The cannabis plant contains more than a hundred chemical compounds called cannabinoids. Two of them — THC and CBD — do most of the heavy lifting in the scientific literature. THC is the primary psychoactive; CBD is not psychoactive and appears to modulate anxiety, seizure activity and inflammation.
How it works in the body
The endocannabinoid system is a signalling network we all carry inside us. CB1 receptors sit largely in the brain and central nervous system. CB2 receptors sit in the immune periphery. Phytocannabinoids happen to bind neatly with both.
"Understanding the plant is the first step to using it responsibly."
Where the evidence is strongest
Chronic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea, refractory paediatric epilepsy, and spasticity in multiple sclerosis all have peer-reviewed evidence at varying strengths. Other applications — sleep, anxiety, mood — are promising but under-studied, especially in Indian populations.
