Is the Entourage Effect in Cannabis Real?

Whether you use #cannabis a lot or not, you’ve probably heard someone talk about what’s called the #entourage effect, which is #synergy that happens when the THC, cannabinoids, CBD, and the terpenes work to offer #health benefits throughout the body.

 

This is called whole-plant #medicine, or whole-plant synergy, and it has the idea that the cannabis products that are there and offer diverse compounds offer health benefits that the isolated compounds may not.

 

The first discussion of whole-plant synergy was back in 1998, where the research discussed that the #endocannabinoid receptors are better when using whole-plant cannabis, rater than just a part of it, and it’s oftentimes more synergistic, and more effective than drugs that have just one part of the plant molecules to it.

 

The entourage effect though these days is basically a part of the lexicon of cannabis that’s pretty much on all of the products these days.

 

But does it really work?

Well, there have been a lot of different studies that dig deep into this, with more and more researchers investigating the compounds that are there to question this, and some have said that this is now over-pitched too. The mechanisms aren’t as clear cut though as the #marketing of cannabis wants us to think.

 

So What is it?

Well, there is some evidence that says that the effects of cannabinoids do boost the other cannabinoids, such as THC affecting the #CBD, and also may help the more minor kinds of #cannabinoids too.

 

There’s been a study on tissues that are cancerous, and the presence of even the minor cannabinoids did help isolate the tumor and helped kill it and reduce the growth of it.

 

There is some synergy found in this, simply because there are different compounds included in this.

CBD as well as just an extract doesn’t perform as well as whole-plant extracts, especially when treating severe instances of epilepsy.

 

Right now there, there is evidence that CBD can control the effects of THC at the different #receptor sites. So by that logic, the entourage effect is thus very real.

 

This is also why pure CBD is not as effective, and why it’s encouraged to have whole-plant cannabis, and the entourage effects are #extrapolated beyond what’s there for the current evidence. There are ideas as well that other #chemicals are important for the CBD to work and right now aren’t supported at the present moment.

 

There is also the role of the minor cannabinoids too, and right now we don’t’ know as much about those compared to THC and the other main cannabinoids that are there.

 

Remember, the cannabis plant comes with a bunch of other molecules that may work together to make sure that you get the best results.

 

But also understand that there are those that aren’t fully understood. While they may support the THC actions, it may not support everything.

 

In the case of terpenes, usually they don’t facilitate this effect whatsoever, so even the most common terpenes in your cannabis product won’t cause a response to the receptors or create the entourage effect.

 

There is another though where both the #terpenes and cannabis works together, which interacts. So if there is cannabis with the terpenes, it might work.

 

But with the entourage effect, right now it’s a fancy work to discuss the product, and there isn’t a bunch of information one way or another. But it may be interesting to learn about more in the future, and what may come about as a result of this as well for future cannabis product consumption too.

 

Done