Understanding Marijuana’s entourage effect

With the changing landscape of global healthcare, there is a general interest in holistic modes of managing illnesses. The use of the latest medical techniques, including herbs like marijuana, has gained the attention of medical experts. Medical marijuana is not a new-found medicinal alternative but has been in use since the early civilizations studied its properties and application for health purposes. Recently, after the legalization of marijuana in Florida, many patients are considering its use. However, understanding marijuana’s mechanism of action in the body is necessary, and getting legal access to relevant products must be prioritized. Also, you must have a medical marijuana card Naples for responsible use of marijuana products in Florida.

This article highlights the entourage effect posed by medical marijuana on the body and how it works to create a therapeutic effect.

Medical Marijuana- An Overview

Marijuana is derived from the Cannabis Sativa plant which is known to have hundreds of compounds, including CBD and THC. These compounds, when ingested by individuals, can create an entourage effect in the body.

We can also say that the cannabis entourage effect is primarily responsible for cannabis’s powerful therapeutic manifestation in the human body. This is due to hundreds of medicinal chemicals such as CBG and “terpenes” such as linalool, caryophyllene, myrcene, etc. The significant nature of each of the compounds found in marijuana makes it more effective in dealing with symptomatic ailments.

Understanding the Entourage effect

As we already know, marijuana is known for its therapeutic nature, its efficacy can be associated with the plant’s two most well-known components, THC and CBD. Besides these compounds, the plant also generates additional molecules that appear to support the overall effects of a specific marijuana strain.

The entourage effect is a theory that many chemicals in cannabis work together to provide distinctively positive bodily benefits. Taking the cannabis ingredients as whole-plant extracts rather than individually increases the probability that the product will deliver benefits.

When we smoke or vape marijuana, our bodies absorb hundreds of plant components. Each component offers its own effects and advantages, and their behavior may change in the presence of other chemicals; this phenomenon is known as the entourage effect.

THC or CBD-only Medicines

Cannabis flower, being a raw herbal product, includes a diverse range of cannabinoids and terpenes. However, full-spectrum cannabis extracts contain higher amounts of cannabinoids and terpenes. These extracts can take many forms, including oils, ingestible pills, dabs, and vapes.

What identifies them as “full-spectrum” is the extensive array of chemical components they contain. This implies the extract contains CBD, CBG, CBN, myrcene, caryophyllene, and other beneficial compounds in a single compact container.

Some cannabis compounds are purified to eliminate THC (broad-spectrum cannabis extracts), while others are created to contain a specific ingredient, generally CBD or THC isolates.

Synthetic THC formulations, the two most common of which are Marinol (dronabinol) and Cesamet, are among THC-only pharmaceuticals. These are FDA-approved medications frequently used to manage cancer-related nausea and discomfort. However, as demonstrated by studies by medical researchers, these drugs may not be as effective as combination medicines that include both THC and CBD.

What is THC-A and CBD-A?

THC and CBD are the two primary cannabinoids and do not exist in their neutral form in the cannabis plant. During the plant’s development, they appear in their acid form and are known as THC-A and CBD-A.

Decarboxylation is the process by which these “A” compounds can be converted into their more recognizable counterparts as they lose carbon atoms to create THC and CBD. The most frequent method of decarboxylation is smoking or vaping cannabis. However, heating and baking cannabis, such as when producing edibles, may also increase decarboxylation.

The difference between THC-A and CBD-A

In many aspects, cannabidiol acid (CBD-A) and tetrahydrocannabinol acid (THC-A) are identical. Both are acidic chemicals present in the live, uncooked cannabis plant. They are both non-psychoactive. When heated over a specific temperature, both convert to their counterparts CBD and THC, respectively. THC-A and CBD-A interact with the human endocannabinoid system by affecting four essential functions:

• COX-1 release
• COX-2 inhibition
• TNF-Alpha inhibition
• Interleukin-10 release

Thus, cannabinoids actively promote our body’s capacity to reduce inflammation, enhance the immune system, improve performance, and considerably reduce overall pain associated with an underlying condition.

How do terpenes produce an entourage effect?

Besides THC and CBD, terpenes also create an entourage effect in the body. Terpenes are a varied group of anti-inflammatory chemical substances that plants and some insects predominantly generate.

Terpenes, the fundamental ingredients of essential oils, are responsible for the aromatherapy scents of anything from pine trees to orange peels. They contribute to the entourage effect by either changing how CBD binds to CB2 receptors in the human body’s endocannabinoid system or providing an impact that complements the CBD.

There are several terpenes, such as Terpinolene, Linalool, Limonene, and Pinene, but one of the only known terpenes that bind to cannabinoid receptors and can give some of the advantages associated with CBD’s entourage effect is Beta-Caryophyllene or BCP.

Terpenoids and cannabis improve blood flow, boost brain activity, and destroy respiratory infections like MRSA. The cannabinoid-terpenoid interactions synergize the management of pain, and help with inflammation, anxiety disorders, and bacterial infections.

However, you cannot take these blends or combinations without consulting a marijuana specialist. Thus, contacting a medical marijuana doctor is important to better understand how various marijuana constituents benefit the body.

The Takeaway

Cannabis can be used for therapeutic purposes after getting a marijuana card Naples with the help of a registered medical marijuana doctor. If you are an eligible patient with a qualifying illness, it is best to reach out to an MMJ doctor in your area. The doctor can ease your marijuana card acquisition process by offering in-depth guidance on medical marijuana for health.