THE NEW CANNABINOID FROM THE ANCIENT PAST: THCV
It seems like only yesterday we harvested our first CBD rich cannabis crops. The original strains cultivated were 1:1 CBD:THC, and 2:1 CBD:THC. We heard then, and continue to hear, names such as “Harlequin,” “Omrita,” and soon “ACDC,” the first 30:1 CBD:THC strain brought to California from Spain. Thank you for that!
Although the CBD plant always seems to be in short supply, many strains have been created. Now CBD has become mainstream, and quite honestly, a bit ho-hum. By chance, this is concurrent with the ancient cannabinoid THCV hitting the market. Up until a couple of years ago, the amount of THCV found in most cannabis was way under 1% and just not useful. Currently, there are a few strains that are approximately 1:1 THCV:THC. Some have more THC than THCV, so we continue to look for strains with less THC.
My first experience with THCV was (in the name of science!) a rolled joint. The first pound of THCV available was “Doug’s Varin,” and I was around when it was procured. The group was very anxious to test the THCV, and we didn’t have the patience to wait for an extraction. So, we rolled a few joints of a 1:1 THCV:THC and gave it a try. It was a very euphoric feeling and despite the amount of THC, I surprisingly felt no stony effects. I was simply happy and calm. As I was fortunate enough to retain some of the THCV oil, I continued using other cannabinoid combinations in search of various mood effects. There is no doubt in my mind that THCV, along with other cannabinoids, will play a big role in the treatment of mood disorders.
In addition to mood disorders, we have evidence that THCV will also be effective as a neuropathic remedy. Neuropathy can take the form of severe pain, loss of feeling, or weakness. In our practice, we conducted an observational trial of nearly 100 patients with neuropathic pain. For a good number of these patients, neuropathy was the end result of diabetes, chemotherapy, shingles, traumatic nerve injuries and more. After treatment with a transdermal application of THCV, nearly 75% of the patients showed significant relief. In the not-so-distant future, we will be repeating the study in a more formal and controlled manner, and we expect the results will be similar. In other words, THCV used both systemically and topically can help treat neuropathic dysfunction.
An area in which I have been somewhat disappointed with cannabis treatment is Parkinson’s Disease. I have attempted treating it with CBD, THC and THCA, but the results have been modest. With THCV, there is some early information demonstrating a slowing of the progression of Parkinson’s Disease, particularly with regard to tremors and spasticity. Needless to say, this would be an enormous advancement.
In summary, THCV shows promise to be extremely beneficial in treating mood disorders, neuropathy, and Parkinson’s Disease. Additionally, we have reason to believe it will be quite valuable in the areas of Type II Diabetes, stabilization of metabolism, weight loss, increased energy, and more.
Stay tuned.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3671751/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21323909
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5436333/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2755639/
