CBT is one of many recently discovered cannabinoids that has the scientific community collectively scratching its head. Not only are the benefits of this cannabinoid still largely unknown, but expert sources on CBT (https://arvanna.com/blogs/cbd-blog/what-is-cbt-cannabinoid) suggest that this cannabinoid may even have mysterious origins. What do we know about CBT so far, and how might it fit into the evolving puzzle of cannabinoid science?
What Is the Cannabinoid CBT?
Cannabitriol (CBT) is a rare cannabinoid that is present in CBD and CBG products in trace concentrations. Despite being quite abundant, very little attention has been paid to CBT over the years, leading to a lack of information on its effects and benefits.
Unlike other cannabinoids, CBT is chiral, which means that it has a symmetrical form. Research suggests that CBT may not even emerge from enzymes like other cannabinoids but, rather, that it might develop along a unique pathway during cannabis maturation.
It is worth pointing out that cannabitriol shares an acronym with cannabicitran, which is more properly referred to as “CBT-C.” The structures of CBT and CBT-C are similar, but CBT appears to originate from CBC while CBT-C comes from CBGA.
How Was CBT Discovered?
CBT was discovered in 1966 and first synthesized in 1971. It was stumbled upon during a routine taxonomy of the cannabis plant, and very little attention was paid to CBT until the 2010s.
CBT was then featured in a handful of cannabinoid synthesis experiments. 2018 research seemingly indicated the cannabinoid as a CBC derivative, which on its own would separate CBT from other cannabinoids that are largely derived from CBGA.
The more we learn about CBT, though, the more this compound appears quite alien in comparison to other cannabinoids. Why is CBT so different, and what does it mean for the cannabinoid industry?
What Does CBT Do?
Based on the little we know about CBT, this cannabinoid appears to be non-intoxicating and similar to CBD in its ability to mute the effects of THC. Put in other terms, CBT won’t get you high, and it might make the THC experience more manageable if you use the two cannabinoids together.
Aside from that, very little research has been conducted into the effects or benefits of CBT. The cannabinoid has been used as a vape diluent to keep CBD from crystallizing, and it has occasionally shown up in studies pertaining to CBD or THC. We call on the scientific community to perform clinical, peer-reviewed research into the various ways CBT might impact and benefit the human mind and body.
What Kinds of CBT Products Are There?
As a relatively new cannabinoid, CBT is not currently offered in very many product types. Regardless of how rare they may be, all cannabinoids are usually acquirable in their isolated forms from chemical manufacturers. The cost is usually in the order of hundreds of dollars per milligram, however.
Some producers may have begun offering CBT in the form of mass-manufactured isolates or distillates. Until we know more about CBT, however, it is best to practice considerable caution when selecting a provider of such a new and untested compound.
Due to its newness, you will not find CBT in the form of tinctures, capsules, gummies, or other popular hemp product types. The more we learn and share about this cannabinoid, however, the more its popularity will influence producers to begin adding CBT to their catalogs.
Should I Try CBT?
CBT is certainly a promising cannabinoid with unique origins. Over time, the hemp industry would undoubtedly benefit from making CBT a greater focus, bringing CBT products to shoppers for them to try.
At the moment, however, CBT can only be described as untested, and the majority of CBT products on the market are not made using the best or most scrupulous methods. When major CBD producers like Arvanna bring on CBT products, it may be reasonable to give this cannabinoid a try.
Until CBT becomes more mainstream, however, it’s best to leave this cannabinoid to the international researchers who are already hard at work unraveling the mysteries of cannabinoids. It’s up to us to let these scientists know that we’re curious about CBT and want to know whether it should become a part of our modern cannabinoid routines.
Cannabitriol: Enigma and Opportunity
Cannabinoids like CBT show us that there is more to the Cannabis sativa plant than we could even hope to learn. Every time we think we’ve completed a taxonomy of hemp, a new cannabinoid like CBT emerges, throwing a wrench in the works and making us rethink everything we thought we knew about the plant.
What CBT should also make clear, however, is that cannabis still has plenty more value to offer. Originally, researchers thought they’d cracked the cannabis code by studying THC, but then CBD, CBG, CBN, and a whole host of additional compounds began tumbling through the cracks.
Just how complex is cannabis? We may never know. But, we will never even begin the process of knowing until we fully understand every cannabinoid so-far discovered, starting with CBT.
