CBN not just a Sleepynoid
CBN has remarkable biological activity and recently regained prominence following the discovery of the Endocannabinoid System and the multitude of targets that comprise it. (1) CBN can provide new avenues for a broad spectrum of diseases. Despite the large number of biological studies conducted on this compound, further research is necessary, such as extensive data on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics are still required, especially on larger mammals, as well as a complete screening on the large number of secondary targets correlated to the Endocannabinoid System.
As an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent, CBN has been found to be potentially useful in the treatment of pain. Previous researches have reported that CBN can mitigate the symptoms of myofascial pain disorders, including temporomandibular disorders and fibromyalgia in the animal model by reducing the mechanical sensitivity, with an increasing activity when administered in a 1:1 mixture with CBD. (2)
CBN also appears to have antibacterial properties; it has been proven to be highly effective against multiple bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), making it a potentially effective treatment for staph infections. (3)
CBN for Sleep Induction
High concentrations of CBN are found in aged cannabis. As a result of unclear reasons, CBN has been associated with the induction of sleep, causing the cannabinoid to be marketed under the name “the sleepy cannabinoid” at dosages generally less than 5 mg/day.(4) CBN was reported to increase barbiturate-induced sleep time in one study.(5) Another study showed that CBN increased sedation synergistically with other cannabinoids without any adverse effects on heart, blood pressure, and body temperature.(6) Despite this, sleep studies involving CBN have not reached a clear conclusion as they are currently ongoing. At this time it is still unsubstantiated that CBN has sleep-inducing properties, from a clinical perspective. (7,8) However, there is growing evidence that CBN has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, especially in combination with CBD. While sleep induction is still under investigation, there are promising signs of CBN to help with sleep quality and quantity.
As Chief Science Officer at KD Pharma and global Head of KD Phyto, I conclude that CBN holds promise for a multitude of conditions, including pain management, sleep, and bacterial infections. My personal and professional experience is that CBN is safe for consumption as well as topical applications as a long as it is properly prepared in clean labs that follow good manufacturing processes and tested for quality by ISO certified analytical labs.
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9658060/#B72-plants-11-02896
2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31158702/
3 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18681481/
4 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34468204/
5 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7728937/
