What is CBGA?

SARS-CoV-2 (CORONAVIRUS)

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19) is a global concern, with nearly 300 million cases and millions of deaths. The virus enters human epithelial cells (a type of cell that lines the surfaces of your body, including your skin, blood vessels, and organs) by connecting to receptors on the cell’s surface with specialized crown-like spike proteins. These spike proteins allows the virus to attach to and fuse with the cell’s membrane and then enter the cell. A study performed by Oregon State University in January of 2022 examined CBGA and the acidic form of CBD (CBDA) for their ability to prevent infection from the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

This study identified CBGA and CBDA as ligands (a molecule that binds to another larger molecule) for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, meaning that these substances can attach to the virus spike proteins and block or alter their normal function. Researchers then tested whether or not the virus, if incubated with CBGA or CBDA, was still able to infect human epithelial cells. This was first done with a pseudovirus expressing the same spike protein as SARS-CoV-2, and then with live virus and its alpha and beta variants. In each case, CBGA was able to prevent infection of human epithelial cells in a laboratory setting.²

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES & METABOLIC DISORDERS

Cardiovascular diseases account for nearly a third of all global deaths and over 80% of adults exhibit at least one symptom of metabolic syndrome, such as excess abdominal fat, high blood sugar, or high blood pressure.³ Common treatment and prevention plans for these disease states emphasize behavioral changes to reduce risk factors, such as eating a healthy diet, consistent exercise, and quitting smoking. In addition to these changes, treatments related to specific body processes, such as lipid (fat) or glucose (sugar) metabolism, are of significant medical interest. In vitro and in silico studies have identified that CBGA may interact with some of these body processes beneficially.

During lipid metabolism, certain receptors in the body called Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPARs) play a fundamental role in energy homeostasis. When these receptors are impaired or improperly regulated, it can lead to a variety of disorders like high cholesterol, dyslipidemia (high triglycerides), or diabetes. A 2019 in silico study discovered that CBGA acts as an agonist (a substance that activates a receptor) for two subtypes of PPARs, PPARα and PPARγ, that are important in the management of healthy lipid metabolism and thereby reduce the accumulation of excess lipids.⁴

With regard to glucose metabolism, an enzyme called aldose reductase is responsible for initiating a reaction that breaks down glucose (a form of sugar) in your blood into other molecules for energy. This process sometimes generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the body, which are highly reactive chemicals an can lead to oxidative stress on your organs. An in vitro study from 2018 found that CBGA was able to significantly inhibit the activity of aldose reductase in human and pig kidney cells.⁵ Further research is needed to confirm these findings with live animal or human subjects.

COLORECTAL CANCER

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related death.⁶ One of the many areas investigated for the potential treatment of colorectal cancer is the process of inducing cancer cell apoptosis (or cell death) with substances that have cytotoxic effects (effects that are toxic to the cell). A study published in 2018 examined the cytotoxicity of cannabinoids in relation to colorectal cancer cell lines as well as colon polyps which, if left untreated, can grow into carcinomas. This study was performed in vitro using human colon cells treated with cannabinoids.

CBGA was shown to have cytotoxic activity on colon cancer cells, compared to reduced activity in normal colon cell lines. Researchers also discovered that CBGA induced apoptosis in colon polyp cells. While this research presents a promising opportunity for further research into CBGA and colon cancer, there is still no research with live humans investigating CBGA as a medical treatment. It is important to understand that research indicating potential positive effects of CBGA on cancer cells in a laboratory does not mean that CBGA can or should be viewed as a successful cancer treatment. If you, or someone you know, is struggling with cancer, please consult with your doctor before starting, stopping, or altering any health management plan.⁷