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Medical Cannabis vs. Synthetic Cannabinoid Medications: What Works Better?
There are three main sources of cannabinoids:
1) Naturally occurring cannabinoids in Cannabis, such as THC and CBD (Cannabidiol). Cannabis contains over 100 different cannabinoids, but THC and CBD are the best-known and most heavily researched.
2) Naturally occurring cannabinoids in your own body, such as AEA (Anandamide) and 2-AG (2-Arachidonoylglycerol). These types of cannabinoids are called “endocannabinoids,” because they are produced inside of your body. (The prefix “endo-” simply means “inner” or “within.”)
3) Synthetic cannabinoids that are produced in laboratories, rather than being produced by your body or coming directly from the Cannabis flower.
All three work in the same fashion: by activating receptors designated “CB1” and “CB2.” Some of these receptors are located in your brain, while others are spread throughout your body in other types of tissue and organs.
Cannabis (marijuana) produces a wide range of physical and cognitive changes by interacting with receptors designed for our own internal cannabinoids, which are called “endocannabinoids.” These effects are the product of many chemical compounds in Cannabis, such as terpenes, flavonoids, and, as this article will focus on, cannabinoids like THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol). Scientists have found ways to synthesize man-made cannabinoids, some of which have been FDA approved medicines for several decades. But how do artificial canna-binoids compare to the real thing? Are they equally effective as medical marijuana for treating illness or pain? Read on to find out.