Walking You Through the CBG Extraction Process

CBG is fairly new to the market compared to other cannabinoids, such as CBD. But, as it becomes more popular, more hemp growers are beginning to try breeding high CBD plants to serve medical and recreational customers. Like all other cannabinoids, CBG is produced in different forms during the plant growth process; hence, the CBG extraction process is quite similar to other cannabinoid extraction processes.

CBG rivals CBD as the upcoming psychoactive cannabinoid that dominates the low-THC market. CBG exhibits therapeutic benefits, but it is unique because it is a chemical precursor for other cannabinoids in hemp, including THC and CBD. As the market acknowledges the benefits of CBG, its demand continues to rise, but with limited supply, the price of CBG is significantly higher than that of other cannabinoids.

What is CBG (Cannabigerol)?

CBG popularly referred to as “The Mother of all Cannabinoids,” is the non-acidic form of CBGA (cannabigerol acid). Cannabigerol acid is the compound from which all other cannabinoids are extracted/developed, hence the name.

There are various enzymes in hemp plants that help in the breakdown of CBGA into the major cannabinoids as the plants grow to maturity. The presence of these enzymes is determined by the genetic makeup of the plant and growth conditions. After maturity, the plant is harvested, and the cannabinoids are processed into their known forms and incorporated into many end products.

The extraction of CBG essentially begins during the growth and is most prevalent when a plant is approximately 6 to 8 weeks into its flowering cycle. Consequently, this is the optimum time to begin harvesting and processing the plant to produce CBG. The extraction of CBG is quickly growing in efficiency, which means more affordable CBG products are being developed for consumers.

Is it Legal to Extract CBG?

The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp and all its derivatives. This means all cannabinoids, including the CBG extraction process, are legal in the United States at the federal level. It is worth noting that hemp is legally defined as cannabis plants that contain less than 0.3% THC.

While it is legal to extract and process CBG at the federal level, things are a little more complex at the state level. 30 states in the US are at varying stages of hemp legalization, and it would be wise to do some research on your state before endeavoring to extract CBG oil from cannabis plants.

How to Extract CBG

There are two methods of CBG extraction: Ethanol extraction or CO2 extraction. You could also use both to ensure optimum CBG extraction from your hemp biomass. Most firms that specialize in the extraction of CBG use CO2 first to extract the delicate plant terpenes, then use the ethanol extraction process to extract the full spectrum of the highly valuable CBG oil.

The CBG Extraction Process

The CBG extraction process begins with soaking your hemp biomass in your solvent (CO2 or ethanol). This step aims to draw out terpenes, cannabinoids, and other hemp seed extracts from your CBG-rich biomass. The resulting solution could be put through several post-filtration steps to optimize extraction.

The solution is then heated in a vacuum to remove all residual solvents. The result is a refined crude extract, distilled further to produce purified CBG distillate. The CBG distillate is later isolated from other cannabinoids through a process known as chromatography.

The Cold Temperature Ethanol Extraction Process, often used in industrial CBG production, typically follows the steps below:

• Chilling: The ethanol solvent is pre-chilled using a DC-40 Direct Chiller to a temperature of around 40c. This step reduces post-extraction steps and improves the quality of CBG produced. 
• Extraction: A CBG-rich hemp biomass is soaked and agitated in the chilled ethanol solvent. Cannabigerol acid (CBGA) compounds are extracted over time through a closed-loop mechanical centrifuge system. 
• Particulate Filtration: This step aims to remove suspended adsorbents carried along in the solvent after the CBG extraction process.
• Solvent Evaporation: A Falling Film Evaporator is used to evaporate the ethanol from the plant’s crude oil that contains CBG and other cannabinoids. 
• Decarboxylation: This step aims to remove carboxyl molecules such as CO2 by heating the raw CBGA molecules. This converts CBGA into its more bioavailable form: CBG.
• Rolled Film Distillation: This step separates the extracted CBG molecules from the plant crude oil.
• Affinity Chromatography: Chromatography isolates cannabinoids based on their different affinities for the stationary phase in industrial production.

What are the Benefits of Using CBG Products?

There are a host of physical and mental conditions that CBG is believed to protect against and soothe. While early studies suggest CBG could be a beneficial treatment, the science involved in the field is still pretty new and insufficient for solid conclusions on the specific health benefits of CBG products. 

Like other cannabinoids, CBG is known to support the human endocannabinoid system, which is critical for a balance of physical and emotional aspects. CBG has also been shown to be beneficial as:

• An analgesic (painkiller)
• An antibacterial
• An anti-inflammatory
• An anti-insomnia (counters sleep loss)
• An anti-convulsive (reduces the occurrence of seizures and convulsions)
• Antidepressant (reduces stress levels)
• An anti-proliferate (inhibits the growth of cancer cells)
• A brain cell stimulant (promotes the growth of new neurons)
• An appetite stimulant (improves appetite)
• A bone growth stimulant

CBG’s unique interaction with your endocannabinoid system also means that it may be beneficial in dealing with a plethora of disorders, including:

• Bacterial infections that are drug resistant.
• Bladder dysfunctions
• Depression and anxiety
• Chronic pain
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• Huntington’s disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Psoriasis, eczema, and other skin conditions
• Osteoporosis
• Cancer (by slowing proliferation)
• Poor appetite and nausea

There is undoubtedly more information to be gathered on the benefits of CBG. Still, cannabinoid shows great potential to provide modern-day medical solutions to various medical conditions. The US government showed much interest in CBG by announcing through the National Center of Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) their plans to conduct more research on minor cannabinoids such as CBG to manage chronic pain.

Which CBG End-Products Should You Focus On?

CBG follows an identical path to CBDs, with customers preferring easy-to-consume products such as tinctures and pure oils. Most prefer sublingual and under-the-tongue CBG forms, but gummies and gel caps could be popular CBG intake methods. Nevertheless, you should focus on brands with a variety of products and various methods to take CBG. 

There are only several trusted CBG products in the market right now. Hemponix is one of the market’s most trustworthy producers of CBG, allowing consumers to understand the whole CBG extraction process and, hence, their products. To view their hemp products and how they could benefit your physical and mental well-being, visit our website today or schedule an appointment.