make any firm conclusions regarding the exact pharmacokinetics of this cannabinoid.
Pharmacokinetics of CBDv
The pathways by which a compound interacts with the human body are referred to as its “pharmacokinetics.” The pharmacokinetics of CBD are now well-understood, but there’s still much to be discovered about CBDv and how the unique chemical structure of the CBD variant CBDv might affect the ways in which this compound binds with CBD-attenuated neuroreceptors. Initial research does indicate that CBDv might have greater affinity for GABA neuroreceptors than CBD, potentially making CBDv a superior target for certain cannabinoid therapies.
What does CBDv help with?
Scientists have investigated the usefulness of CBDv for a handful of different medical conditions. For the most part, this “varin” variant of CBD shows similar activity to its more-popular cousin, but CBDv might be uniquely useful for anxiety, inflammation, nausea, and neurological conditions.
Is CBDv good for anxiety?
A 2019 research study conducted into CBDv and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ADS) uncovered unexpected data regarding CBDv and anxiety. By impacting production of the neurotransmitter GABA, CBDv may be indicated by future research to be useful for anxiety and a variety of other psychiatric conditions.
Anxiety has been one of the main areas of research into medicinal applications of CBD. If studies show CBDv also has the potential to help with anxiety-related disorders, future anxiety treatments may feature both CBD and CBDv.
Is CBDv good for inflammation?
A recent study unveiled new information regarding a potential link between CBDv and gut inflammation. The various types of inflammation that can occur in the human body are all interrelated, so if corroborated by future research, inflammation could end up being a major target of CBDv therapies.
Future research into CBDv and inflammation should take into consideration CBD’s observed activity at the 5HT and TRP receptors. Both neuroreceptor families are critically involved in inflammation throughout the body. CBDv may have a greater affinity for one or both of these receptors than CBD should be included in all new research into cannabinoids as pain therapies.
Is CBDv good for nausea?
In 2013, researchers combined two “varin” cannabinoids CBDv and THCv, in an effort to mitigate nausea. The results of this single study are highly promising, but they have yet to be substantiated with further research. If CBDv is just as good at mitigating nausea as forms of THC, it might become a source of relief for individuals like chemotherapy patients who desire non-intoxicating THC alternatives.
Is CBDv good for neurological conditions?
The usefulness of CBDv has been investigated for a few different rare neurological conditions. In 2018, for instance, researchers sought to determine if CBDv might help with Rett syndrome (a rare genetic disorder that affects both growth and neurological development and especially in females) and in 2019, this research was followed up by a study into CBDv and Duchenne muscular dystrophy a rapidly progressive form of muscular dystrophy that affects males.
CBDv FAQs
1. Where is CBDv found?
Cannabidivarin (CBDv) is a natural cannabinoid found in cannabis and hemp. Naturally, however, CBDv is only available in very small concentrations, and efforts to breed high-CBDv strains of cannabis are slow-going.
As a result, this cannabinoid is usually created using a simple conversion process. The precursor to a different cannabinoid, such as CBD or CBG, is exposed to natural enzymes that cause it to turn into CBDva, the chemical precursor of CBDv. Then, this precursor transforms into stable CBDv during the decarboxylation process.
2. What are some examples of high-CBDv strains?
At the moment, there is no such thing as a naturally high-CBDv strain. Some cannabis strains might contain up to around 1% CBDv, but if hemp flower is advertised as high-CBDv, it has been sprayed with CBDv extract.
In the future, naturally, high-CBDv strains may become available, but that all depends on how popular this cannabinoid becomes. Right now, if you want to experience CBDv at its most desirable potency, it’s best to consume this cannabinoid in a concentrated form.
3. Where can I buy CBDv for sale?
High-quality CBDv extracts are widely available online. The process of converting CBDv from another cannabinoid is not particularly tricky, so CBDv extracts are available in a variety of different forms including isolate, distillate, and water-dispersible.
In some cases, finished CBDv products may also be available. Examples of popular bulk CBDv products include capsules, gummies, and vapes.
4. Is CBDv safe?
Not enough research has been conducted to draw any firm conclusions, but everything we know so far indicates that CBDv is just as safe as CBD, which numerous studies have confirmed as being remarkably well-tolerated in the human body.
International cannabinoid Big Pharma giant GW Pharmaceuticals recently conducted a clinical study into the safety of CBDv in children. Once the results of this trial are published, we will know a great deal more about the safety of CBDv compared to CBD, other cannabinoids, and non-cannabis mainline treatments currently used for epilepsy.
5. Can you use CBDv and CBD together?
Yes, there is no indication that any negative effects will occur if you combine CBDv and CBD. In fact, ample scientific evidence indicates that combining any natural cannabinoids results in a type of synergy called the entourage effect.
To take the entourage effect one step further, throw terpenes into the mix as well. Some research indicates that terpenes contribute just as much to cannabis synergy as cannabinoids.
6. What is CBDva?
Cannabidivarinic acid (CBDva) is the carboxylic acid precursor to CBDv. Before any cannabinoid reaches its final form, it begins life as a carboxylic acid, an unstable compound that naturally stabilizes through a process called decarboxylation.
As a result, CBDva plays a critical role in the production of CBDv. There isn’t any research indicating that CBDva offers considerable benefits above and beyond those of CBDv, however.
7. What does CBDv stand for?
The acronym CBDv stands for “cannabidivarin.” The scientific name of this natural cannabis compound denotes its similarities and differences to CBD. The first half of the name is identical between the two cannabinoids, but “varin” places CBDv in a separate class of cannabinoids that’s also home to similar variants like THCv and CBGv. Remember, that varin refers to the shorter side chain each of these variants share consisting of two less carbons.
8. Does CBDv get you high?
No, CBDv is like CBD in that it does not have intoxicating effects. Users report that the effects of CBD and CBDv feel virtually indistinguishable even if these two cannabinoids may exert considerably different pharmacological effects inside the human body. Expect CBDv to make you feel relaxed and maybe a little bit sleepy.
9. What is CBDv good for?
Based on what little we know about it so far, scientists of the future may determine that CBDv is highly useful for inflammation. More research needs to be conducted into the properties of this rare cannabinoid, though, to know for certain what types of useful properties it might be able to offer. Nevertheless, it’s safe to assume that the benefits of CBDv will closely correspond to those of CBD since the two cannabinoids are very chemically similar.
10. How does CBDv make you feel?
Most people who use this cannabinoid indicate that CBDv makes them feel mostly the same way that CBD makes them feel. Some users with inflammatory conditions, however, report increased levels of relief when using CBDv versus CBD. Overall, CBDv should provide experienced effects that are very similar to CBD’s — you won’t feel intoxicated after using CBDv.
11. What types of CBDv products are there?
Right now, CBDv is a very rare cannabinoid that is only available in isolated concentrates used for research purposes. In the future, though, it would be reasonable to expect the emergence of a full array of CBDv products that closely mirrors the template laid down by the CBD market. Just as there are dozens of different CBD tinctures, gummies, capsules, and topicals to choose from nowadays, you should assume that these same products will eventually be available with CBDv as the main ingredient.
12. Is there CBDv flower?
To our knowledge, there are no strains of CBD hemp flower that are high in the cannabinoid CBDv. That’s part of the reason CBDv is so hard to come by — cannabinoids become much easier to source once they are available in hemp in large concentrations. Eventually, CBDv-rich hemp strains will most likely appear on the market as demand for this rare cannabinoid grows.
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