What is Cannabidiol (CBD)?

CBD stands for cannabidiol - a plant compound found abundantly in hemp plants. For generations, hemp has been used as a plant-based powerhouse for human health. In recent years, the use of hemp has seen an upswing due to its natural therapeutic properties.

Cannabis Sativa is the botanical plant name for hemp, which belongs to the Cannabaceae plant family. CBD is just one of over 80 natural plant compounds found in this species of cannabis.

Cannabidiol is the main active ingredient in popular CBD products, where the effective natural extracts are extracted from hemp and used to make oils, capsules, edibles, cosmetics and much more.

When CBD was identified in the 1940s, scientists assumed that it had little or no effect on the body. At the time, the focus was on researching THC and its pharmacology. But in the 1990s, a team of researchers led by Professor Raphael Mechoulam (who is commonly considered the grandfather of cannabis research) discovered the so-called Endocannabinoid system (ECS) - and that changed everything.

Scientists believe that the compound cannabidiol has the potential to maintain balance in the body by interacting with the internal endocannabinoid system. This system helps control bodily functions such as appetite, mood, immune response, pain, and sleep patterns.

WHERE DOES CBD COME FROM?

Here at Biosyyd, our CBD is derived from industrial hemp and made from whole plant extracts that are naturally high in CBD. Our industrial hemp is grown and cultivated under optimal growing conditions before being sent to our GMP certified lab for extraction and processing.

There are many ways to extract CBD from hemp, but not all of them are safe. The CO2 extraction method is the cleanest and safest way to make extracts because it uses only clean air.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF CBD

Epilepsy
The first CBD-based drug to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was Epidiolex. Doctors prescribe Epidiolex to those suffering from seizures due to Lennox-Gastrault or Dravet syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy.
Epidiolex underwent rigorous human trials before the FDA approved it as a treatment for these two conditions.
According to an article in Moleculesscientists do not know exactly how CBD helps control seizures. One theory is that CBD affects a receptor involved in seizure activity called the transient receptor potential vanilloid.
A review of completed and ongoing clinical trials found that the addition of CBD to common antiepileptic drugs may be useful for treatment-resistant epilepsies in infants, children, and adolescents.

Pain and inflammation
Researchers have studied the pain-relieving effects of CBD. A small 2020 randomized placebo-controlled trial. investigated the use of topical CBD oil in people with peripheral neuropathy in the legs.
In this small study, participants with peripheral non-cancer neuropathic pain received either 250 milligrams (mg) of CBD dissolved in 3 oz of oil or a placebo.
After four weeks, the researchers found a statistically significant reduction in severe pain, stabbing pain, cold sensations and itching in participants taking CBD oil. Participants reported no side effects.
While the results of this small study are positive, it only included 29 participants, so researchers will need to conduct further research to confirm the findings.
In another Study demonstrated that a 1:1 combination of THC and CBD sprayed in the back of the mouth (a pharmaceutical product called Sativex) may be effective for chronic non-cancer pain.
However, the researchers do not know which of the two substances had the strongest effect. In addition, the follow-up period for this study was 15 weeks. The scientists need to conduct further research to confirm that long-term pain control is possible.
This spray, which contains both THC and CBD, could also have anti-inflammatory properties. A previous study with people living with rheumatoid arthritis has shown that Sativex reduces Disease Activity Score-28, which indicates a decrease in inflammation.

These studies show the potential efficacy of CBD for pain and inflammation.

Depression and anxiety
Many animal studies on the effects of CBD on mood disorders showed promising results. A previous article in Neuropsychopharmacology described a human study in which researchers demonstrated that CBD can reduce anxiety caused by public speaking.
Participants took a CBD supplement before a public event. They reported feeling less anxiety and discomfort. The researchers suggest that CBD may help alleviate the anxiety associated with anticipating an anxiety-provoking event.
Participants also had lower negative self-evaluation during public speaking. The researchers suggest that serotonin receptors may play a role in CBD's effect on anxiety.
Human studies on the efficacy of CBD for depression are currently not available. Further research needs to be conducted before it can be used for this purpose. 

Addiction management and treatment
Some experts suggest that CBD oil may help people with addiction problems by reducing activation of the amygdala, an area of the brain involved in addiction.
Drug cravings generally occur when one is exposed to a certain stimulus. So reducing cravings during a certain stimulus can help people get off heroin.
One in the American Journal of Psychiatry published study examined the effect of CBD on craving and anxiety in people with heroin addiction. The researchers demonstrated that those taking CBD had lower cravings and anxiety compared to placebo. These results are promising and need further study.

Inflammatory skin diseases
In some studies certain cannabinoids have shown anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, anti-aging, and anticancer properties. Some experts suggest that these effects occur when the drug interacts with the skin's endocannabinoid system.
Skin conditions that may improve with CBD treatment include:

• Acne

• atopic dermatitis

• Psoriasis

• Skin cancer

• itchy skin

• Pain

Cell studies have shown that CBD prevents some of the functions of the sebaceous glands that contribute to acne. Researchers need to confirm these findings in human studies before doctors can recommend its use. 

Neuroprotection
An article in Molecules notes that animal studies have shown that CBD may have a neuroprotective effect in several neurodegenerative diseases, including:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

• Parkinson's disease

• Huntington's disease

• Alzheimer's disease

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

The researchers suggest that the neuroprotective effects are due to CBD's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
In some countries, physicians can Sativex prescribe a drug containing THC and CBD to relieve spasticity in people with MS. Scientists are not sure how it works.

Alleviation of side effects of chemotherapy
An article in the British Journal of Pharmacology indicates that the effect of CBD on nausea and vomiting in animals may be related to its interaction with serotonin receptors. However, the article concludes that THC appears to be better at reducing nausea and vomiting than CBD.
In a Human study people with nausea and vomiting triggered by chemotherapy experienced relief by taking Sativex, but it is unclear to what extent CBD contributed. Further research is needed to understand the role of CBD in relieving nausea and vomiting.

DOES CBD GET YOU HIGH?

CBD is 100 % non-psychoactive, meaning it does not have a mind-altering effect like THC. Side effects often associated with the feeling of intoxication include mental slowing, drowsiness or dizziness.

When you choose CBD products that are derived from industrial hemp, you can be sure that your products have a THC content of less than 0.2 %. Our high-quality CBD oils display batch reports on our third party test results, so you can verify exactly how much THC is in your products.