Decoding Cannabis: Could CBG become the most versatile cannabinoid in medicine?

All cannabis derived cannabinoids (think THC, CBD, CBN) start out as CBG. In the early stages of the cannabis plant's development, cannabigerol (CBG) acts as a chemical precursor, and as the plant matures, the more well-known (and somewhat better understood) cannabinoids slowly develop. That's why you will often see CBG declared as the "mother of all cannabinoids". 

And while that's pretty fascinating, there's more to the CBG story, especially when it comes to its therapeutic potential. 

Welcome back to our Decoding Cannabis blog series, where we take the microscope to one of the more recently released research papers on medical cannabis. Today, we are focusing on "Cannabigerol (CBG): A Comprehensive Review of Its Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential", a 2024 clinical review which examined 103 individual studies, and is helping to uncover the true potential of CBG. 

It sets out to answer some of the more pressing questions surrounding CBG in clinical settings, including:

• What is CBG used for?

• How does it work in the body?

• Could it support treatment for cancer, inflammation, or chronic pain?

How CBG works in the body: The receptors and pathways that matter most

The study in question shows that while yes, CBG does interact with the two endocannabinoid system receptors (CB1 and CB2), it does so quite differently from both of the major cannabinoids, THC and CBD. It only has a weak influence on CB1 receptors, found mostly in the central nervous system, and acts as a partial agonist for CB2 receptors which are based in the peripheral nervous system, but its influence does seem to extend further. 

Keep in mind that the following findings are based on preclinical work, so we do need more peer-reviewed trials involving human participants before we can make any concrete claims. 

What are the main receptor targets of CBG?

• CBG inhibits FAAH, and in doing so increases the levels of our own naturally produced endocannabinoid anandamide.
• It interacts with multiple tTRP channels, each of which plays a different role, but affects how we perceive pain, heat, cold, or stress. 
• It acts as an antagonist to the 5-HT1A receptor, involved in serotonin production 
• It also affects the PPARγ receptors, which are involved in the regulation of pain, inflammation, and metabolism

What does the early research suggest about CBG’s therapeutic potential?

The review examined 103 studies, almost all of which were conducted in animals or in lab conditions, looking at how CBG affects the cellular level. While that means we’re still in the early days clinically, some of the effects observed were both system-wide and surprisingly specific.

A recurring pattern was dose sensitivity. In some cases, low doses were beneficial, but as the dose creeped up, it became less effective or even counterproductive from a therapeutic standpoint. 

The review also noted that CBG offers its therapeutic effects without triggering any intoxication, unlike THC. CBD is also a non-intoxicating cannabinoid therapy option, but both CBG and CBD are considered to be psychoactive…

Why?

Well, there's a difference between intoxication and psychoactivity.

Psychoactive simply means a compound affects the brain or mental state, not that it causes a “high.” CBG and CBD can influence mood, anxiety levels, and cognition without producing the intoxication typically associated with THC. 

Anyway, back to what the research found when it comes to the emerging therapeutic potential of CBG.

CBG for brain health: A neuroprotective cannabinoid in early studies

In models of Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Multiple Sclerosis, CBG reduced neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, supported mitochondrial function, and dampened overactive immune signalling in the brain. 

• Oxidative stress is a significant factor in neurodegenerative diseases, and more than one of the studies reviewed showed that CBG (along with CBD) offer great promise in this area. 
• In early Alzheimer’s research, CBG (along with CBC and CBN) helped protect brain cells from damage caused by toxic protein (Amyloid beta) build-up, which is a key feature linked to memory loss and cell death.
• Microglia are one of the main immune cells produced by in brains, but if they’re over activated or overproduced, they can cause higher levels of neurodegeneration in people with MS. One preclinical study showed that CBG reduced the pre-markers of microglia, which could potentially slow the progression of MS. 

CBG’s anti-inflammatory potential 

CBG’s anti-inflammatory effects have been quite widely looked into in early research across a handful of different conditions. 

• In a mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), CBG reduced nitric oxide production in immune cells, calmed cytokine activity, and lowered oxidative stress in the gut lining. These effects appeared to be linked to CB2 receptor activity
• In skin studies, it helped counter oxidative damage, reduced signs of irritation, and even outperformed vitamin C in reducing reactive oxygen species in fibroblast cells. A small clinical study using a CBG serum also found improvements in skin hydration and redness
• In liver inflammation (specifically in models of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH), a low dose of CBG helped reduce inflammation and immune cell infiltration. But a high dose actually worsened fibrosis and liver damage, underlining just how sensitive CBG’s effects may be to dosing.

CBG for bacterial infections: A natural option with antibacterial promise

Antibiotic resistance is an issue that is truly of growing concern, not just here in the UK, but globally. CBG won’t replace antibiotics, but it does show true potential as an antibacterial agent, especially against Gram-positive bacteria, suggesting a strong capacity in treating for a wider range of infections.

• Staphylococcus aureus (an antibiotic resistant MRSA strain) and Streptococcus mutans, a common cause of dental cavities, both proved to be vulnerable to CBG. 
• It also showed decent efficacy against Salmonella and Enterococcus
• It may work by breaking down bacterial membranes, which can lead to cell death, and by disrupting biofilm formation, a major barrier in treating chronic infections.

How does it work?

Again, we aren't exactly sure just yet. There’s early evidence that CBG may interfere with bacterial communication (quorum sensing), potentially limiting the ability of bacteria to release toxins or group together in harmful ways.

CBG for cancer: What early lab research is finding

Before we explain the findings that the review came to in terms of CBG for cancer suppression, let’s be very clear. There is no clinical evidence that CBG treats or cures cancer in humans. 

It has never been tested in humans for this purpose, and the findings below come entirely from lab and animal studies. These results should not be interpreted as medical advice, or as a suggestion that CBG (or medical cannabis more generally) can replace approved cancer treatments.

That said, researchers did present the results of the reviewed studies in terms of how CBG might influence some of the biological processes involved in tumour growth:

• In glioblastoma models, CBG (especially when combined with CBD) reduced the growth and invasiveness of cancer stem cells. It also appeared more effective when combined with CBD.
• Some lab studies suggest CBG may affect multiple signalling pathways involved in cancer development, including those linked to cell growth, immune evasion, and inflammation.
• In one study, CBG increased the visibility of tumour cells to the immune system by boosting MHC-I protein expression, though again, only under controlled lab conditions.
• Early data in prostate, breast, pancreatic, and colon cancer models show that CBG may slow cell growth or increase cell death, but results vary depending on the context.
• A few experiments suggest that CBG (again, especially so when combined with CBD) might enhance the effects of some chemotherapy drugs, a concept still in the earliest stages of investigation.

These findings are interesting, but still very early. More research is needed before we know if any of this applies to human cancer care.

CBG for pain: Early evidence of a new approach to relief

We already have a solid understanding of how THC alters our perception of pain (by binging with CB1 receptors, it can affect how we perceive the sensation of pain. Same goes for CBD, which helps lower rates of inflammation. 

CBG seems to work similarly to both THC and CBD, almost a combination of the two, along with hitting some other neurotransmitter targets. 

• In one study, mice given CBG showed much less pain sensitivity compared to the control group.
• This analgesic outcome isn’t fully understood yet, but the researchers involved in the study suggested that it was linked to CBG’s interaction with not only the ECS receptors, but also the α2-adrenergic receptors.

Real-world application of CBG through Releaf prescriptions

While most of the current evidence for CBG remains preclinical, we are starting to see its effects in clinical practice, thanks to the fact that Releaf patients have had access to a CBG-dominant flower option since early 2025. 

Our Medical Director, Dr. Sue Clenton, shared her observations from prescribing a CBG-containing flower grown in the UK:

“We’ve been prescribing a CBG-containing cannabis flower cultivar for some months now, grown in the UK by Glass Pharms. Early reports from patients prescribed this medication suggest it may be helpful for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, including both Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis, with some patients noticing a reduction in symptoms. We’ve also had reports of it helping with pain and anxiety.”

What’s next for CBG? Early data, cautious optimism, and more to learn

CBG might turn out to be one of the most adaptable phytocannabinoids for therapeutic use, but the evidence to actually support such claims simply isn’t there just yet. 

Almost all the research mentioned here was carried out in animals or under tightly controlled lab conditions. It’s very useful for early detection of potential patterns and pathways, but it doesn’t tell us how CBG performs in real people, with real health conditions, over time.

What it does tell us is where to look next. 

The next step is clinical research, peer-reviewed and with human participants. And it is happening, right now. In the next few years, expect to see real world results becoming available, and more CBG based medical cannabis products hitting the UK market. 

Interested in medical cannabis treatment in the UK but unsure where to start? 

Simple.

Head to our medical cannabis eligibility checker. 

It’s quick (less than 20 seconds to complete), totally free, and fully confidential. We also offer a full money-back guarantee for patients who pay for and complete an initial consultation, but are ultimately found to be ineligible for a UK medical cannabis prescription with Releaf.

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