CBGV (cannabigerovarin): what it is, how it works and where it is found

The world of cannabinoids goes far beyond CBD and THC. The cannabis plant produces a family of compounds that researchers have been cataloguing and studying for decades. Among the lesser-known but scientifically interesting ones is CBGV, or cannabigerovarin. This article explains what it is, how it relates to other cannabinoids and what is known about it from the available research.

What CBGV is and how it relates to CBG

CBGV (cannabigerovarin) is the varin form of CBG (cannabigerol). Within the cannabinoid family, the “varin” forms are versions of the main cannabinoids with a shorter side chain: they have a propyl group (C3) instead of the pentyl group (C5) found in conventional cannabinoids.

CBGV derives from cannabigerovarinic acid (CBGVA), which in turn comes from olivetolic acid, a biosynthetic precursor present in the cannabis plant. CBGVA acts as the precursor of other varin forms: THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin), CBDV (cannabidivarin) and CBCV (cannabichromevarin).

This precursor-product relationship means that CBGV is to the varin cannabinoids what CBG is to the conventional cannabinoids: the “parent” of the subfamily. However, the amount of CBGV in most cannabis strains is very small — typically below 0.1% — and it does not usually appear on the COAs of commercial CBD products.

How it works and where it is found

Like CBG, CBGV acts on the endocannabinoid system and on other receptors, although its specific pharmacology has been studied less than that of its conventional counterpart. Like CBG, CBGV is not psychoactive: it does not bind with high affinity to the CB1 receptor, which is responsible for the psychoactive effects of THC.

Cannabis strains with relatively higher concentrations of varin cannabinoids do exist but are rare. Some African landraces — traditional, uncrossed varieties that grow wild in certain regions — have a higher proportion of varin forms than cultivated European strains. CBDV (cannabidivarin), the varin form of CBD, has received more research attention than CBGV, particularly in the context of epilepsy.

What the scientific research says

Research specifically on CBGV is very scarce. Most of what is known about varin cannabinoids comes from studies on THCV and CBDV, the most researched members of this subgroup. CBGV has appeared in some studies characterising cannabis strains and in research on cannabinoid biosynthesis, but to date no significant studies on the pharmacology of CBGV in animal or human models have been published.

This does not mean it is not interesting: it means it is a very early-stage area of research. The diversity of cannabinoids produced by the cannabis plant is so wide that science has spent decades trying to characterise the most abundant ones and has only recently begun to explore minor ones such as CBGV.

CBGV in full-spectrum products

For users of full-spectrum CBD products, CBGV may be present in very small traces that are not usually detected or reported on standard COAs, as they fall below the usual quantification thresholds. Its presence in the plant’s cannabinoid profile is yet another indicator of the biochemical complexity of cannabis as a plant.

From the user’s point of view, knowledge about CBGV is more relevant for understanding the richness of the cannabinoid profile of full-spectrum flowers and extracts than for seeking out the compound specifically, since there are no products on the market that contain it in significant concentrations.

Sources and scientific references

• Russo, E.B. (2011). “Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects.” British Journal of Pharmacology, 163(7), 1344–1364.
• ElSohly, M.A. & Slade, D. (2005). “Chemical constituents of marijuana: The complex mixture of natural cannabinoids.” Life Sciences, 78(5), 539–548.
• Izzo, A.A. et al. (2009). “Non-psychotropic plant cannabinoids: new therapeutic opportunities from an ancient herb.” Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, 30(10), 515–527.