FAQ : Hemp + CBD

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about Catori products and/or orders? Find your answers here: FAQ : Products + Orders.  New to the world of CBD and phyto-cannabinoids?  Begin your learning journey below…

Hemp is a plant variety of the Cannabis sativa L species that has been used by humans for thousands of years; as food, fiber, medicine and more.   While similar to marijuana (both plants are varieties of Cannabis), hemp is legally defined as a variety of Cannabis sativa that contains less than 0.3% THC.  Marijuana on the other hand has much higher concentrations of the psychoactive cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol “THC” (generally 3-15%). Hemp is federally legal in the USA.

Cannabidiol (“CBD”) is a prominent non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in the Cannabis sativa L (hemp) plant.

Phyto-cannabinoids are naturally occurring, bioactive compounds produced by plants that engage with cellular receptors in the endocannabinoid systems of animals.  Cannabis sativa L produces over 100 distinct phyto-cannabinoids. Endo-cannabinoids are endogenous (produced within the body) neurotransmitters that engage with the cannabinoid receptors of the endocannabinoid system.

The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is a biological system found in all vertebrates that is composed of endocannabinoids, the enzymes responsible for the synthesis and degradation of endocannabinoids, and the corresponding cannabinoid receptors.  This widely distributed system maintains homeostasis within the body by controlling metabolic functions such as nutrient transfer and energy storage. The ECS has been shown to regulate a wide array of biological functions including immune function, inflammation, pain response, memory, mood, thermoregulation, stress response, appetite, digestion, reproductive function, and sleep.  Close similarities between the Endocannabinoid Systems of all vertebrates, suggest that the ECS has been an important biological system since our early evolution and it is now believed that the ECS has more cellular receptors than any other receptor system in the body.
The two primarily cannabinoid receptors of the ECS, CB1 and CB2, are found in varying concentrations throughout the entire body, in both the central and peripheral nervous systems as well as the cardiovascular system.  CB1 receptors are predominantly located within the brain, central nervous system, glands, and organs while CB2 receptors are highly concentrated throughout the body’s immune system.  Anandamide (AEA) and 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), the two primary endocannabinoids of the ECS, fulfill different functions across the CB1/CB2 network, with AEA acting primarily as a growth factor and stress response modulator and 2-AG acting as a neurotransmitter.
Another pair of cannabinoids, the phyto-cannabinoids THC and CBD, also engage the cannabinoid receptors of the ECS, though in somewhat different ways than the endogenous, AEA and 2-AG.  THC acts as mimetic to AEA, and is a partial agonist (activator) for CB1 (and also CB2), but THC has a slower enzymatic degradation rate than AEA and it also activates a number of other receptor types, so THC and AEA produce different effects.  CBD, as the phyto-mimetic of the endogenous 2-AG, engages with both CB1 and CB2 receptors, however unlike THC and 2-AG, CBD is a very weak agonist and does not bind directly with either CB1 or CB2 but rather indirectly affects these receptors by modulating other cannabinoids within the ECS.  Studies show that CBD inhibits enzymatic degradation of AEA and can also engage with non-cannabinoid receptors, with the ability to bind to the 5hT (serotonin) receptor and the TRPV1 receptor, among others.  This cellular activity, as an agonist of 5hT and inhibitor of Anandamide degradation, may contribute to CBD having an anxiolytic effect, while the TRPV1-agonist properties suggest CBD has the ability to affect pain perception and inflammation response.
The Endocannabinoid System is a complex, biological network that was only discovered in the early 1990’s, so there is still much to be discovered about cellular function and receptor activation within the ECS and other receptor networks, particularly with relation to the potential effects of CBD and the other 100+ phyto-cannabinoids of Cannabis sativa L.

Due to a shifting regulatory landscape and recent rulings by the FDA, we refrain from making any overt medical claims about the benefits of CBD.  There have been many studies done on CBD’s efficacy.  We encourage you to do your own research to broaden your understanding of CBD’s many potential benefits.  Project CBD may be a good place to start.  We will say that CBD supports whole-body well-being and engages with the Endocannabinoid System, which supports homeostasis. 

Homeostasis is “the tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.”  Homeostasis is the process that maintains physiological and psychological stability even when one is subject to external stressors.  We think of homeostasis as a “steady state” that arises when your body is well balanced internally and functioning optimally.

Full spectrum hemp oil is a CBD-rich oil that has been extracted from the Cannabis sativa plant. The term “full spectrum” indicates that the extracted oil contains the full array of phyto-cannabinoids originally present in the living plant.  “Full spectrum” also indicates that cannabinoids have not been isolated after the initial oil extraction. Catori FSHO contains CBD as well as other phyto-cannabinoids including CBG, CBC, CBDV, and trace amounts of THC.  Our FSHO is “winterized” and decarboxylated to remove plant waxes and to ensure that all phyto-cannabinoids have been converted from their acidic precursors to their most bio-available forms.  Winterization is a chilling process that separates the desired FSHO from the less desirable and non-beneficial plant waxes which are removed. Decarboxylation is a temperature and time sensitive process that utilizes low heat to cause a chemical reaction through which cannabinoids lose a carboyxl group and CO2, converting them into their more stable and bio-available forms (ie. CBD-A to CBD).

All Catori Botanics are formulated with CBD-rich, full spectrum hemp oil (FSHO) that has been extracted from hemp cultivated here at the Catori Farm. We partner with a boutique, small-batch extraction laboratory to ensure premium quality throughout the entire process. Our partner lab uses a gentle, chilled ethanol method that optimizes phyto-cannabinoid extraction while retaining terpenes, flavonoids, and other beneficial plant compounds which add flavor and aroma and contribute to the “entourage effect”. Catori FSHO is gently heated post-extraction to decarboxylate the oil while evaporating any residual ethanol.  Catori full spectrum hemp oil is then 3rd party lab tested to ensure purity and potency.

CBD isolate is pure CBD that has been extracted from full spectrum hemp oil through an energy-intensive refinement process that separates the CBD from all of the other cannabinoids. 

Broad Spectrum CBD is hemp oil that has had all of the THC removed.

All Catori products are formulated with 100% Full Spectrum Hemp Oil.  We choose FSHO, rather than isolate or broad spectrum, because we believe in the “entourage effect” (see next FAQ) and because we will always be proponents of minimally processed and unrefined ingredients. 

The entourage effect refers to a synergistic interaction between cannabinoids that increases the efficacy of individual cannabinoids when they are paired with an array of other phyto-cannabinoids and plant-derived compounds.  A “full spectrum” cannabinoid profile optimizes each individual cannabinoid’s therapeutic effect. 

“Structured lipid delivery” means that the CBD in Catori Botanics is delivered to your body via specific fatty acids in our formulations that make the CBD more effective, faster.

Lipids are hydrocarbon-based molecules that are important for energy storage as well as cellular structure and function within the body. Triglycerides (fats) are one type of lipid molecule, and the term “lipid” is often used in place of “fat” even though waxes, fat-soluble vitamins, and a number of other molecules are also considered lipids. “Structured lipids” are triglycerides that have been modified to change the overall fatty acid composition. Catori Botanics are formulated with MCT oil (Medium-Chain Triglyceride oil) derived from 100% organic coconout oil. The longer chain triglycerides in the original coconut oil have been removed by fractionation, producing MCT oil composed of 100% medium-chain “structured” lipids such as Caproic Acid (C6) and Caprylic Acid (C8). This MCT oil serves as an ideal carrier oil for fat-soluble cannabinoids such as CBD, as it increases the bioavailability of these cannabinoids and accelerates their delivery and absorption within the body.

Third Party Lab Certified
Biophotonic Packaging
Organic
Full Spectrum
Estate Grown
Small Batch
Third Party Lab Certified
Biophotonic Packaging

This website uses cookies.