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What each cannabinoid is.
Each monograph opens with a definition, then covers the chemistry, the biosynthetic map, and what the evidence does and does not show, in plain language. The pages are aligned with CBG Atlas but written independently. None of it is medical advice.
Pentyl line
- CBGWhat is CBG?CBG (cannabigerol) is a non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid. Its acid, CBGA, is the single precursor that three plant synthases branch into the THC, CBD and CBC lines. Neutral CBG is the decarboxylated form of that parent acid, which is why it is called the mother cannabinoid.
- CBGAWhat is CBGa?CBGa (cannabigerolic acid) is the acidic precursor the entire pentyl cannabinoid family is built from. THCA synthase, CBDA synthase and CBCA synthase compete for it in the plant. Heat removes CO₂ from the carboxyl group and yields neutral CBG, which is why the acid is stored cold and handled differently from the neutral.
- CBDWhat is CBD?CBD (cannabidiol) is a non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid, formula C21H30O2, CAS 13956-29-1. The plant makes CBDA from CBGA via CBDA synthase, and heat removes CO₂ to give CBD. It is an isomer of CBC and THC. Peregrine publishes this monograph for formulators who work with the minor cannabinoids alongside CBD; CBD isolate is not currently something we sell.
- CBDAWhat is CBDA?CBDA (cannabidiolic acid) is the carboxylated form of CBD, formula C22H30O4, CAS 1244-58-2. CBDA synthase makes it from CBGA in the plant, and heat removes CO₂ to give CBD. Formulators buy it when they need the acid rather than the neutral, and store it cold because it decarboxylates on a warm shelf.
- CBCWhat is CBC?CBC (cannabichromene) is a non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid. CBCA synthase converts CBGA to CBCA, and heat removes CO₂ to give CBC. It is one of three competing branches off the shared acid, alongside THCA and CBDA. It shares the formula C21H30O2 with CBD and THC but carries a chromene ring, which gives it different laboratory pharmacology.
Varins
- THCVWhat is THCV?THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin) is the propyl homolog of THC: the same tetrahydrocannabinol skeleton with a three-carbon side chain instead of five. It is not made by shortening THC. The plant runs a parallel line from CBGVA → THCVA → THCV, and in laboratory work its behaviour at CB1 differs from Δ9-THC's.
- CBDVWhat is CBDV?CBDV (cannabidivarin) is the propyl homolog of CBD: three carbons on the side chain instead of five, formula C19H26O2, CAS 24274-48-4. It sits on the varin line, which the plant runs in parallel to the pentyl CBD route from a different starting acid, CBGVA. It is not a degradation product of CBD.
- CBGVWhat is CBGV?CBGV (cannabigerovarin) is the propyl homolog of CBG: the same geranyl core with a three-carbon side chain instead of five. Its acid, CBGVA, is the varin analog of CBGa, and decarboxylation yields neutral CBGV. Formula C19H28O2, CAS 55824-11-8. Very little compound-specific pharmacology has been published.
Downstream
- CBNWhat is CBN?CBN (cannabinol) is a fully aromatised cannabinoid that forms as Δ9-THC and THCA oxidise with oxygen, light, heat and time. There is no CBN synthase in the plant, so the CBN level in a sample says more about its age and storage than about the chemovar it came from.
- CBLWhat is CBL?CBL (cannabicyclol) is a photochemical rearrangement product of CBC: light cyclises CBC into CBL. It shares CBC's formula, C21H30O2, so it cannot be told from CBC by mass alone, only by chromatography or structural identity. Peregrine sells it as a research isolate for reference libraries and impurity mapping, not as a finished consumer cannabinoid.
- CBTWhat is CBT?CBT (cannabitriol) is a triol cannabinoid, formula C21H30O4, from the oxidised region of cannabinoid chemistry. Peregrine offers it as a research isolate. Identity is confirmed lot by lot, and where a primary reference standard is scarce, the NMR and MS data used to confirm it are disclosed on the COA. There is no human pharmacology to report.
Maps
- MapHow are cannabinoids made in the plant?Cannabinoid biosynthesis in Cannabis starts with CBGA (from olivetolic acid and geranyl pyrophosphate). THCA, CBDA and CBCA synthases compete for that acid. Heat then decarboxylates the acids to Δ9-THC, CBD, CBC and, from leftover CBGA, CBG. The varins repeat the same map from CBGVA. CBN is not on the tree; it forms by oxidation of THC.
- FamilyWhat are minor cannabinoids?Minor cannabinoids are phytocannabinoids other than the two bulk commodities, Δ9-THC and CBD. The group includes CBG, CBN, CBC, THCV, CBDV, CBGV, CBL and CBT. They are low-abundance in a hemp crop, which is why they are isolated in production campaigns and sold as named, CAS-numbered isolates at ≥99.9% purity rather than as a commodity.
- FamilyWhat are cannabinoid acids?Cannabinoid acids (CBGa, CBDA, THCVA, CBCA and the rest) are the carboxylated species the plant actually synthesises. Decarboxylation, mostly by heat but also by light and time, removes CO₂ and yields the neutral cannabinoids sold as CBG, CBD, THC and CBC. The acids are less stable than the neutrals and are stored cold.
- FamilyWhat are varin cannabinoids?Varin cannabinoids are the propyl (C3) series: THCV, CBDV, CBGV and their acids. They are not trimmed THC, CBD or CBG. The plant starts from a different acid, CBGVA, and runs a parallel enzymatic line to make them. Because the pathway is expressed in few hemp chemovars, varins are scarcer than the pentyl series.
- MapsWhat is the mother cannabinoid?‘Mother cannabinoid’ refers to CBGa, the shared acid precursor. THCA, CBDA and CBCA synthases compete for CBGa. Neutral CBG is leftover parent after heat removes CO₂. The nickname is about the acid, not about CBG turning into other cannabinoids on a shelf.
- MapsWhat is a phytocannabinoid?A phytocannabinoid is a cannabinoid of plant origin: CBGa, CBG, CBD, CBC, the varins and their acids, and CBN as an oxidation product of plant THC. The word describes a chemical class. It does not mean the lot on your COA is hemp-derived, and it does not mean FDA approval. At Peregrine, origin is disclosed per lot.
Method
- MethodHow we grade cannabinoid evidenceAn evidence grade describes how strong the evidence is, not how promising a result sounds. On the six-rung ladder we use, Established means settled by replicated human work or undisputed biochemistry; Demonstrated means reproducible controlled experiments, often in vitro; Emerging means an early signal; Low means sparse or single-source evidence; Hypothesized means plausible but not shown; and Not supported means the question was tested and the evidence weighs against it. A topic with no qualifying study is marked ‘catalogue in progress’, which is different from Not supported.
- MethodCBG gap-map: what is graded, and what is missingThe CBG gap-map is CBG Atlas's summary of which conditions have been studied and how strong the evidence is for each. As of its 2026 update it holds 21 verified studies, one human dataset (an acute anxiety and stress trial graded Low) and no condition with established human efficacy. It is a coverage map, not a list of uses, and Peregrine does not present the empty cells as benefits.
- MethodThe CBG human trial (Cuttler 2024)The only human CBG dataset Atlas grades for anxiety and stress is Cuttler et al., published in Scientific Reports in 2024. It was an acute, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover in 34 healthy adults given a single 20 mg oral dose, with self-reported anxiety, stress and mood as the endpoints. Atlas grades it Low because it was acute, self-reported and run in healthy volunteers. It does not support a treatment claim, and Peregrine had no part in it.
- MethodDoes CBG have benefits?CBG does not have any established human benefit. On CBG Atlas’s gap-map, none of the tracked conditions reaches human efficacy, and the only human dataset is Cuttler 2024, an acute anxiety and stress trial in 34 healthy adults graded Low. The preclinical literature describes mechanisms in cells and animals, not outcomes in people. Articles that list ‘CBG benefits’ are reporting marketing rather than graded evidence.
- MethodIs CBG psychoactive?CBG is not Δ9-THC. It is described as non-intoxicating because, in vitro, it antagonises CB1 rather than activating it the way THC does, and the one acute human trial (Cuttler 2024, 20 mg) did not report intoxication. That is a receptor description and a single observation. It does not exempt anyone from drug-testing rules, and it is not a basis for a consumer claim of ‘no effect on the mind’.
- MethodIs CBG safe?The honest summary of CBG safety is ‘not studied’ rather than ‘proven safe’. CBG Atlas records no primary evidence in pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, long-term use, or alongside prescription medicines. Published single-dose oral work in healthy adults describes acute tolerability, not chronic safety. In published pharmacokinetic work a high-fat meal raised CBG exposure, which is a dosing consideration rather than a benefit. WADA’s in-competition cannabinoid ban exempts CBD, not CBG.
- MethodWhat receptors does CBG bind?CBG has a published in-vitro receptor profile: CB1 antagonism, which is the chemistry behind calling it non-intoxicating; 5-HT1A antagonism, with an Atlas-reported KB of about 51.9 nM; and TRP-channel activity as a TRPV1/TRPV2 agonist–desensitiser and TRPM8 antagonist. α2-adrenoceptor agonism is reported as highly potent in vitro, and a human blood-pressure effect is hypothesised from that but has not been measured. Activity validated in vitro is not an outcome in a person.
- MethodThe CBG research libraryThe CBG research library is the set of studies CBG Atlas has verified and graded: 21 as of its 2026 update. One is a human dataset (Cuttler 2024); the rest are biochemistry, in-vitro and animal work, and none establishes human efficacy. The papers include Taura 1996 on biosynthesis, Pertwee 2005–2008 on receptor pharmacology, Borrelli and De Petrocellis on preclinical models, and Cuttler 2024, among others. They are hosted and graded on Atlas, not by Peregrine.
- MethodWhat is a CBG dose?There is no established CBG dose, and Peregrine does not publish one. The only human anxiety and stress trial Atlas grades, Cuttler 2024, gave 20 mg orally as a single dose to healthy adults; published pharmacokinetic work has used higher single doses. Those are protocols in papers, not recommended daily amounts. Peregrine sells CBG isolate by mass, from 5 g to 100 kg, not by serving.
- MethodWhat did CBDV trials test?Among the varin cannabinoids, CBDV has the most public human-trial history, which is not the same as a positive result. CBG Atlas records a completed randomised controlled trial of CBDV whose primary endpoint was not met. Peregrine reports that outcome as it stands rather than reframing secondary findings as a benefit, and sells CBDV isolate (CAS 24274-48-4) as an ingredient.
- MethodWhat have THCV trials tested?THCV has been tested in people, with no positive primary result so far. A metabolic pilot in 62 adults with type 2 diabetes (5 mg twice daily for 13 weeks) did not move its primary HDL endpoint, although some secondary glucose measures shifted. A larger Phase 2 trial (NCT02053272, 207 participants, 2, 5 or 15 mg twice daily for 12 weeks) completed in 2016 and has no posted results. CBG Atlas records both, and Peregrine reports them as they stand.
- MethodIs THCV intoxicating?THCV’s behaviour at CB1 depends on dose in laboratory and animal work: it antagonises cannabinoid agonists in CB1 tissue preparations and behaves more like an agonist at higher doses in animals. That is a receptor description, not support for the ‘energy cannabinoid’ label used in marketing. High-dose Δ8-THCV studies have reported THC-like effects and false-positive THC urine screens, so confirm which isomer you are buying and read the lot COA.
- MethodHas CBGV been tested in people?CBGV (cannabigerovarin) has never been tested in a person in the literature CBG Atlas grades: there is no human pharmacokinetic study, no dose-ranging work and no outcome trial. What exists is cell and mouse work, which describes mechanism rather than effect in people. Peregrine sells CBGV isolate as a research-stage ingredient on that basis.
Buyers
- BuyersWhat is a cannabinoid isolate?A cannabinoid isolate is a single named molecule, such as CBG, CBN, CBC or THCV, specified by its CAS number and a purity assay. It differs from a distillate, which is a mixed fraction; from a full-spectrum extract, which is specified as a profile; and from a finished product such as a gummy, which is specified by serving. Peregrine sells isolates at ≥99.9%, plus one water-dispersible CBN powder that is assayed at 10–20% CBN by weight rather than as an isolate.
- BuyersWhat does research-grade cannabinoid isolate mean?On this site, research-grade means a named isolate with lot-level identity and assay on a COA, available from 5 g, and sold as an ingredient without any structure/function claim. It is not a regulatory status: it does not mean FDA-approved, dietary supplement, GRAS or NDI. It describes how we document and sell the first mass of a compound.
- BuyersAre Peregrine cannabinoids hemp-derived?Peregrine does not describe all of its isolates as hemp-derived, because some lots are and some are not. The Farm Bill’s ≤0.3% Δ9-THC threshold is a legal test applied to hemp biomass; it does not automatically describe an isolate produced from that biomass or by another route. Origin is disclosed lot by lot on request, and THCV and certain other isolates require destination confirmation before we ship.
- BuyersWhat is water-dispersible CBN?Water-dispersible CBN (CBN-WD) is CBN pre-dispersed onto a carrier and spray-dried into a powder that disperses in water. Its assay is 10–20% CBN by weight, not 99.9% isolate, so the formulation math is different. Use it when the process needs a powder that disperses in water, not when the specification calls for crystalline CBN.
- MapsWhat is cannabinoid decarboxylation?Decarboxylation is the loss of CO₂ from a cannabinoid acid to give the neutral cannabinoid: CBGa → CBG, CBDA → CBD, THCVA → THCV, CBCA → CBC. The plant makes the acids; process heat, and more slowly light and time, make the neutrals. Because a heated step converts one to the other, specify which species you need at the end of your process, not just at the start.
- MethodDoes CBN help you sleep?CBN is widely marketed as a sleep cannabinoid. Oral CBN has been studied for sleep in people, but the published trials have not established it as a sleep aid, so Peregrine does not describe CBN isolate as clinically proven for sleep. We sell the isolate as an ingredient. Sleepz, our 7-hour release formula, is a separate product in development with its own unpublished observational cohort, and nothing about it transfers to the isolate.
- BuyersCBG oil vs CBG isolate?CBG isolate is the molecule itself, ≥99.9% cannabigerol (CAS 25654-31-3) as a crystalline solid. CBG oil is a product format: isolate or distillate dissolved in a carrier oil at a declared concentration in mg/mL. The two are not interchangeable on a specification, because an oil is specified by concentration and carrier while an isolate is specified by CAS and purity. Peregrine sells the crystalline isolate.
Compare
- CompareCBG vs CBD: what’s the difference?CBD is made when CBDA synthase acts on CBGA and heat then decarboxylates the CBDA. CBG is the parent acid itself after decarboxylation, not a CBD analog. They come from the same plant pathway but sit on different branches, have different ring structures and carry different CAS numbers (CBG 25654-31-3, CBD 13956-29-1). CBD has a large human literature; CBG has one acute trial.
- CompareCBG vs CBN: what’s the difference?CBG comes from CBGA, the acid the plant branches every pentyl cannabinoid from, after decarboxylation. CBN comes from Δ9-THC and THCA that have oxidised with oxygen, light, heat and time; there is no CBN synthase. CBG sits at the start of the biosynthetic map, while CBN forms downstream as a product of storage. CAS 25654-31-3 (CBG) and 521-35-7 (CBN).
- CompareCBN vs CBD: what’s the difference?CBD is decarboxylated CBDA, a synthase product the plant makes from CBGA. CBN is aromatised, oxidised THC, formed by storage rather than by an enzyme. They do not sit on the same arrow of the plant map, and their CAS numbers differ: 13956-29-1 for CBD and 521-35-7 for CBN. Neither converts into the other.
- CompareCBG vs CBGa: acid or neutral?CBGa (C22H32O4, CAS 25555-57-1) is the carboxylic acid; CBG (C21H32O2, CAS 25654-31-3) is the neutral it becomes when heat removes CO₂. The plant's synthases act on the acid, not the neutral. Which one to buy depends on which species your process still contains at the end: a hot fill converts CBGa to CBG, so specify the neutral unless the carboxyl group matters to your chemistry. CBGa also needs cold storage.
- CompareTHCV vs THC: what’s the difference?THCV (C19H26O2) is the propyl homolog of Δ9-THC (C21H30O2): the same tetrahydrocannabinol skeleton with a three-carbon side chain instead of five. It is not made by shortening THC. The plant runs a parallel varin line from CBGVA through THCVA to THCV, and nothing converts Δ9-THC into it. In laboratory work the two behave differently at CB1, and some jurisdictions regulate them differently.
- CompareCannabinoid isolate vs distillate?An isolate is a single cannabinoid at a stated purity with its own CAS number. A distillate is the mixed fraction that comes off the still, with several cannabinoids in it and a profile rather than a single purity figure. If your specification says CBG at 99.9%, you need the isolate; a distillate cannot meet that line, however it is described.
- CompareCBC vs CBD: what’s the difference?CBD and CBC both come from CBGA but through different enzymes: CBDA synthase leads to CBD, CBCA synthase to CBC. They share the formula C21H30O2 and differ in ring structure, which gives them different laboratory pharmacology and different CAS numbers (CBD 13956-29-1, CBC 20675-51-8). CBD has a large human literature. CBC has none in the registry CBG Atlas gates, so CBD findings should not be carried over to CBC isolate.
- CompareCBC vs CBG: what’s the difference?CBG is the decarboxylated form of CBGA, the parent acid, while CBC is one of the three branches the plant’s synthases make from that same acid, via CBCA. They are related by origin but are different molecules with different rings and CAS numbers (CBG 25654-31-3, CBC 20675-51-8). CBG’s human evidence is a single acute trial graded Low; CBC has no human study in the Atlas registry.
- CompareCBN vs THC: what’s the difference?Δ9-THC is a plant synthase product: THCA synthase makes THCA from CBGA, and heat decarboxylates it. CBN is what that line becomes when it meets oxygen, light and time; it is the fully aromatised oxidation product of THC. They carry different CAS numbers (CBN 521-35-7, Δ9-THC 1972-08-3) and different receptor behaviour, and CBN is not a milder form of THC.
- CompareCBN isolate vs CBN distillate?CBN isolate is one molecule — cannabinol, CAS 521-35-7 — at a stated purity, ≥99.9% at Peregrine, as a crystalline solid. CBN distillate is the boiled fraction before crystallisation: mostly CBN with other cannabinoids, colour and a profile rather than a purity. If the specification says cannabinol at a percent, it is asking for isolate.
- CompareCBN isolate vs water-dispersible CBN powder?CBN isolate is the molecule: ≥99.9% cannabinol as a crystalline solid, soluble in lipids and ethanol, practically insoluble in water. Water-dispersible CBN powder (CBN-WD) is that molecule pre-dispersed onto a food-grade carrier and spray-dried so it disperses in water; its assay is CBN-in-powder, typically 10–20% w/w. Choose by the phase your process has: oil or ethanol → isolate; water → powder.
- CompareCBDV vs CBD?CBDV and CBD share the cannabidiol core and differ by two carbons on the alkyl side chain: CBD is pentyl (five carbons, C21H30O2), CBDV is propyl (three, C19H26O2). They are separate molecules with separate CAS numbers and separate specifications. CBDV is scarcer because the varin pathway is expressed in few hemp chemovars.
- CompareCBC vs CBL?CBC is a plant cannabinoid made from CBGa by CBCa synthase. CBL is its photochemical rearrangement product: light cyclises CBC into cannabicyclol. They are isomers — identical formula C21H30O2 and mass, different ring structure — so they are distinguished by chromatography and structural identity, not by mass.