During the last months, the cannabinoids market witnessed the arrival of a new cannabinoid known as H4CBD. It seems that this cannabinoid can replace the HHC which has become banned in many European countries. Many cannabinoid professionals already switch to H4CBD and everyone in the market has realized the huge potential for this cannabinoid.
Below, we report the most common questions that people ask about the H4CBD. Furthermore, we give answers to each question based on our knowledge and expertise in the field of the cannabinoids market.
1. What are hydrogenated cannabinoids?
A hydrogenated cannabinoid is a cannabinoid that has been subjected to hydrogenation, a process of saturating double bonds in molecules using a hydrogen source in the presence of a catalyst such as palladium or platinum oxide. Depending on the number of double bonds present in the cannabinoid, it’s possible to hydrogenate each cannabinoid with different quantities of hydrogen atoms. Every hydrogenated cannabinoid has unique properties, but in most cases, the chemical hydrogenation of a cannabinoid typically increases the chemical stability and hydrophobicity.
2. Is H4CBD synthetic?
The most known route to getting H4CBD is the addition of four hydrogens to the cannabidiol (CBD) molecule. Thus, we can consider the H4CBD as a semi-synthetic molecule. Nonetheless, any alteration in the natural compound (CBD) to a synthetic one will make the H4CBD a fully synthetic molecule.
3. Is H4CBD 100 times stronger than CBD?
The claim that H4CBD is 100 times stronger than conventional CBD is more hype than it is fact. On the basis of the known anti-inflammatory effect of CBD, a study has been conducted in 2006 by Shimon Ben-Shabat et all, the study evaluated the H4CBD ability to bind to the CB1 receptor and suppress the generation of the reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI), nitric oxide (NO), and TNF-R. The study concluded that the H4CBD CB1 affinity (Ki= 147 nM) is way higher than the CBD CB1 affinity (Ki> 7 uM). Furthermore, the suppression of the (ROI), nitric oxide (NO), and TNF-R production has been clearly improved. These results show the H4CBD psychoactivity and anti-inflammatory effect.
4. Does H4CBD get you high?
Even if the H4CBD CB1 affinity increases considerably compared to the CBD, it wouldn’t be accurate to say that H4CBD gets you high, but this cannabinoid certainly doesn’t provide the effects, you usually associate with CBD either. Based on limited preliminary research and anecdotal testimony, it appears that taking H4CBD feels like taking a big dose of CBD alongside a small dose of THC. The H4CBD effects look like combining CBD and THC, CBD tends to drown out THC without eliminating its effects completely.
5. Is H4CBD the same thing as HHC?
H4CBD and HHC are two different molecules, but based on their origins, it’s natural to get the two cannabinoids confused. The H4CBD is a hydrogenated form of CBD, and the HHC is a hydrogenated form of THC. While H4CBD is believed to show greater activity (Ki = 147 nM) at the CB1 receptors than CBD, the HHC is generally believed to be somewhat weaker than conventional THC (Ki = 41 nM).
6. Are there strains with H4CBD?
To the best of our knowledge, there are no strains of cannabis or hemp containing H4CBD since this cannabinoid is not naturally occurring. Since it is not possible to extract natural H4CBD, this cannabinoid can only be made by hydrogenation.
7. What is the best type of H4CBD product?
It’s too early to answer this question, however, until now, we can say that the users generally seem to prefer H4CBD vapes and gummies. Over time, though, expect H4CBD capsules, tablets, and even topicals to also come into high demand. Whichever type of product it may be, H4CBD products should contain simple ingredients and be accompanied by thorough lab reports that describe the H4CBD content but also the organic solvents, and heavy metals.
8. What are some common H4CBD effects?
Based on what little we know so far, it appears that H4CBD has roughly the same effects as CBD. Some evidence suggests, though, that this synthetic derivative of CBD may be more effective at certain neuroreceptors. These neuroreceptors are not, however, commonly associated with the effects of CBD. Due to a continuing lack of research, not enough is known about H4CBD to say anything definitive regarding its effects. However, people that tested the H4CBD experienced relaxing effects and mild high feelings.
9. What is H4CBD distillate?
H4CBD distillate consists of H4CBD combined with a “denatured” hemp distillate from which other cannabinoids have been removed. Rare cannabinoids like H4CBD are often offered in distillate form since it is easy to combine a distillate base with practically any isolated cannabinoid.
Like most cannabinoids aside from CBD and CBG, H4CBD must be produced as a derivative of a natural hemp cannabinoid, making H4CBD distillate an inherently synthetic product. Even though its dominant cannabinoid is synthetic, H4CBD distillate still looks honey-colored and has a viscosity that is like the HHC viscosity at room temperature.
10. What is the difference between CBD and H4CBD?
The primary difference between CBD and H4CBD is that CBD is natural while H4CBD is semi-synthetic. The H4CBD is more stable, and it has higher hydrophobicity than CBD. These two characteristics should improve the H4CBD bioavailability compared to CBD. but the dissimilarities don’t end there. It’s also an indisputable fact that we know far less about H4CBD than we do about conventional CBD — though there’s still plenty left to learn about both cannabinoids.
11. H4CBD legality?
Cannabinoids, both synthetic and natural, are now the subject of intense debate over their legality. Overall, the 2018 Farm Bill defines cannabinoids that are not delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol as industrial hemp, but the FDA has not yet produced any significant rules to assist direct the quickly expanding online cannabis business. In Europe, except CBD which has been approved as a medicine for the treatment of to treat Epilepsy seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), Dravet syndrome, or tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), the legal situation is quite complex, and it differs from country to country. As far as we know, the legal situation of the H4CBD is not 100% clear in most European countries.
12. Is H4CBD safe?
It’s fair to say that until now there is no animal or human studies that investigate the H4CBD safety profile. Nevertheless, a recent study has reported the results of in vitro preliminarily results that show the cell viability, genotoxicity, and cardiac safety (hERG) studies. The authors concluded that based on the available data, the H4CBD can be considered safe for human use. In contrast, it’s worth mentioning that these data are just preliminary, and they are in vitro data.
13. H4CBD gummies vs. H4CBD tinctures
Out of the two products, H4CBD tinctures are more likely to be simple and natural while H4CBD gummies might taste better or be easier to use. All new cannabinoids go through a transition period, however, in which not many high-quality product sources are available.
As a result, it’s prudent to do plenty of research into how H4CBD gummies or tinctures are made before making any type of commitment. The H4CBD market is just beginning to emerge, and it will be a while until competition drives product quality up to standard acceptable levels.
14. Final thoughts
Even though the information about H4CBD are very limited, and still a lot of work should be done. The H4CBD’s mild psychoactive profile, reasonable price, and preliminary safety data will make the H4CBD a good candidate to replace the HHC in countries where the HHC has been banned. Furthermore, knowing the H4CBD properties, one can think that the H4CBD psychoactive profile could be improved by adding other cannabinoids without exceeding the legal thresholds.