Phytocannabinoid

A phytocannabinoid is a cannabinoid produced in the trichomes of the cannabis plant.

Cannabinoids are a class of chemical compounds that interact with cannabinoid receptors in the body. It is the general term for any group of structurally related compounds that includes both endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids. The mammalian body produces endocannabinoids. They help the human body maintain homeostasis or the balance of various systems and functions.

Phytocannabinoids, on the other hand, are exogenous and plant-derived cannabinoids that glandular trichomes produce. Trichomes produce all the desirable cannabinoids in cannabis. Compared to endocannabinoids, phytocannabinoids are more potent and have a more comprehensive range of effects. However, both activate the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS).

There are more than 100 known cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. The most well-known and studied phytocannabinoids are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is the cannabinoid responsible for the plant’s psychoactive effects, while CBD is non-psychoactive and is known for its medicinal properties.