What is CBD?
If you’re wondering what exactly CBD is, you’re not alone. CBD is an acronym for cannabidiol. This is a compound that is taken from the flowers of a cannabis plant. Quite often, the word cannabis is associated with drug use. However, the cannabis plant is actually made up of two main parts – CBD and THC. THC or tetrahydrocannabinol is the part that is responsible for physcoactive high that is associated with cannabis, and not CBD. The cannabis plant also has 2 variations, namely, hemp and marijuana. THC is different in the hemp plant and marijuana plant.
CBD has almost no traces of THC which means that when it is used, there are no physcoactive effects. It is the marijuana plant that does contain high levels of THC. CBD oil is made from hemp. It is not made from marijuana.
Timeline of cannabis use
The medical use of cannabis is documented throughout history. In fact, its history can be traced to ancient China in 2727 B.C. The first documented use is listed in Emperor Sheng Nung’s pharmacopoeia. There are also records of its therapeutic use in the texts of Indian Hindus, Greeks and Romans. In 1847, cannabis was introduced to the West by William Brooke O’Shaughnessy on his return after living in India, where he established his reputation as a pioneer in cannabis therapy. He is known for relieving the pain of rheumatism as well as successfully calming the convulsions of a young child, by using cannabis. In the USA, the use of cannabis for both recreational and medicinal use was effectively taxed out of existence by the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937. In 1940, Roger Adams and Alexander Todd isolated cannabiodol. A few decades later in 1964, Raphael Mechoulam, isolated THC from the cannabis plant. In 2012, researchers found that CBD helps alleviate schizophrenia symptoms in patients similar to conventional antipsychotic drugs. A little later, in 2017, the use of CDB showed that seizures in childhood epilepsy can be reduced. Today, CBD is widely used by people who are looking to improve certain health conditions.
How does it work?
CBD and THC interact with the human body by mimicking the effects of the endogenous cannabinoid compounds – these are also called Endocannabinoids – that are already in our bodies. So, your body has a specific system in place that plays a critical role in regulating a broad range of physiological processes in your body. These include your mood, energy levels, immune activity, blood pressure, as well as how you experience stress, anxiety, pain and hunger. It is called the Endocannabinoid system. If this system starts to fail, CBD can put it back into balance by imitating the Endocannabinoid System compounds.
The use of CBD oil has increased in popularity by people who want to improve their insomnia, decrease anxiety, and reduce pain. CBD also has anti-inflammatory properties and is helpful in easing arthritis.
Many completed studies, and there are also ongoing studies, show that CBD can provide a powerful, safe and natural treatment for a wide range of health issues.
