Glossary
CBDV (cannabidivarin)
Updated:
Cannabidivarin, or CBDV, is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid that matches CBD except for a shorter side chain: 3 carbons instead of 5. It occurs in trace amounts in most hemp and in larger amounts in certain landrace varieties. Labs list it separately on a full cannabinoid panel.
Cannabidivarin is the propyl homolog of cannabidiol. The two molecules share the same core, but CBDV carries a 3-carbon side chain where CBD carries 5 (Rock 2013). That small change alters how the molecule interacts with receptors and enzymes.
Most hemp bred for CBD contains only trace CBDV. Varieties from parts of Asia and Africa carry more, and breeders have started selecting for it. Commercial CBDV usually comes from those lines or from isolate.
CBDV does not cause intoxication. A rat study found that neither CBDV nor its THC counterpart THCV produced the behavioral signature of CB1 inverse agonists (Rock 2013). A systematic review of related propyl cannabinoids concluded that in vitro receptor findings often fail to show up in living animals, so the pharmacology is still unsettled (McPartland 2015).
On a certificate of analysis, CBDV appears as its own line when the lab runs an expanded panel. NIH counts more than 100 identified cannabinoids, and CBDV is one of roughly a dozen that labs commonly quantify (NCCIH).
Sources
- Evaluation of the potential of the phytocannabinoids, cannabidivarin (CBDV) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), to produce CB1 receptor inverse agonism symptoms of nausea in rats (Br J Pharmacol, 2013) PubMed (accessed 2026-10-13)
- Are cannabidiol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabivarin negative modulators of the endocannabinoid system? A systematic review (Br J Pharmacol, 2015) PubMed (accessed 2026-10-13)
- Cannabis (Marijuana) and Cannabinoids: What You Need To Know NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (accessed 2026-10-13)