Cannabis was first used for medicinal purposes in 400 CE. From that first documented treatment, the plant has been on a rollercoaster. It has many potential medicinal benefits, though many have pegged it as an ‘evil’ drug.
As the cannabis plant and its over 400 compounds continue getting analyzed and tested, the opinion of this amazing plant changes. Medicinal marijuana, for example, is legal in 36 states as of May 2021. Not only that, but the 2018 Farm Bill made hemp legal across the country.
These changes have jumpstarted an industry with so much potential. But, the plant is still a drug, and as such, pharmaceutical companies are approaching it with care.
Hemp as an API
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient or API is another new term hemp has earned thanks to the reliability of its effects. An API is any ingredient, in any medication, that does exactly what it’s supposed to do, and has some kind of effect to begin with.
To receive API classification, the potency of that specific ingredient must get proven in both actual patients and a lab.
While hemp as a whole hasn’t earned the API title, certain manufacturers, working with pharmaceutical companies, have created an isolate to meet all the appropriate criteria. This allows a specific company’s hemp to become a part of a specific medication.
The attractiveness of CBD
Stepping out first in the API market, CBD gained pharmaceutical attention because it’s one of the key non-euphoric components of the plant. Unlike medicinal marijuana, CBD isolate won’t get you high.
Not only that, but the cannabinoid appears to have no serious neurological effects and no impact on vital signs or mood. As possible treatments become approved, CBD may have the ability to address medical issues without the same side effects a variety of today’s medications cause.
The first FDA-approved drug containing cannabidiol is Epidiolex. Using plant-derived CBD, this prescription drug treats seizures associated with specific syndromes. It applies to patients one year of age and older. There’s a CBD concentration of 100 mg/mL. Dosage recommendations vary based on which syndrome you’re using the drug to treat. They all start out relatively small. Patients should work closely with their doctor to use the medication safely and appropriately.
Dosage linked to impact
The dosage of CBD in pharmaceutical products is so precise in order to ensure actual effects of the medication. A low dose of CBD, somewhere below 300 mg often produces inconsistent effects. You may, as a consumer, notice an effect, but you may not.
Consistent responses are usually seen around 600 mg of CBD.
Doses are set based on the treatable condition and the rigorous testing that occurs before the medication gets approval for sale. Not following dose rules can lead to unfavorable consequences. Exceeding the recommended dose isn’t always safe, and taking too little may not produce the benefits you’re looking for.
If you’re thinking about a medication with any cannabinoid in it, make sure you look at studies to see how effective it was during testing.
Standard doses keep medication safe
In addition to keeping the consumer safe, pharmaceutical companies establish specific dosage recommendations to create consistency across medications and formulation.
Hemp already sees issues throughout the industry when it comes to inconsistencies in potency between similar products. There are also issues around disclosure and labelling. Companies are misrepresenting their products with confusing language on packaging. Even worse, some aren’t sharing ingredient information at all. This leads to consumers struggling with product quality and brand trust.
When it comes to medications, these issues cannot occur. This is both for safety reasons and to ensure the medication is always effective. Setting specific doses is the key to preventing this from happening.
Finding safe pharmaceutical-grade CBD
You won’t find API-worthy CBD everywhere, yet. The care pharmaceutical companies put into setting dosages is just as strict when it comes to ingredient selection. If you have questions about where to find the right isolate, and how to obtain CBD at this level for your medicinal products, contact Arbor Vita8. We’re here to help.
