Did you think that CBD is soluble in water? We are familiar that Cannabis extracts CBD and THC are highly lipophilic but hydrophobic substances.
In other words, they are lipophilic because they tend to combine with or dissolve in lipids or fats. And they are hydrophobic as they do not mix with water. Hence CBD often combines well with a carrier oil through which it could deliver its potential.
In this blog, I would like to discuss with you:
- Why CBD is not water-soluble?
- Highlight the latest Inventions in the field of biosciences, in their role of making water-soluble CBD.
We could agree without dissent that there is an increase in awareness about alternative approaches to treating several medical conditions. As a result, CBD has also begun to gain a strong position for itself in therapeutic domains.
- Studies have shown references to the applicability of CBD to several physiological and mental conditions.
- Research on CBD has reported several effects such as anti-inflammation, anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, and relief of neuropathic pain.
- Data from clinical trials on synthetic and plant-derived cannabis-based medicines have suggested that they are a promising approach for the management of chronic neuropathic pain of different origins.
Methods of delivering CBD into your bloodstream
We are aware that many kinds of formulations containing CBD are extensively available in the market.
For example, edible gummies pills, soft gel capsules, oral tinctures, topical creams,CBD oils, CBD vapes, crystals, etc.
These different formulations of cannabinoids can get delivered through various methods into the bloodstream. They are:
- Oral ( through the digestive system): Edibles, Capsules, Pills
- Pulmonary routes through the lungs: Smoking, Vaping, Dabbing
- Transmucosal: Sublingual, Intranasal, Ocular, Rectal
- Transdermal: Creams, Topicals, Ointments.
Likewise, each of these delivery methods has its own influences in the body. Both in terms of the speed at which it is delivered, and the proportion of absorption by the body.
Read the article on how long does CBD stay in your body and understand the science behind it.
Have you ever tried to simply mix a few grams of CBD crystals into a beverage that we like? What did you observe?
The Challenge
CBD is hydrophobic, that is to say, it is not soluble in water. The main challenge for making CBD available effectively into the body is:
(a) low absorption and (b) the heavy first-pass effect.
For Instance, when we have coffee, drinks, or even alcohol, it immediately gets absorbed quickly and effectively.
Firstly, let us briefly understand bioavailability. The absorption of a drug or a supplement into the bloodstream and utilization by body systems is bioavailability.
Studies report that the oral bioavailability of CBD is known to be approximately 6% in humans.
Secondly, the first-pass effect is the metabolization of a drug by the liver. The liver is the main organ that metabolizes any drug and then distributes it for systemic circulation. Everything consumed orally would have to pass through the liver, breaks down the drug, and then passes it for circulation. But in most cases, a considerable percentage of the drug gets destroyed in the liver. Therefore allowing only a minimum percentage to go through the systemic circulation.
This is the reason, several methods are followed for administering CBD. Based on individual needs, they alter between these choices to derive the maximum availability of CBD into the bloodstream.
Technological advancements, continuous research, and development in the field of sciences have some favorable news for the growing Cannabis community.
Using Nanoemulsion Technology to Make CBD-Infused Consumer Products
Most importantly, the exponential growth of the cannabis industry has accelerated research and development in Biotechnology.
Biotech companies are investing and involved in inventing technologies that can generate medical drugs or agricultural products through genetic engineering.
In the same vein, one such initiative in the Cannabis Industry is manufacturing ‘water-soluble CBD’. This is a huge boon not only for the pharmaceutical industries but also for people who seek benefit from CBD.
The global pharmaceutical market is worth nearly one trillion U.S. dollars. The U.S. pharmaceutical market accounts for 45 percent of the global market. The two largest hubs for biotech companies are in Boston and San Francisco.
NanoEmulsion Technology
According to studies, Nanoemulsions are oil-in-water or water-in-oil droplets emulsified by surfactant, cosurfactant, oil, and water with appropriate ratios. It imparts excellent drug delivery efficacy and improves the oral bioavailability of lipophilic compounds.
Cannabis extracts like CBD, and THC cannot be mixed with water, beer, or coffee unless they undergo a process. Therefore, the process that helps lipophilic compounds like CBD and THC to mix with water is called Nanoemulsification. This is done with the help of ultrasonic technology. This process makes CBD and THC become water compatible and could be easily mixed with any beverage.
With this breakthrough technology, the bioavailability of CBD while taken orally could increase remarkably with instant effects.
Wrap up points
- There are several ways to administer CBD into your bloodstream based on your requirements.
- Sublingual methods of consuming CBD, by directly applying them under the tongue gets effectively absorbed by the glands.
- Another method of increasing the bioavailability of cannabinoids is liposomal delivery. Liposomes improve the bioavailability of CBD up to 3 times.
- Nanoemulsion technology has made Water-soluble CBD possible. One more milestone in the field of Cannabis that has made it easier, quicker, and effective. Indeed a noteworthy footprint in making CBD more accessible.