CHAPTER
10 ~
CBN
~ THE SLEEPY CANNABINOID
This chapter covers
the following sections:
v
The
healing properties of CBN
v
How
Cannabis is able to make us sleep so well
Cannabinol (CBN) is
my favourite Cannabinoid because it has helped me and so many other people in
terms of pain, nausea, insomnia, depression and asthma over the years. Besides
THC and CBD, Cannabinol is the Cannabinoid I have worked the most with. CBN was
first isolated with CBD back in 1945 because scientists thought that either one
of these two was the psychoactive component of Cannabis. Chemically speaking,
CBN is special, because it is the only Cannabinoid that does not start out as CBG
(Cannabigerol), the ‘stem cell’
Cannabinoid that we examine in the next chapter. Chemically, it is curious that
THC was named only some twenty years after the discovery of CBN, and was named
“Tetra Hydro Cannabinol”.
CBN is the primary
product of THC degradation, and there is very little CBN in the fresh
plant. The entire breakdown process of the chemical components of
Cannabis is interesting because THC is required for the existence of all of
these compounds, and THC itself is a breakdown product. CBN content increases
as THC degrades in storage with light exposure, heat and air. If THC is
left in a highly oxidized environment, then it will transform faster into CBN.
According to my trusted grow friends by controlling the oxygen and relative
humidity levels during curing you can control the strength of both THC and CBN
in the final product.
Let me assure you
that in the 70’s and 80’s, crafting the CBN molecule was definitely not a
precise science. Back in the day as illegal carriers and consumers of Cannabis,
Rastafari Bush Doctors and Herbswomen, had better access to some of these
compounds and better potential for research, because what scientists have
waited decades to discover and reveal, was always available busy aging in the
bottom of a bank bag hidden away in your parent’s cupboard. The truth is
that most people’s Cannabis doesn’t last long enough to appreciate long-term biosynthesis,
which can take up to six months. Some people will tell you that ‘old weed’ is ‘bad weed’ and that
Cannabis has an expiry date, but this is not true. Because, if properly stored,
Cannabis can last for up to five years without losing much healing potency at
all. Today, with all the so-called higher grades out there, people can become
confused between ‘good’ weed and expensive weed’, meaning plants
grown in an indoor environment, and even greenhouse weed is getting expensive
these days. It has already been proven that indoor plants lack certain
essential components and have less CBG and THC as their counterparts grown in
the sun. [110] (Eichhorn et al 2009)
What can CBN do for you?
CBN has striking
sedative properties, and has shown very promising anti-spasm properties. CBN is
now helping many children, adults and animals who suffer from seizures with its
anti-convulsive properties. CBN, like THC and CBD, also promotes uninterrupted
sleep patterns. So, by far the biggest selling point for CBN is its sedative
effects, and it has earned an appropriate nick name “the sleepy Cannabinoid”. When it comes to cancer, CBN has the
ability to control the growth of cancer cells, and is a very successful appetite stimulant. It is also very effective for
preventing nausea.
Scientists have noted that CBN-rich medications are
specifically effective with lung cancers. [111] (Maurizio Bifulco,
2006 ) This is why CBN
presents us with such good results in treating asthma patients. Here in South
Africa we have been healing child asthma with Cannabis for more years than I
have been alive. I have always noticed that the Elders insisted on using the
oldest and driest herb for asthma cases. Now I know that they knew things then
about CBN that modern scientists are still discovering.
One of the reasons
why Cannabis is so effective in treating lung conditions is that CBN has
anti-inflammatory properties. CBN also helps to prevent overproduction of mucus
on the lungs. Another reason why Cannabis works so well for lung conditions is
that it contains a terpene called Pinene. Have you ever wondered why your lungs
feel so much fresher after a walk in a pine forest? It’s because of the Pinene
which is found in conifers and is abundantly present in Cannabis. Pinene acts
as a bronchodilator and expectorant in the treatment of asthma and other
respiratory conditions, for example COPD (Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ), which includes conditions like emphysema
and chronic bronchitis. [112] (Fassa,
2014 ) This is precisely why smoking Cannabis makes some people
cough.
We know that both Cannabis
and OV coconut oil are natural anti-bacterials, and one thing I can say is that,
by using high CBN plant material, in other words Cannabis that has been cured
for a much longer period, we can produce much more potent topical products for
pain, inflammation and cosmetic uses such as puberty pimples, skin conditions
like psoriasis and even burns and scars. Psoriasis is a common skin condition
because it is hormonally and stress induced; so we see as many men as women,
even children, presenting with this irritating and often embarrassing skin
condition. A high CBN Cannabis medicine decreases the spread of keratinocytes,
which are hyperactive skin cells that grow to create those dreaded white patchy
sections of skin. The “Mother Cannabinoid”
known as CBG also has this same potential. Another powerful terpene found in
Cannabis known as Limonene has been tested and proven to be effective against
dermatophytes, which are fungi that grow on the skin, mucous membranes, nails,
hair, even feathers of birds. These fungi can produce ringworm and other skin
infections. [113] (M.Williamson,
2007)
CBN can lower body temperature
because Cannabis interacts with our vanilloid receptor. This regulates body
temperature and the pain response, and this is why it works so well for burns by
providing a cooling and pain-relieving effect on the skin. Cannabis as a whole
plant remedy is an excellent anti-biotic, and there is a lot of impressive
research proving that THC, CBD and CBN have successfully killed methicillin-resistant
staphylococcus auereus, an antibiotic resistant staph infection. [114] (Lowrey-Rasmussen,
2017) Together with CBD and CBG, CBN also works to reduce intra ocular pressure
in patients suffering from glaucoma, and it should not come as a surprise to
learn that CBN is actively involved in generating cells for new bone formation,
because it has the ability to stimulate the awakening of dormant Mesenchymal
stem cells in the bone marrow.
This gives high hopes to people suffering from osteoporosis and other bone conditions like arthritis for instance. So again you see how all the Cannabinoids and terpenes actually work together for overall healing by restoring balance at cellular level anywhere in the body.
Why does Cannabis make us sleep so well?
CBN, together with CBD, is a great treatment for anxiety and insomnia without all the side-effects of your typical valium based products. Myrcene is another terpene in Cannabis. This is also present in the hops plant, which is family of Cannabis, and is a well-known sedative that is used to induce sleep. [115] (Russo, 2011)
In rats and mice studies it
was realised that Myrcene also acts as a muscle relaxant. So Myrcene, combined
with THC and CBN, is responsible for the sedative properties of Cannabis which
is helping so many people to get a good night’s sleep.
Myrcene is also present in
mangos, and some people can reach altered states of consciousness by consuming
mango about an hour before Cannabis, because the Myrcene from the mango can
enhance the psychedelic activity of the THC. So here we can clearly see that
there is no doubt that the terpenes contained in Cannabis also offer
complimentary healing suggesting a certain phyto-cannabinoid/terpene synergy at
sub cellular level. [116] (Russo E. B., 2011)
According to Steep Hill labs in Berkley California,
CBN is the most sedative Cannabinoid known to scientists.
They claim:
“That 5 mg of CBN is equal to 10mg of diazepam (Valium) in terms of body relaxation”. [117] (Hanna, 2018)
Cannabis is already
well known for being the best natural medicine for uninterrupted sleep cycles,
which are essential to overall health and well-being. Insomnia is usually the
biggest problem for any sick person. Not only ill people struggle to sleep. There
are also many healthy people who will also benefit from a good night of sleep.
But it is not only the CBN which sends us off to dreamland. Because the
chemicals found in the Cannabis plant control our hormone system, our human
companion plant can offer us a good night’s sleep
because it stimulates the pineal gland to produce Melatonin and Serotonin.
These are the two hormones that control our sleep-wake patterns. So here again
you can see how Cannabis clearly controls our Endocrine system and the process
of how our bodies absorb hormones.
Most sleeping tablets give the patient a simple hypnotic effect but Cannabis offers a proper night’s rest with overall symptom reduction, which allows better sleep patterns to be developed. Most of the sedative or hypnotic drugs which are available have severe side-effects, and none really seem to create a sleep architecture that is even remotely identical to natural sleep patterns. One of the worst side-effects of opioid drugs is sleep disruption, which, in turn, intensifies any pain condition.
We
need a better understanding of the mechanisms of sleep action, as well as the
mechanisms of drug action. This involves developing a deep knowledge of the human
receptor system and neuro-chemical regulation of sleep. Cannabis brings sleep
on rapidly with fewer periods of wakefulness, minimal next- day effects and
almost no abuse potential. No other sedative drug can offer all of these.
Perhaps in the future, it
might occur to people that something very important has been discovered about
the healing potential of aged Cannabis plant material.
