Phytocannabinoids

Phytocannabinoids are cannabinoids of plant origin naturally produced by certain plants. Hemp is the best-known source of these compounds, which contribute to the plant’s chemical richness alongside terpenes, flavonoids and many other natural constituents.

What does the term phytocannabinoid mean?

The word phytocannabinoid consists of the prefix “phyto”, meaning plant, and the term cannabinoid. A phytocannabinoid is therefore a cannabinoid naturally produced by a plant. This designation helps distinguish them from endocannabinoids produced by the human body and synthetic cannabinoids made in a laboratory.

What are the main phytocannabinoids in hemp?

Hemp contains several dozen phytocannabinoids identified to date. The best known include CBD, CBG, CBC, CBN, CBDV, THCV and THC. Each has its own chemical structure and may be present in different proportions depending on the cultivated variety and production conditions.

How are phytocannabinoids produced by the plant?

Phytocannabinoids are mainly synthesised in trichomes, small resin glands found on the flowers and certain parts of the hemp plant. As the plant develops, different cannabinoid precursors are produced and then naturally transformed into various molecules that make up the final cannabinoid profile.

Why are phytocannabinoids important?

Phytocannabinoids are one of the main characteristics of hemp. Laboratory analyses used in the hemp industry regularly measure their presence to determine the composition of flowers, resins, oils, extracts and other derived products. Their distribution helps establish a product’s cannabinoid profile.

Phytocannabinoids in hemp-based products

Depending on the raw material used and the processing methods, phytocannabinoids can be found in many hemp-based products. Flowers, resins, oils, extracts and full-spectrum products generally contain several phytocannabinoids naturally present in the plant.

A family of molecules under constant study

Scientific research continues to identify new phytocannabinoids and study their characteristics. Advances in analytical methods have significantly improved understanding of hemp’s composition and highlighted the great diversity of cannabinoids naturally produced by the plant.