CBG: The 'Mother Cannabinoid' May Hold Key To Treating Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Symptoms

How many potential benefits does the cannabis plant with its 550+ chemical compounds hold for our health?

No one knows, but as scientists have increased opportunities to research it, each new study provides another piece of this large puzzle. This time, researchers at the Universities of Utah and Northern Colorado analyzed the effects of cannabigerol (CBG) on fibrosis connected to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), reported Shelby McDaniel, referring to a study appearing in MDPI, a publisher of open-access scientific journals.

What Is CBG?

Even though THC and CBD are the cannabinoids most researched and covered by the media, CBG is often considered the mother cannabinoid because all other cannabinoids are derived from it. It is the chemical precursor to cannabinoids such as THC, CBD, CBC and CBN.

There are studies indicating CBG’s potential for treating neurological conditions, like Huntington’s and Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis but also IBS. In this new study, scientists explored CBG’s impact on hepatic steatosis, fibrosis and inflammations.

First things first, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is “an umbrella term for a range of liver conditions” affecting individuals who drink little to no alcohol, according to the Mayo Clinic. When people suffer from NFLD that means their liver cells store too much fat. This is a common disease around the globe, but mostly in Western countries. In the U.S., about one-quarter of the population suffers from this condition. 

Some with NFLD can develop non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is the progressive form of NAFLD, distinguished by severe hepatic fibrosis and inflammation. NASH could progress to advanced scarring (cirrhosis) and liver failure, similar to the damages caused by excessive alcohol use.

Key Study Highlights 

The study suggests CBG has therapeutic potential in the reduction of hepatic steatosis, fibrosis and inflammation. 

These researchers divided young male mice into two groups – the control group and one wherein mice were fed with a methionine/choline-deficient (MCD) diet for five weeks. At the start of week 4, mice were divided into sub-groups – one treated with low-dose CBG and the other with a high dose of CBD. After two weeks, scientists analyzed the overall health of the mice, focusing on hepatic steatosis, fibrosis and inflammation. 

“Results suggest that the low dose of CBG treatment has a higher potential for alleviating liver damage due to MCD-induced NASH symptoms, compared to high dose of CBG which caused elevated liver damage,” the authors wrote. 

It is also important to note that the researchers found that while a low dose of CBG can alleviate hepatic fibrosis and inflammation in MCD-induced NASH, a high dose of CBG treatment revealed enhanced liver damage when compared to the MCD-only group. 

The authors noted that these results, while preliminary, offer important insight into CBG’s potential and its limitations. 

Photo: Benzinga edit with images www_slon_pics / 90 images and Lothbrok / 48 images via Pixabay.