Researchers from Romania published the results of a study in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences exploring and analyzing the effects of various phytocannabinoids and terpenes working together.

Phytocannabinoids include any naturally occurring cannabinoid found in the plant, from the more commonly known THC, and CBD to less known CBC, CBG, CBN, and more. Researchers wrote that over 100 cannabinoids have been identified in the plant. “The complex interaction between phytocannabinoids and biological systems offers hope for novel treatment approaches and lays the groundwork for further developments in the field of cannabinoid-based medicine,” the study abstract explained. “This review summarizes the state of the field, points out information gaps, and emphasizes the need for more studies to fully realize the therapeutic potential of phytocannabinoids.”

Researchers explored the entourage effect, which is the combination of both cannabinoids and terpenes working together to create effects that “exceed the sum of their separate contributions.” While consuming a product with a single cannabinoid has its benefits, consuming more than one cannabinoid or terpene together can produce even stronger, more beneficial effects. “This synergy emphasizes how important it is to consider the entire plant when utilizing cannabis medicinally as opposed to just concentrating on individual cannabinoids,” researchers explained.

Researchers also briefly wrote about terpenes, which make up the aroma and flavor of various cannabis strains. “Standardizing the terpene profile helps maintain consistency in sensory attributes and may also impact the ‘entourage’ effect—the synergistic interaction between cannabinoids and terpenes.”

The study primarily reviewed the known effects and properties of various cannabinoids, many of which offer varying levels of benefit for anti-inflammatory effects, antioxidant effects, pain management, neurological disorders, psychiatric conditions, cancer treatment support, and more. “The exploration of novel phytocannabinoids is rapidly evolving, offering exciting prospects for future therapeutic applications,” researchers wrote. “Beyond well-established compounds like THC and CBD, the quest for novel cannabinoids widens the scope of potential treatments. Each cannabinoid, with its unique chemical structure, interacts differently with the ECS, suggesting tailored therapeutic effects for specific conditions. This exploration seeks to harness similar benefits while circumventing associated drawbacks.”

The study cited examples of THC having analgesic effects and has been found to help patients treat chronic pain, while CBD has been studied for its anti-inflammatory properties and is an anxiolytic, which has potential to reduce anxiety and stress.

CBG interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system (specifically the CB1 and CB2 receptors) in a way that suggests it can “modulate the effects of other cannabinoids by influencing CB1 receptor activity.” It has also been studied for its anticancer properties. Similar breakdowns were provided for CBC, CBN, and THCV as well.

This research is the combined presentation from 99 sources to exhibit the benefits of cannabinoids, but spotlights the complex challenges regarding the legal status of cannabis in the U.S. and the EU. However, researchers noted that these laws and regulations are subject to change as more evidence is presented.

Researchers also added that at least in the U.S., more evidence will lead to an expansion in FDA approved products. Currently, only two products—Sativex^® (which contains both CBD and THC) and Epidiolex^® (which contains only CBD)—have been approved so far. Sativex^® was approved in 2010, while Epidiolex^® was approved in 2018. “CBD and THC should be accessible to patients with special prescriptions due to their potential benefits, especially for individuals with epilepsy refractory to other medications.”

Not all countries in Europe have access to Sativex^® and/or Epidiolex^®, which has led to an increase in a reliance on obtaining cannabis products online, and also increases the risk of illegal products that are not being tested for impurities and other harmful contaminants. Due to this, researchers recommended that cannabis products should be made available as a prescription to “lower addiction risk.” “Prescription retention in pharmacies after each refill or release can aid in monitoring usage,” researchers wrote. “Additionally, THC products should adhere to state-specific rules, potentially requiring a special prescription to curb misuse.”

In their conclusion, researchers summarized the many beneficial properties of phytocannabinoids and the need for more research. “By leveraging the synergistic effects of combination therapies and targeting multiple disease pathways, phytocannabinoids hold immense potential to revolutionize the future of pharmacotherapy and improve human health outcomes,” researchers said. “However, further research, regulatory clarity, and standardized protocols are needed to fully unlock their therapeutic benefits and ensure safe and effective use in clinical practice.”

Other researchers have presented similar evidence as well, such as one study published in October 2023. A study conducted by Zentrela and PAX showed evidence of the entourage effect (in this case, the application of multiple cannabinoids and terpenes) led to two times the psychoactive effects in comparison to participants who consumed just products with high levels of delta-9 THC.

Similar evidence has been found on mushrooms as well. A study published in February in the journal Molecular Psychiatry explained how full-spectrum psilocybin extract offers superior benefits compared to synthetic psilocybin. “This research not only underscores the superiority of extracts with diverse compounds but also highlights the feasibility of incorporating them into Western medicine due to the controlled nature of mushroom cultivation,” researchers wrote in a press release.

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A new study shows that natural mushroom extracts may be more therapeutically effective than synthesized psilocybin, which is widely used in research investigating the medicinal potential of the psychedelic drug. The findings suggest that natural mushroom extracts may offer more potential applications for the treatment of serious mental health conditions such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and schizophrenia.

The study, which was conducted by an interdisciplinary team of researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center BrainLabs Center for Psychedelic Research, compared the effects of the natural and synthesized versions of psilocybin, the compound primarily responsible for the psychoactive effects of magic mushrooms.

“My colleagues and I are very interested in the potential of psychedelics to treat serious, treatment resistant psychiatric disorders such as depression, PTSD, OCD and even schizophrenia,” study author Bernard Lerer, a professor of psychiatry and director of the Hadassah BrainLabs Center for Psychedelic Research at Hebrew University, told PsyPost.

“There are many anecdotal and clinical reports which suggest that extract of psilocybin-containing mushrooms may have unique effects that are qualitatively and quantitatively different from chemical psilocybin, and also some preclinical studies,” Lerer continued. “This observation has important clinical implications and we wanted to test it empirically in a laboratory study.”

Entourage Effect May Boost The Therapeutic Effects Of Psilocybin

Mushrooms that contain psilocybin also produce many other psychoactive and non-psychoactive compounds that may work together to provide enhanced therapeutic effects through a phenomenon known as the entourage effect. However, most clinical research into psilocybin is conducted with synthesized forms of the drug that do not contain these additional potentially therapeutic compounds. 

“In Western medicine, there has historically been a preference for isolating active compounds rather than utilizing extracts, primarily for the sake of gaining better control over dosages and anticipating known effects during treatment,” the researchers said in an emailed statement about the study. “The challenge with working with extracts lay in the inability, in the past, to consistently produce the exact product with a consistent compound profile.”

“Contrastingly, ancient medicinal practices, particularly those attributing therapeutic benefits to psychedelic medicine, embraced the use of extracts or entire products, such as consuming the entire mushroom,” they continued. “Although Western medicine has long recognized the ‘entourage’ effect associated with whole extracts, the significance of this approach has gained recent prominence.”

To conduct the study, the researchers compared the effects of a natural mushroom extract with those of synthesized psilocybin in laboratory mice. The mice were divided into three groups that received either the extract, synthesized psilocybin or a saline solution control. Both forms of psilocybin were given in amounts determined to be therapeutically relevant based on equivalent dosing models between humans and laboratory mice.

The researchers assessed the behavioral effects and potential neuroplasticity induced by psilocybin using the head twitch response assay, a commonly employed method of studying the effects of psychedelics in mice. They also compared the metabolic changes in the frontal cortex following treatment and analyzed the expression of synaptic proteins in the brain that can be used as indicators of neuroplasticity.

The research showed that the mushroom extract demonstrated a stronger and more prolonged impact on synaptic plasticity, which could indicate the extract offers unique therapeutic benefits. Additionally, the metabolic analyses showed distinct metabolic profiles between synthesized psilocybin and the extract, suggesting that the mushroom extract may have a “unique influence on oxidative stress and energy production pathways,” according to a report from Neuroscience News.

While the research showed that the mushroom extract and synthesized psilocybin had different metabolic and neuroplasticity effects, both induced the head twitch response. The findings suggest that the acute effects of both compounds are similar at the basic behavioral level.

“We were surprised by the fact that there were no differences in the acute effect on the head twitch response between chemical psilocybin and psilocybin-containing mushroom extract while the differences emerged in terms of longer term effects on synaptic proteins and metabolomics,” Lerer said. “This has important potential clinical relevance.”

The researchers noted that while the mushroom extract showed potentially enhanced therapeutic effects, creating them in consistent formulations can be a challenge, making synthesized versions of the compound a common alternative for therapeutic research. However, they noted that with careful cultivation and processing, it is possible to make extracts in consistent formulations.

“A major challenge with natural extracts lies in achieving a consistently stable compound profile, especially with plants; however, mushrooms present a unique case,” the researchers wrote. “Mushroom compounds are highly influenced by their growing environment, encompassing factors such as substrate composition, CO2/O2 ratio, light exposure, temperature, and microbial surroundings. Despite these influences, controlled cultivation allows for the taming of mushrooms, enabling the production of a replicable extract.”

The researchers recommended more research, noting that there could be clinical advantages to using a natural mushroom extract instead of synthesized psilocybin.

“Our findings need to be confirmed in human studies but they do suggest that there may be therapeutic advantages to psilocybin-containing mushroom extract over chemically synthesized psilocybin, when both are administered at the same psilocybin dose,” said Lerer.

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Looking for recommendations on the hottest 1:1 THC to CBD ratio seeds, autoflowers, mixed ratios and beyond? We’ve got you covered.

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Two new studies claim that CBD does not reduce the psychoactive effects of THC, reversing a commonly held idea of one of CBD’s benefits. Learn what the new research says.

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Zimbabwe increased the THC limit for industrial hemp from 0.3% to 1%, making significant changes for the African country’s hemp industry.

In 2018, Zimbabwe became the second nation in Africa to legalize medical cannabis and cannabis production for medical and scientific purposes.

Zimbabwe Independent reports that the THC level increase makes significant changes for CBD manufacturers, who will now be able to produce the entourage effect combined with other cannabinoids. 

The amended bill, called the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill, 2002 is proposing the amendment of section 155 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”) to remove industrial hemp from the list of dangerous drugs.

“By the insertion of the following definition,” the bill reads, “‘Industrial hemp’ means the plant cannabis sativa L and any part of that plant, including the seed thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts and salts of isomers, whether growing or not with a delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than one per centum on a dry weight basis.”

Zimbabwe, like many other countries, is technically in conflict with the United Nations international drug convention, which still dictates global drugs policy over the past 60 years.

However, by amending the legislation and providing clarified definitions as outlined in the Amendment Bill 2022, Zimbabwe is establishing an environment in which a wider range of line mixes and ultimately hemp varieties may be produced and supplied.

An increased THC level gives industrial hemp farmers a bigger trove of options, allowing them to select genetics worthy for the production of a broader range of markets.

This is particularly important, Zimbabwe Independent notes, because studies have shown that certain genetics that combine CBD and THC produce better fiber qualities and also an entourage effect with synergistic therapeutic benefits.

As new CBD products are currently being tested by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe, they may be more effective and therefore more appealing to consumers.

The Tobacco Research Board (TRB) was directed to “reform and restructure by 2025,” making itself a center for national research, development, and innovation in tobacco and alternatives.

The country developed an objective to advance agricultural profitability and development in Zimbabwe. Industrial hemp was among the crops of interest. TRB has been testing and developing hemp varieties that are acclimated to Zimbabwe’s climatic conditions over the last few years.

The 0.3% THC requirement is an arbitrary quantity—mirroring THC limits in the U.S.—that makes it difficult for breeders to create and grow varieties with other desirable synergistic properties.

Five Years into Medical Cannabis in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe legalized medical cannabis in 2018, making it among the first countries in Africa to do so.

In 2019, Zimbabwe abolished its ban on cannabis cultivation, which set the stage for the country’s farmers to begin cultivating industrial hemp to export. That same year, the country issued the first license to a medical cannabis company to begin cultivation.

In May 2022, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa commissioned a $27 million medical cannabis farm and processing plant to be run by Swiss Bioceuticals Limited in West Province, Zimbabwe.

“This milestone is a testimony of the successes of my Government’s Engagement and Re-engagement Policy. It further demonstrates the confidence that Swiss companies have in our economy through their continued investment in Zimbabwe. I extend my profound congratulations to the Swiss Bioceuticals Limited for this timely investment in the medicinal cannabis farm, processing plant and value chain, worth US$27 million,” Mnangagwa said in the announcement of the plant.

The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe said on July 26, 2022 that it would begin accepting applicants from cannabis and hemp producers, manufacturers, importers, exporters, and retail pharmacists, in a seismic shift away from tobacco.

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Edibles containing just 1 mg of THC can punch way above their weight and deliver amazing effects. Don’t listen to the haters.

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Check out which weed strains are related to Leafly’s 2020 Strain of the Year and see if you can tell the subtle differences between each.

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New studies refine our understanding of the entourage effect in cannabis and whole-plant medicine but some question it.

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Full-spectrum extracts maintain the full profile of a cannabis plant, giving you the full benefits of the entourage effect. Check out how they’re made.

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