So far the most studied cannabinoids from the cannabis plant are CBD(cannabidiol) and THC(delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) What are phytocannabinoids? They are the group of chemical compounds that are specifically found in the cannabis plant. There are over 400 chemical compounds in this special plant and when you are using cannabis you are getting a mixture of all of these natural compounds that work together to balance each other. I wanted to list the benefits of both CBD and THC to give you an idea of the main effects they have on the body. The following lists are from Dr. Bonni Goldstein's new book, Cannabis Revealed, a book I would highly recommend reading as it has science, how to use cannabis, dosing and patient stories...a well rounded book!
CBD EFFECTS
- NOT psychoactive - no "high" effects
- Alerting in low doses
- Reduces pain
- Relaxes muscle spasms
- Potent anti-inflammatory
- Stops nausea/vomiting
- Reduces anxiety & depression
- Counters psychotic thoughts
- Anti-oxidant
- Anti-convulsant
- Neuro-protectant
- Anti-tumor effects
THC EFFECTS
- Psychoactive
- Sedating/relaxing
- Reduces pain
- Reduces/stops nausea/vomiting
- Stimulates appetite
- Induces sleep
- Reduces anxiety & depression
- Reduces intraocular eye pressure
- Anti-oxidant
- Neuro-protectant
- Anti-tumor effects
When CBD and THC are used independent of each other, many people of have found relief from a variety of ailments, but when they are used together, it is called "The Entourage Effect", meaning that the cannabinoids work better together than isolated from one another...an example that Dr. Goldstein gives in her book is both THC and CBD when taken separately, have pain relieving properties but there are studies that show CBD enhances pain relief when used together with THC, compared to using THC by itself.
I have had a few members that have been a bit frustrated when they didn't get the relief they wanted from chronic pain issues, but after they added a small amount of THC, the results were much better! If you keep the CBD dose higher than the THC many people do not get the "high" or psychoactive effects but still get the medicinal effects. Finding the right dose and the right combination for you does take a little time, so have fun and experiment with it!