You might have come across a cannabinoid named CBDA while researching about CBD. CBDA is the acronym for cannabidiolic acid. Just like CBD, CBDA is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid but has certain differences when compared to CBD. Continue reading to know about a few of the aspects of CBDA.
Cannabidiolic Acid
CBDA can be considered as a precursor to CBD. All the cannabinoids are present in their acidic form in the cannabis plant and under some specific conditions, the CBDA gets converted to CBD. In terms of effects, CBDA is believed to have some unique effects that differ from those of CBD.
Decarboxylation Of CBDA
For the cannabinoid acids to be converted to their active form, hemp plant materials should be decarboxylated. The term decarboxylation refers to the chemical reaction wherein, a carboxyl group is distanced from the compound and this is usually done with the application of heat. The decarboxylation temperature of CBDA is 110° C, as per a 2016 study. This is the temperature at which CBDA will break down to CBD.
It is often said that decarboxylation will activate the cannabinoids, but that is not completely true. This is because cannabinoid acids like CBDA can influence our body in their original form so they need not be activated to be effective. However, decarboxylation changes the chemical structure of cannabidiolic acid and thereby changes the effect they have on the endocannabinoid system.
CBDA And CBD
The main difference between CBD and CBDA is in their chemical structure. The discrepancy lies in a single carboxyl group. However, both these cannabinoids are capable of interacting with the ECS present in all mammals. Phytocannabinoids like CBD, CBDA, and THC present in the cannabis plant can interact with the ECS receptors to offer many benefits. Even though CBD and CBDA are different in their chemical structure, neither of them produce any psychoactive effects. Both of these cannabinoids are non-intoxicating and does not give any high to the user.
Some of the manufacturers are considering the production of specific CBDA oils. However, full-spectrum CBD products already contain CBDA, even if it is not specifically listed on the label of the product. There aren’t any specific products available in the market that contains only CBDA, but many brands may venture into this avenue in the future. Researches on CBDA are very minimal and we cannot yet say for sure what the exact benefits of CBDA are. At this point, we will have to wait for more studies on CBDA to understand its specific benefits.