Cannabis has been used as a sacred medicine for thousands of years. It is used in traditional Chinese medicine, for example, to treat malaria, gout, digestive issues, and menstrual pain. In Bangladesh, cannabis is a trusted folk medicine also used to treat cancer, hypertension, and infection.
Western scientific inquiry into its clinical benefits was pioneered in the 1800s, when cannabis was observed to demonstrate anti-seizure benefits in a clinical setting. Since then, over 100 cannabinoids have been discovered and researched in labs and animal studies. The two most abundant cannabinoids in most cannabis strains are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), but minor cannabinoids like cannabigerol (CBG) and cannabinol (CBN) are gaining traction in the scientific literature.
For 5 millennia, Cannabis sativa has been used throughout the world medically, recreationally, and spiritually.
In the 1970s, CBD began to gain interest for its anti-seizure properties. Its success in clinical trials led to the formulation of some of the first synthetic cannabinoid drugs. Its effectiveness as epilepsy medicine has boosted CBD’s credibility in promoting health.
Clinical observation of different cannabinoid types and their potential for medicinal use is still a new area of research. Scientists still have many questions about the effect of cannabinoids and how exactly they work, especially alongside terpenes.
Medical cannabinoids in Canada
Following its prohibition across North America in the 20th century, few cannabinoid drugs have entered the market. Limited understanding of the function of cannabinoids makes it difficult for medical professionals to formulate clinical products that mimic the full effects observed throughout our history with cannabis as medicine. Cannabinoid drugs are carefully processed or synthetic alternatives to natural flower, which can contain somewhat unpredictable phytochemical contents.
The stability of medical cannabinoid drugs over full-spectrum products like cannabis flower is important for patients with chronic conditions, who need to be able to track their consumption and subsequent symptoms precisely.
Terpenes vs. cannabinoids
What makes whole flower cannabis so stubborn is the volatility of terpenes, which degrade rapidly and are easily lost through processing. Cannabinoids are larger, more stable molecules, and so much less complicated to isolate. This contributes to the rarity and high price tag of most full-spectrum products like live resin, which is manufactured by maintaining a freezing temperature throughout the full cannabinoid extraction process.
Full- and broad-spectrum product formulations across the recreational and medicinal cannabis market are a popular alternative for wellness minded users across Canada.
Informed by a medical approach, Kinloch Wellness products offer greater stability in broad spectrum natural formulations. We use rare cannabinoids CBG and CBN along with complex terpene profiles throughout our effects-based product line.