THCA doesn't bind well to the CB1 or CB2 receptors of our endocannabinoid system. It is not psychotropic due to its three-dimensional shape and its larger size, which prevents it from fitting into CB1 receptors. It is also believed that THCA, along with some of the other acidic forms of cannabinoids, may work by inhibiting the COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes, which could reduce pain and inflammation. Both enzymes produce prostaglandins that promote inflammation, pain, and fever.
THCA differs from other cannabinoids in the sense that it does not produce a psychotropic effect when ingested, but when heated through a process called decarboxylation.
THCA
, which promises all the benefits of THC in a different way, is a cannabinoid that gets a lot of people talking. These results directly contradict the idea that THC is anxiolytic at low doses and anxiogenic at high doses, at least when stress is applied. Ultimately, the best approach is to check the THCA laws in your state for the most up-to-date and accurate information.Like THCA, CBDA (cannabidiolic acid) is the acidic precursor to CBD and can be found in both live and raw cannabis. In general, the results indicate that at lower doses, an anxiolytic response to THC is observed, while at higher doses the opposite occurs (however, as has been indicated above in different animals, this finding is not always consistent). Other factors that contribute to the overall effects of THCa products include the overall cannabinoid and terpene profile of a specific strain, as well as its potency. Decarboxylation, or “decarbation” for short, converts some of the available THCA into delta-9-THC, which produces the traditional “high” associated with marijuana.
As the cannabis plant matures, the enzymes specific to each cannabis strain convert CBGA into a combination of THCA, CBDA and CBCA. Even though THCA doesn't have the same psychoactive properties associated with THC, it's still considered part of the cannabis plant (and converts to THC when exposed to heat). The general pattern of clinical data in humans supports the consistent anxiogenic effects of THC, while CBD shows a consistent anxiolytic effect. A more precise evaluation of the anxiolytic and anxiogenic potential of phytocannabinoids is needed, with the aim of developing the “holy grail” in cannabis research, a formulation with medicinal activity that can help treat anxiety or mood disorders without causing any anxiogenic effect.
I will also explain how the percentages of THCA and THC that appear on the labels of cannabis products are derived. And like the relationship between THCA and THC, CBDA is converted to CBD when exposed to heat and is decarboxylated.
