Potential Health Benefits of CBC

Cannabichromene (CBC) is one of the minor cannabinoids produced in cannabis plants, but CBC-rich strains are emerging in the commercial and medical markets by selecting a recessive gene through crossbreeding. CBC is a major non-psychoactive cannabinoid and interacts with CB2 receptors in the endocannabinoid system but does not have significant activity at CB1 receptors (1).  CBC is getting increasing attention for its wide range of therapeutic benefits without the psychoactive effects: 

• Anti-inflammatory and Pain relieving (2–5) 

• Anticonvulsant (6)  

• Maintain healthy brain functions with a positive effect on the viability of mammalian adult neural stem cell progenitor cells (7) 

• Anti-bacteria l(8)  

References:

1. Udoh, M. ( 1 ), Santiago, M. ( 1 ), Connor, M. ( 1 ), Devenish, S. ( 2 ) & McGregor, I. s. ( 2 ). Cannabichromene is a cannabinoid CB2 receptor agonist. British Journal of Pharmacology 176, 4537–4547 (2019). 

2. Russo, E. B. & Marcu, J. Cannabis Pharmacology: The Usual Suspects and a Few Promising Leads. in Cannabinoid Pharmacology 67–134 (Elsevier, 2017). doi:10.1016/bs.apha.2017.03.004. 

3. Cascio, M. G. & Pertwee, R. G. Known Pharmacological Actions of Nine Nonpsychotropic Phytocannabinoids. in Handbook of Cannabis (Oxford University Press, 2014). doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199662685.003.0007. 

4. Izzo, A. A. et al. Inhibitory effect of cannabichromene, a major non-psychotropic cannabinoid extracted from Cannabis sativa, on inflammation-induced hypermotility in mice. British journal of pharmacology166, 1444–1460 (2012). 

5. Romano, B. ( 1, 2 ) et al. The cannabinoid TRPA1 agonist cannabichromene inhibits nitric oxide production in macrophages and ameliorates murine colitis. British Journal of Pharmacology 169, 213–229 (2013). 

6. Anderson, L. L. et al. Cannabichromene, Related Phytocannabinoids, and 5-Fluoro-cannabichromene Have Anticonvulsant Properties in a Mouse Model of Dravet Syndrome. ACS Chem. Neurosci. 12, 330–339 (2021). 

7. Shinjyo, N. & Di Marzo, V. The effect of cannabichromene on adult neural stem/progenitor cells. Neurochemistry International 63, 432–437 (2013). 

8. Appendino, G. et al. Antibacterial cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa: a structure-activity study. J. Nat. Prod. 71, 1427–1430 (2008).