There are two different types of cannabinoids, or “crannabinoids,” as known to Riley and her viewers on Tik Tok. The two types are endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids.
Endocannabinoids vs. Phytocannabinoids
The prefix “endo” means made from within, while the prefix “phyto” means made from a plant. When THC was discovered, researchers were very interested in learning which receptors in the brain that THC was acting on to cause the physiological response we feel when we consume THC. Riley uses the following equation to help explain this: molecule + receptor = response. Molecules don’t just respond on their own, they need receptors to be activated.
CB1 and CB2 Receptors
The CB1 and CB2 receptors were discovered when scientists were researching where in the brain we get the response and physiological effects of THC. Though they discovered which receptors caused those effects, this discovery led to even more questions. Why are we producing all of these receptors? Why are we putting all of this energy into it if we might not even interact with this plant? Our bodies only produce things that we need to survive. Upon further research came the discovery of 2-AG and Anandamide.
2-AG and Anandamide
2-AG and Anandamide are endogenous cannabinoids, or endocannabinoids. The reason the word “cannabinoid” is in its name is because the discovery of it was made possible by studying the metabolites in plants, or phytocannabinoids.
Keeping Up With Riley
You can keep up with Riley Dee on her Tik Tok account named Cannabichem, as well as right here on the Arbor Vita8 website!
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Clip Transcript
Riley Dee:
All right. Let’s start by going over the different kinds of cannabinoids. We have our endocannabinoids and our phytocannabinoids. Endo, the prefix means made within, and then phyto means made from a plant. When THC was discovered, people wanted to figure out what receptor in the brain that that molecule was acting on, because the physiological response that it does. It obviously makes you feel something and molecules don’t just work. They work by acting on receptors.
That led to the discovery of the CB1 and the CB2 receptor, but then researchers said, “Okay, well, that’s weird. Why are we producing all these receptors and putting all this energy into it if we might not even interact with this plant at any time in our life.” And that led to the discovery of 2-AG and Anandamide. These are endogenous cannabinoids or endocannabinoids, and they have the word cannabinoid in it because of the discovery was made possible by studying the metabolites from the plant.
