How Do Different Hemp Strains Affect CBD Potency?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a chemical compound derived from the hemp plant. It is non-psychoactive and therefore does not deliver any mind-altering “high.” Hemp is commercially grown for its seed, flowers, and stalks. The flowering part of the hemp plant is the primary carrier of cannabidiol.

The potency of CBD is determined by a number of different factors ranging from the amount of cannabidiol present, to the manufacturing process and the hemp strain—the latter being the one we will focus on in this article. 

Thanks to the continued growth of hemp farms, there is an ever increasing number of hemp strains available. We are still learning about the specific benefits of each of these strains but understand that different strains work well for different conditions and needs. 

For this article we took a look at some of the most common hemp strains to see how their potency differed:

Charlotte’s Web

Charlotte’s Web is a hemp strain that was discovered in 2011. It has 17 percent CBD with a minute amount of tetrahydrocannabinol. It’s a high breed of industrial hemp, which contains elements such as bisabolol, caryophyllene, etc. This hemp strain comes with a story of healing a young girl, Charlotte Figi, who had severe Dravert syndrome/infant epilepsy that had defied all medications. Since this event, Charlotte’s Web has continued to be effective in treating children with epilepsy, while boosting their mood and appetite.

AC/DC

AC/DC is another hemp strain with a high CBD concentration of between 16-24 percent. Because of its high potency, ACDC has often been used as the base for CBD products developed for the treatment of epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, stress, and depression. ACDC has b-caryophyllene, a-pinene, and b-pinene as its significant elements. It is a high breed of Ruderalis and Cannatonic.

Ringo’s Gift

This is hybrid hemp strain crossed using AC/DC and Harle-Tsu. Ringo’s Gift delivers high potency CBD that is often used for products aimed at treating stress, anxiety, depression, headaches and epilepsy.

Cherry Wine

Containing up to 22 percent CBD, Cherry Wine is another high-potency hemp strain with relatively low tetrahydrocannabinol. It is touted for its mellow therapeutic value that is understood to deliver calming relief without any psychoactive effects.

Cannatonic

Cannatonic contains up to 17 percent CBD with 6 percent THC. It is often used in products designed to overcome aches, migraines and muscle pains, thanks to the efficiency with which it interacts with the endocannabinoid system. 

As we continue to develop the science of CBD, we increasingly turn towards hybrid strains for high potency products. With more research being carried out and more growers entering the market, we are sure to see new strains being developed and especially those that are high-potency as ‘CBD creep’ begins to emerge more widely. 

If you are a hemp grower or researcher that is championing high potency hemp and CBD, we would love to hear from you! Please get in touch with us at contributors@cbdworldnews.com.