What is CBDA? (Cannabidiolic acid)

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CBD AND CBDA

CBDA (Cannabidiolic acid) is the acidic form of CBD Cannabidiol. This means the cannabis/hemp plant in it’s natural state produces CBD + CBDA. When heated (decarboxylated) CBDA becomes CBD. So if you juiced raw cannabis plant material you’d be taking CBDA and CBD. If you heated it, say by smoking it, you would just be getting CBD. Therefore ENTOURAGE FULL SPECTRUM oil is just as nature intended.

IS CBDA BETTER THAN CBD?

Some customers report that they get better results using CBD + CBDA, others CBD. This doesn’t mean that one is better than the other, it is just a matter of finding which one is right for you.

Cannabinoids all work together in a synergistic way, this has been called the entourage effect. Our ENTOURAGE extracts contain CBD + CBDA with over 400 other natural compounds such as terpenes, flavonoids, phyto-nutrients etc.

Sometimes it’s just a matter of preference. If you don’t get the results you expect with one it’s often a good idea to try the other to see if one is better than the other.

Cannabidiolic acid (CBDA): the precursor with an important role

CBDA is the acidic precursor of CBD. The conversion conventionally happens from a heat activated reaction, leading to the removal of the carboxyl group on CBD. As CBDA’s interaction with the endocannabinoid system is pretty limited, it is often overlooked as a therapeutic compound. However, it has a number of interesting target receptors which are highly relevant for a number of diseases.

Much like CBD, CBDA also desensitizes the TRPV1, TRPV3, TRPV4 and TRPA1 receptors. This suggests that it may have promising properties for the treatment of pain states which arise from an array of diseases, and often trigger activity at these receptors.

CBDA has little affinity with the other receptors of the endocannabinoid system, but inhibits key inflammatory mediators such as COX-1 and COX-2. Particularly its action at COX-1 is important, as recent research has suggested that this enzyme can be a promising target for reducing seizures. COX-2 on the other hand is an enzyme responsible for a wide range of inflammatory processes in the body, and inhibiting this enzyme can help treat symptoms of diseases (as inflammation is a common theme in most diseases). By inhibiting these enzymes, it may be able to have the same actions as other drugs with similar mechanism of actions such as: acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin), naproxen, ibuprofen and tolmetin.

Molecules of synergic action

Many anecdotes have shown that CBD and CBDA work best in combination, especially for diseases such as epilepsy. Combinatory actions of compounds are required as diseases are often caused by the misregulation of multiple physiological systems in the body. Scientists studying the pathophysiology of these diseases can also learn from these results, and further elucidate the mechanisms of disease.

CBD and CBDA have incredible therapeutic properties, particularly as they complement each other’s activity. Very recent data has revealed that acidic cannabinoids (such as CBDA) can help the uptake and metabolism of CBD or other phytocannabinoids. Moreover, administering CBDA with CBD decreases the amount of CBD required to achieve the same level of efficacy.