Cbda (cannabidiolic acid)

As the name suggests, CBDA is closely related to CBD. In fact, CBDA can be considered the parent molecule of CBD as it is present in raw cannabis, whereas CBD is only created through the process of decarboxylation.The structure of CBDA contains a carboxyl group comprising one carbon, one hydrogen, and two oxygen atoms, commonly expressed as COOH. Cannabidiolic acid, can be employed in the synthesis of cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol, which possess therapeutic and pharmacological properties, by using nonenzymatic decarboxylation.

According to studies into the effects of CBDA, it shows remarkable promise in the treatment of several conditions.

A study from PubMed.gov on September 2008 suggested that "the carboxylic acid moiety in CBDA is a key determinant for the inhibition.The crude extract of cannabis containing mainly CBDA was shown to have a selective inhibitory effect on COX-2.These lines of evidence in this study suggest that naturally occurring CBDA in cannabis is a selective inhibitor for COX-2. enzyme".

Another study published on Novenber 2012 by NCBI concluded that "Results of the current investigation revealed that CBDA inhibits migration of the highly invasive MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells, apparently through a mechanism involving inhibition of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A, coupled with an activation of the small GTPase, RhoA. It is established that activation of the RhoA signaling pathway leads to inhibition of the mobility of various cancer cells, including MDA-MB-231 cells. The data presented in this report suggest for the first time that as an active component in the cannabis plant, CBDA offers potential therapeutic modality in the abrogation of cancer cell migration, including aggressive breast cancers".

On February 2013, study suggest that "CBDA could be developed as a potent and selective treatment for nausea and vomiting, and in particular for the treatment of anticipatory nausea, a symptom with no specific therapy currently available. Our findings also raise the possibility that compared with CBD, CBDA may display greater potency, efficacy or selectivity at ameliorating signs of cerebral infarction, pain, anxiety and depression in an apparent 5-HT1A receptor-dependent manner in animal models, and so possibly also in the clinic".

Finally,on January 2017 study identified that "CBDA as an inhibitor of the migration of MDA-MB-231 cells, a widely used human breast cancer cell line in cancer biology, due to its highly aggressive nature. The chemical inhibition and down-regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the expression of which has been detected in ~40 % of human invasive breast cancers, are suggested to be involved in the CBDA-mediated abrogation of cell migration".

So, although CBDA is not as well-known or researched as CBD, it may still have a number of beneficial effects on our health and wellbeing. We are just beginning to understand the potential of CBDA, especially for conditions such as breast cancer, nausea, and vomiting. It is also possible that this underrated compound has many other benefits just waiting to be discovered.