IngredientsCannabichromene (CBC), also called cannabichrome, cannabichromene, pentylcannabichromene, or cannabinochromene, is a phytocannabinoid — one of the hundreds of cannabinoids found in the Cannabis plant. Its IUPAC name is 2-methyl-2-(4-methylpent-3-en-1-yl)-7-pentyl-2H-chromen-5-ol. CBC has the molecular formula C21H30O2 with a molecular weight of 314.46 g/mol, and it is a non-psychotropic phytocannabinoid derived from Cannabis sativa (hemp).
The non-narcotic phytocannabinoid cannabichromene (CBC) has a checkered history. It was long confused with cannabidiol (CBD) on account of the isobaric relationship and similar chromatographic behavior of the two compounds. However, later studies clarified that CBC is a minor or even a trace constituent of C. sativa and its derived products (hashish, marijuana), and identified its major site of production and storage in sessile trichomes located mainly on the surface of young leaves — structurally distinct from the stalked trichomes where CBD and Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹-THC) are synthesized and accumulated.
Evaluation of seized cannabis plants in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia showed CBC concentrations ranging between 0.05 and 0.3% w/w. This cannabinoid represents approximately 0.3% of constituents from confiscated cannabis, though it is important to note that varieties and preparations exist in the commercial and medical markets with significantly higher content. CBC-rich cannabis strains are the result of selecting for the inheritance of a recessive gene, achievable through extensive cross-breeding.
CBC or CBC-like derivatives have also been found in Rhododendron anthopogonoides; at the time of writing this species and its extracts are not listed under the list of scheduled drugs by the DEA.
CBC bears structural similarity to other natural cannabinoids, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN), among others. It is not scheduled by the Convention on Psychotropic Substances.
The preliminary studies on CBC indicate that this phytocannabinoid may have unique therapeutic potential that warrants further investigation. Following easier access to hemp, CBC products are commercially available over-the-counter and are being widely utilized. CBC's low viscosity makes it an ideal choice for product formulation; it blends seamlessly with other cannabinoids and compounds, making it easy to produce oils, tinctures, and topicals. CBC is also encountered as an isolate (purified powder or oil), and it naturally occurs alongside CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids in whole-plant and broad-spectrum cannabis extracts.
Cannabichromene (CBC) was first reported to be isolated by two groups, using either a hexane/Florisil extraction method from hashish or a benzene percolation of hemp (Claussen, Von Spulak, & Korte, 1966; Gaoni & Mechoulam, 1966). Yechiel Gaoni and Raphael Mechoulam at the Weizmann Institute of Science isolated CBC from hashish using a hexane extraction followed by chromatographic separation on Florisil columns, yielding the pure compound as a colorless oil comprising about 1.5% of the extract. Concurrently, Udo Claussen, Franz von Spulak, and Ferdinand Korte at the University of Bonn obtained CBC through benzene percolation of cannabis material, also employing chromatographic techniques to separate it from other cannabinoids.
Gaoni and Mechoulam utilized spectroscopic methods, including ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and mass spectrometry (MS), to elucidate its structure. CBC was first isolated from cannabis in the 1960s only two years after the isolation of Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹-THC).
By 2016 there were nine distinct members in the CBC family. One of its unique characteristics is that CBC is a relatively stable cannabinoid that has been found in century-old samples of cannabis.
Cannabis sativa has a long history of traditional use across Asia, the Middle East, and elsewhere — for fiber, food, and medicine — and CBC is naturally present as a constituent of any whole-plant cannabis preparation consumed by traditional cultures. However, it must be clearly stated that CBC was not identified or isolated as a distinct chemical entity before 1966. Cannabinoids are among the most used compounds throughout human history due to their wide possibilities in the field of medicine and pharmacology. More than 560 compounds have been extracted from the Cannabis sativa plant, such as phytocannabinoids (more than 120), terpenes, and phenolic compounds. Prior to the modern era of cannabinoid chemistry, any effect attributed to cannabis in traditional medical systems (such as Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, or Islamic pharmacy) would have reflected the combined activity of the entire phytochemical profile of the plant, not CBC specifically. No traditional medical system distinguished CBC as a separate therapeutic agent.
Cannabinoids are a class of terpenophenolic compounds obtained by the alkylation of olivetolic acid with geranyl-pyrophosphate by geranyl pyrophosphate-olivetolic acid geranyltransferase to produce cannabigerolic acid (CBGA). CBGA and its derivatives are the substrates for three additional enzymes responsible for producing the three other major families of cannabinoids: Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), and cannabichromenic acid (CBCA).
Geranyl pyrophosphate and olivetolic acid combine to produce cannabigerolic acid (CBGA — the sole intermediate for all other phytocannabinoids), which is then cyclized by the enzyme CBCA synthase to form CBCA. Genetic evidence suggests that although THCA synthase and CBDA synthase may be allelic at the same locus, CBCA synthase is unlinked from these other enzymes.
Within the Cannabis plant, CBC occurs mainly as cannabichromenic acid (CBCA, also written CBC-COOH). Over time, or when heated above 93 °C, CBCA is decarboxylated, producing CBC. If exposed to UV light, cannabichromenic acid may undergo UV degradation forming cannabicyclol acid, a competitive product to the production of cannabichromene (CBC).
CBC occurs in Cannabis as a scalemate having a composition that is strain-dependent in terms of both enantiomeric excess and enantiomeric dominance. The chirality of CBC was shown not to be significantly affected by standard conditions of isolation and purification. A genetic basis for the different enantiomeric state of CBC in Cannabis therefore seems to exist, implying that the chirality status of natural CBC in the plant is associated with the differential expression of CBCA-synthase isoforms and/or of associated directing proteins with antipodal enantiospecificity.
Recent studies have reported that CBC is an abundant phytocannabinoid present in artisanal oils used to treat epilepsy, along with CBD, CBDA, Δ⁹-THC, and Δ⁹-THCA.
Radioligand assays have shown that CBC has a very low binding affinity toward cannabinoid receptor 1 (CBR1) [Ki ∼ 713 nM] compared to THC. In vitro, CBC binds weakly to CB1 and CB2 with binding affinities of 713 nM and 256 nM, respectively, which are significantly lower than those for THC.
CBC activated CB2 but not CB1 receptors to produce hyperpolarization of AtT20 cells. This activation was inhibited by a CB2 receptor antagonist AM630, and was sensitive to Pertussis toxin. This study shows that CBC is a selective CB2 receptor agonist. CBC has a higher in vitro efficacy than tetrahydrocannabinol and activates CB2 receptor regulatory pathways. Cannabis therefore contains a CB2 receptor-selective compound that could reduce inflammation without producing intoxication.
Pharmacodynamic studies have shown that CBC is an inhibitor of endocannabinoid cellular reuptake and a weak inhibitor of monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), but is also a potent activator of transient receptor potential (TRP) ankyrin 1-type (TRPA1) channels. CBC acts on the TRPV1 and TRPA1 receptors, interfering with their ability to break down endocannabinoids (chemicals such as anandamide and 2-AG that the body creates naturally).
Further evidence for the role of CBC in inflammation includes the compound's ability to interact with TRPV4 and TRPV3 cation channels (EC50 = 600 nM and 1.9 μM, respectively), and desensitize TRPV2 and TRPV4 (IC50 = 6.5 and 9.9 μM, respectively).
CBC was also found to stimulate the descending pathway of antinociception in the ventrolateral periaqueductal grey, probably through activation of TRPA1, inhibition of endocannabinoid inactivation and subsequent elevation of local endocannabinoid levels.
Instead of directly activating CB1 or CB2 receptors at high efficacy, CBC may influence the endocannabinoid system indirectly. It has been observed to inhibit the breakdown of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) while showing limited effect on anandamide (AEA) degradation. By inhibiting cellular reuptake of endocannabinoids, CBC can effectively raise local concentrations of these endogenous signaling molecules.
CBC treatment significantly inhibited causes of inflammation such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) at both the mRNA and protein levels. The mitigation of the PANX1/P2X7 axis plays a significant role in the anti-inflammatory effects of CBC on NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Additionally, CBC was observed to downregulate the IL-6/TYK-2/STAT-3 pathway.
Research aimed at exploring the metabolic pathways of CBC by various human liver cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes revealed two principal CBC metabolites generated by CYPs: 8′-hydroxy-CBC and 6′,7′-epoxy-CBC, along with a minor quantity of 1″-hydroxy-CBC. Notably, among the examined CYPs, CYP2C9 demonstrated the highest efficiency in producing these metabolites. The presence of cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) amplified CBC's binding affinity to CYPs, particularly with CYP2C8 and CYP3A4. Furthermore, the metabolites derived from CBC reduced cytokine levels, such as IL-6 and NO, by approximately 50% in microglia cells, underscoring the physiological importance and the potential significance of these metabolites.
The following sections describe the current state of evidence for each therapeutic area. It is critical to note that virtually all evidence for CBC's specific effects derives from in vitro (cell culture) studies, animal (rodent) models, or very limited pilot human pharmacokinetic data. As of mid-2025, no adequately powered, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials have been completed and published for CBC as a stand-alone agent in any indication. Evidence strength is characterized accordingly throughout.
The anti-inflammatory properties of CBC are the most characterized and have been documented in both in vitro and in vivo animal models. CBC treatment of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated peritoneal macrophages was found to reduce production of nitrite, INF-γ, and interleukin (IL)-10. A similar reduction in inflammatory cytokine production was found following CBC treatment of the macrophage cell line RAW 267.2 after stimulation with LPS, with a decrease in nitrite production and decreases in mRNA levels for iNOS, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α.
CBC is one of four major cannabinoids in Cannabis sativa L. and is the second most abundant cannabinoid in drug-type cannabis. CBC and some of its homologs, analogs, and isomers were evaluated for anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal activity. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and the erythrocyte membrane stabilization method. In both tests, CBC was superior to phenylbutazone. This early preclinical result (from a 1981 study) provided initial evidence for anti-inflammatory activity but was conducted in animal models only.
A 2023 study evaluated the efficacy of CBC (purified from a hemp cultivar) in reducing inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages and a λ-carrageenan-induced mouse model. CBC had no cytotoxicity up to a concentration of 20 μM and inhibited nitric oxide production by approximately 50% at a concentration of 20 μM.
CBC has demonstrated strong anti-inflammatory effects in animal models of edema through non-CB receptor mechanisms. CBC reduces inflammation and LPS-induced edema in the paws of mice, with a synergistic effect observed when co-administered with Δ⁹-THC.
Evidence strength: Preclinical only (in vitro and rodent). No human clinical trials exist specifically for CBC's anti-inflammatory activity. The mechanistic data are compelling but translation to human efficacy remains undemonstrated.
Cannabichromene (CBC) is one of the most abundant phytocannabinoids in Cannabis spp. It has modest antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects and potentiates some effects of Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol in vivo.
It has been found that CBC is able to reduce pain during the inflammatory portion of the formalin assay, in which formalin is injected into the hind paw and animals are monitored for signs of discomfort. CBC has antinociceptive properties in tail-flick assays, formalin-induced inflammatory pain models, and cisplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy models, indicating a broad range of pain-relieving applications in preclinical studies.
CBC decreased carrageenan-induced and LPS-induced inflammation in rats and mice, respectively, and modestly inhibited thermal nociception and potentiated THC antinociception in mice.
Evidence strength: Preclinical only (animal models). Evidence comes from rodent pain models spanning multiple paradigms (thermal, inflammatory, neuropathic). No human clinical data for CBC-specific pain management exist.
CBC displays anti-depressant-like properties that could contribute to the antidepressant effect associated with Cannabis intake. The primary evidence comes from a 2010 rodent study. El-Alfy, A. T., Ivey, K., Robinson, K., et al. published a study titled "Antidepressant-like effect of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabinoids isolated from Cannabis sativa L." in Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, 95(4), 434–442 (2010). This study tested multiple cannabinoids in standard rodent antidepressant screening assays (tail suspension and forced swim tests), and CBC demonstrated antidepressant-like activity.
Evidence strength: Preliminary preclinical evidence from rodent behavioral assays only. No human clinical trials have been conducted to assess CBC's antidepressant efficacy.
Evidence suggests that non-psychotropic phytocannabinoids may be of potential clinical use. A study by Shinjyo and Di Marzo aimed at elucidating the effect of major non-THC phytocannabinoids on the fate of adult neural stem progenitor cells (NSPCs), which are an essential component of brain function in health as well as in pathology. They tested three compounds — cannabidiol, cannabigerol, and CBC — and found that CBC has a positive effect on the viability of mouse NSPCs during differentiation in vitro.
CBC increases the viability of neural stem progenitor cells (NSPCs) in vitro through an ERK-dependent mechanism. In addition, CBC inhibits astroglial differentiation of the NSPCs.
A further study examined CBC's effects on neuronal differentiation. Research into cannabichromene's neuronal-related potential found that CBC administered to undifferentiated NSC-34 cells for 24 hours induced a transcriptomic profile showing upregulation of several neuronal markers, such as Neurod1 and Tubb3, as well as indicators of neuronal differentiation process progression, such as Pax6.
CBC has been found to have a positive effect on mice adult neural stem/progenitor cells, which could be related to CBC's known anti-inflammatory effect, acting via inhibition of glial cells to promote neurogenesis. These findings show that CBC displays a profound effect on the central nervous system.
Evidence strength: In vitro and animal studies only. No human neurogenesis or neuroprotection data for CBC as a standalone agent exist. Results are hypothesis-generating and require substantial further investigation.
Cannabis-based products are increasingly being used to treat refractory childhood epilepsies such as Dravet syndrome. Cannabis contains at least 140 terpenophenolic compounds known as phytocannabinoids. Cannabichromene (CBC) is a phytocannabinoid frequently detected in artisanal cannabis oils used in the community by childhood epilepsy patients. Researchers examined the brain and plasma pharmacokinetic profiles of CBC, cannabichromenic acid (CBCA), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), and cannabichromevarinic acid (CBCVA) following intraperitoneal administration in mice. The anticonvulsant potential of each was then tested against hyperthermia-induced seizures in the Scn1a+/− mouse model of Dravet syndrome.
The anticonvulsant potential of CBC was tested in hyperthermia-induced seizures in the Scn1a+/− mouse model of Dravet syndrome and showed that CBC was as effective at reducing seizures as CBD. This report also found that CBCA and cannabichromevarinic acid (CBCVA), but not CBCV, were equally effective at reducing seizures. The anticonvulsant potential of CBC has been highlighted using Scn1a+/− mouse models of Dravet syndrome and zebrafish models, with CBC being as effective as CBD at reducing seizures.
These artisanal oils were effective at lower doses of CBD than the approved anti-seizure medication Epidiolex (purified CBD), suggesting that other cannabinoids or terpenes in the oils may have anti-seizure activity.
Evidence strength: Preclinical (rodent and zebrafish models) only. The data are considered sufficiently promising to warrant formal clinical evaluation. No human RCTs for CBC-specific anticonvulsant use have been published.
Antibacterial activity of CBC and its isomers and homologs was evaluated using gram-positive, gram-negative, and acid-fast bacteria. Antifungal activity was evaluated using yeast-like and filamentous fungi and a dermatophyte. Antibacterial activity was strong, and the antifungal activity was mild to moderate.
A 2008 study by Appendino and colleagues, published in the Journal of Natural Products, further characterized antibacterial cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa in a structure-activity study, and confirmed significant activity for CBC.
Evidence strength: In vitro only (cell-culture microbiology assays). No clinical trials in human infectious disease.
CBC is pharmacologically active in vivo only when intestinal homeostasis is perturbed by an inflammatory stimulus, as demonstrated in mouse intestinal transit models. The observation that CBC administration is not associated with constipation under physiological conditions is relevant, as one of the major side effects associated with opiate administration is constipation.
A study by Romano et al. examined CBC's TRPA1 agonism in the context of colitis. The cannabinoid TRPA1 agonist cannabichromene inhibits nitric oxide production in macrophages and ameliorates murine colitis.
CBC inhibited TRPA1 expression in the jejunum of croton oil-treated animals, while it elevated the expression of this channel in the ileum, pointing to a complex, region-specific modulation of intestinal motility.
Evidence strength: Animal models only (murine colitis, intestinal transit experiments). No human GI clinical data for CBC as a standalone agent.
A 2016 study by Oláh et al., published in Experimental Dermatology (vol. 25, pp. 701–707), investigated the differential effectiveness of selected non-psychotropic phytocannabinoids on human sebocyte functions. The study found that CBC and THCV suppressed lipid synthesis and reduced arachidonic acid-induced 'acne-like' lipogenesis in a human sebocyte model, suggesting relevance for dry, seborrhoeic skin conditions and acne treatment. All compounds evaluated exerted notable effects on sebaceous gland function. This work was conducted in a cell culture model and has not yet been tested in human clinical trials.
Evidence strength: In vitro (human sebocyte cell model). No clinical trial data in human acne patients for CBC.
CBC has shown antitumor effects in breast cancer xenoplants in mice. A 2025 study investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer activity of CBC in human pancreatic cancer cells. Through mRNA-seq analysis, the expression levels of many genes involved in cell death pathways were upregulated or downregulated after CBC treatment, and these included ferroptosis-related genes, such as HMOX1. The functional validity of apoptosis and ferroptosis induction after CBC treatment was confirmed using various molecular assays. In addition, CBC preferentially increased the expression of TRPV1 and CB2.
Evidence strength: Preclinical in vitro and animal xenograft models only. These findings are at an early exploratory stage and do not constitute evidence of anticancer efficacy in humans.
Cannabis contains a CB2 receptor-selective compound that could reduce inflammation without producing intoxication. Studies have repeatedly documented that CBC's effects are potentiated in combination with other cannabinoids. CBC reduces inflammation and LPS-induced edema in the paws of mice, with a synergistic effect observed when co-administered with Δ⁹-THC. The antidepressant-like activity observed in rodents was also enhanced when CBC was administered alongside CBD, with the combination producing greater effects than either compound alone.
To the knowledge of the research group that conducted it, the first data on the acute post-dose pharmacokinetics of the phytocannabinoid cannabichromene (CBC) in humans were published from a pilot study. At daily doses up to 26.4 mg, CBC in the presence of CBD and THC appears to be well-tolerated and is quantifiable in plasma in humans. Based on the ratio of administered phytocannabinoids to the amount measured in plasma, CBC may have preferential absorption over CBD and THC when administered together.
As the presence of CBC appears common at low levels in CBD oils, it is important for future studies to compare the individual pharmacokinetics (PK) of CBD as well as CBC when administered as isolates to humans, to that of a product containing both CBD and CBC. Future studies should also investigate the effects of CBC on drug metabolism pathways, and should elucidate potential mechanisms underlying any interaction of multiple phytocannabinoids on pharmacokinetics, including rate and extent of absorption, competition for plasma protein binding, and inhibition/induction of cytochrome P450s that impact metabolism as well as of active drug transporters.
All phytocannabinoids within the CBC series were readily absorbed and showed substantial brain penetration (brain–plasma ratios ranging from 0.2 to approximately 1) when administered intraperitoneally in mice.
There is no established therapeutic dosage for CBC in humans, as no dose-finding clinical trials have been completed for CBC as an isolated agent. The following represent doses specifically reported in published research:
CBC products are commercially available over-the-counter and are being widely utilized with little or no evidence of their safety or efficacy. Standardized dosing guidelines for isolated CBC do not exist in any regulatory pharmacopeia.
Cannabichromene (CBC) is a nonpsychoactive phytocannabinoid. CBC has been hypothesized to affect THC psychoactivity, though in vivo effects have not been demonstrated. Because CBC shows very low affinity for the CB1 receptor — the primary receptor mediating THC's intoxicating effects — it does not produce psychoactive effects at doses studied to date.
CBC is metabolized by various human liver cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, producing two principal metabolites: 8′-hydroxy-CBC and 6′,7′-epoxy-CBC, along with a minor quantity of 1″-hydroxy-CBC. CYP2C9 demonstrated the highest efficiency in producing these metabolites. The presence of cytochrome P450 reductase amplified CBC's binding affinity to CYPs, particularly CYP2C8 and CYP3A4. Because CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 are responsible for the metabolism of a wide range of pharmaceutical drugs, there is a theoretical basis for drug-drug interactions, particularly with agents having narrow therapeutic windows. Future studies should investigate the effects of CBC on drug metabolism pathways and elucidate potential mechanisms underlying any interaction, including inhibition/induction of cytochrome P450s and active drug transporters.
CBC had no cytotoxicity up to a concentration of 20 μM in RAW 264.7 macrophage cell cultures in a 2023 study. These studies confirmed that there was no toxicity to the cells at the maximum treatment concentration of 20 μM. However, these are in vitro findings and cannot be directly extrapolated to human toxicological safety at equivalent blood concentrations.
CBC is not scheduled by the Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Although the studies on CBC remain limited, the current data do indicate a promising therapeutic potential for CBC, particularly as an anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-convulsant, and antidepressant agent. Further studies are needed to expand on what is currently known regarding the safety and efficacy of CBC.
The preliminary studies on CBC indicate that this phytocannabinoid may have unique therapeutic potential that warrants further investigation. Following easier access to hemp, CBC products are commercially available over-the-counter and are being widely utilized with little or no evidence of their safety or efficacy.
The following table summarizes the level and nature of scientific evidence available for CBC across investigated areas:
Health conditions that Cannabichromene may help support.
Body systems that Cannabichromene may help support.
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