Cannabinol (CBN) is a cannabinoid that is found in mature hemp and cannabis plants. It is among the first cannabinoids that were discovered in 1899 and has mild psychoactive effects.
Unlike other cannabinoids that stem from CBG, cannabinol is derived from Cannabinolic acid (CBN-A) that is released during the oxidation of tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THC-A). This process takes place in cannabis that has been cut and stored under UV lighting or bright sunlight prolonged periods. Most of the mature cannabis and poorly stored cannabis plants tend to have high amounts of CBN. Because of how CBN is formed, its effectiveness has often come under scrutiny with many people dismissing it altogether.
How Does CBN Work?
Just like other cannabinoids (THC and CBD), CBN interacts with two chemical receptors CB1 and CB2 of the endocannabinoid system. These two receptors help to regulate various functions that include hormones, appetite, pain, blood pressure and inflammation. While CB1 receptors are found all through the body, they are much concentrated within the nervous system and the brain. On the other hand, CB2 receptors are mostly found immune cells; the white blood cells.
What is CBN Used For?
CBN has primarily been associated with sleep therapy owing to its sedative nature. Taking CBN will certainly help you fall asleep peacefully without experiencing the exaggerated side effects common with use of sleeping pills.
Evidence dating back to 1976 points to the use of CBN in treating insomnia. A 1995 study conducted in mice further proved the efficacy of CBN in promoting better sleep. CBN is more sedative compared to valium. It has a synergistic relationship with both CBD and Delta-9-THC to induce sleep. When you combine them in the right quantities, you can induce up to 6 hours of sleep without waking up feeling drowsy. It increases REM sleep, treats sleep disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia and reduces nightmares.
What is CBN Oil?
By now, you probably can tell CBN oil is a product of CBN. Since this compound is not found in the cannabis plant in abundance, you need to age the buds first. The extraction process can only begin once the oxidation process begins involving the conversion of THC into CBN. CBN is a lot harder to find compared to CBD oil because it is less studied than the former.
To get the most out of CBN oil, you need to find broad-spectrum or full-spectrum CBD oil that contains all cannabinoids found in the hemp plant.
What are the Health Benefits of CBN?
Although there has been limited research on the use of CBN, there’s more to CBN than sleep induction. Some of the health benefits linked to the use of CBN oil include the following;
- CBN in cancer treatment
Several research efforts have been made to establish the potential use of CBN in the treatment of cancer. A 1975 study conducted on mice revealed that the combination of CBN and THC inhibits tumour growth in a specific type of cancer. From this research, mice that received a dose of CBN lived longer.
- CBN as an anti-inflammatory
Research shows that CBN has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that help to fight off various stress and age-related illnesses. One study carried out in animals found CBN helps in treating collagen-induced arthritis symptoms. This is further supported by a scientific review underscoring the power of CBN in treating diseases relating to allergies.
- Anti-bacterial benefits
A 2008 study published in the Journal of Natural Products found CBN to have powerful activity against multiple strains of dangerous bacteria like MRSA. Although further research is needed, findings of this study point to the usefulness of this compound in the treatment of an extensive range of bacterial infections.
- CBN stimulates appetite
This is one of the common reasons for the medicinal use of cannabis. The use of CBN in stimulating appetite is notable in cancer patients particularly those on chemotherapy as it helps them manage nausea associated with this treatment. A study published in the Psychopharmacology Journal established CBN’s ability to speed up and increase food intake. This could as well mean that CBN may be substituted in the place of THC.
- CBN improves brain health
CBN is an important neuroprotective agent that can delay the start of neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and ALS. An Alzheimer’s study conducted to determine how CBN interacts with THC to boost brain health found that the two work in a synergistic manner to help in protecting from loss of energy, reducing oxidative damage while targeting inflammation in the brain. Further studies need to be carried out to correlate these findings.
CBN has also been found to beneficial in other conditions that include chronic pain relief, bone formation and healing, vasorelaxation and psoriasis.
Using CBN oil doesn’t cause you to have a typical high because it has psychoactive properties. It also helps in mitigating the intoxicating effects of THC. Based on past research efforts, CBN holds great promise in the treatment of numerous ailments.
