Volume 1
CBG Tops Clonidine for Opiate Withdrawal
“If you’ve never experienced Opiate withdrawal thank God you don’t know Hell”
Opiate Withdrawal
If you know the feeling, then I’m sorry to make you uncomfortable by having to explain it. My experience with opiates was through addiction, but whether you were prescribed or not the feeling is the same when that chemical starts to leave your body. I remember feeling a rush of anxiety followed by a big yawn and watery eyes. That’s when I knew it was on, most people will explain to you that it is like having the flu. Which it is, all the symptoms are exactly the same, only 100x worse. The body aches are so bad you want to shake your own legs off. Sleep doesn’t come and expect to have a six pack from dry heaving so much. Why do we feel this way when we abruptly stop taking opiates? Well, our brain has been accustomed to functioning with opiates and when we stop giving our brain this chemical it has to rely on natural functions again to produce Dopamine, Serotonin, and regulate Norepinephrine.
Now I know there is a lot more that goes into drug addiction and withdrawal than these few things but most of the pain of withdrawal that someone experiences are from a lack of Dopamine and Serotonin, and an over production of Norepinephrine. This happens because our brains can’t function regularly, there is a dis-regulation.
Clonidine Prescribed for Opiate Withdrawal
Clonidine is the main drug that is prescribed to people who are going through Opiate withdrawal. Clonidine is primarily used as a blood pressure medication but has been shown to reduce the symptoms associated with withdrawal. It suppresses anxiety, agitation, flu like symptoms, cramps, and sweating. That almost covers all the withdrawal symptoms, but why does this non-opiate work at reducing symptoms? Clonidine works by binding to your Alpha – 2 Adrenergic receptor , this receptor is responsible for the output of Norepinephrine and regulating blood pressure. So when we take Clonidine we agonize the A-2 receptor which helps lower blood pressure, decongestion, and regulate body temperature.
Did you know CBG has very high binding affinity to your Alpha-2 Adrenergic receptor?
Ditching Clonidine for CBG
I know what you’re thinking… how could something from cannabis possibly work better than a pharma drug?! (Sarcasm) Cannabigerol (CBG) is one of the first cannabinoids formed in the maturation of a cannabis plant. CBGA is formed when Olivetic Acid and geranyl-pyrophosphate combine. Then through the process of decarboxylation or the plant maturing in the sun, the Acid falls off and we are left with CBG.
CBG work to combat the symptoms of withdrawal the exact same way Clonidine does! Since CBG is also a Alpha-2 Agonist it helps to slow the production of Norepinephrine. With the help of CBG we should see withdrawal symptoms such as muscle aches, runny nose, cramps, and hot/cold start to subside. CBG also has another bonus medicinal benefit, it has binding affinity at your 5HT1A Receptor. This receptor is responsible for the production of serotonin. Therefor we can assume CBG will also help with additional withdrawal symptoms of nausea/vomiting, sleeplessness, and depression.
Supporting data:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3927969/
https://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/376/2/204
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6907020/