Glossary
Cannabigerol (CBG)
Updated:
Cannabigerol, or CBG, is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid. Its acid form, CBGA, is the plant precursor that enzymes convert into CBDA, THCA and CBCA. Most hemp strains hold under 1 percent CBG by the time of harvest, so CBG products usually come from high-CBG cultivars or isolate.
Cannabigerol is often called the parent cannabinoid. The plant builds cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) first, then synthase enzymes turn CBGA into the acids of CBD, THC and CBC. Whatever CBGA remains at harvest loses its carboxyl group with heat and becomes CBG (Nachnani 2021).
Because most CBGA is used up during flowering, mature hemp usually carries only a small amount of CBG. Breeders have developed cultivars that stall the conversion, and extractors also isolate CBG as a crystalline powder.
CBG does not cause intoxication. Pharmacology reviews describe it as a weak partial agonist at CB1 and CB2 receptors with activity at other targets such as alpha-2 adrenergic and 5-HT1A receptors, mostly from laboratory and animal work (Molecules 2024). Human data remain limited, and no CBG product has FDA approval.
NIH notes that over 100 cannabinoids have been identified in the plant, and CBG is one of the few sold on its own at retail (NCCIH). On labels it appears as a stated milligram amount, often paired with CBD.
Sources
- The Pharmacological Case for Cannabigerol (J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 2021) PubMed (accessed 2026-10-13)
- Cannabigerol (CBG): A Comprehensive Review of Its Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential (Molecules, 2024) 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)