Cannabis & Cannabinoids · Cannabinoids · Minor cannabinoid; almost no human research

CBC (Cannabichromene)

Q: Is this the same as the CBC blood test?

No. CBC is also the usual abbreviation for a blood test, the complete blood count. That test measures blood cells. This page is only about cannabichromene, the cannabis compound. If you saw CBC on a lab report, it is almost certainly the blood test.

Q: Does CBC get you high?

In mice trained to recognise THC, CBC did not act like THC and bound the CB1 receptor only weakly. But CBC did produce part of the usual cannabinoid behaviour pattern in mice, and its effects in people have not been tested. A product that also contains THC can cause a high.

Q: What is CBCA?

CBCA (cannabichromenic acid) is the acid form the plant makes first, from CBGA. Heat and time remove a carbon dioxide unit and turn it into CBC. A product may hold CBC, CBCA or both. CBCA has been studied far less; one mouse study found it raised a seizure threshold.

Q: Does CBC help with pain, low mood or seizures?

Not shown in people. In mice, CBC reduced fracture pain, depression-like behaviour and heat-triggered seizures, and in cells it blunted pain-nerve signals. No trial tested CBC alone for any of these. The mouse study that found less pain also found slower bone healing.

Q: What human studies exist?

Two. A 43-person pilot measured CBC blood levels after a CBD-rich cannabis oil; the authors work for the company that makes it. A 12-week study in 164 adults with chronic pain used capsules where one of three held 3 mg CBC among other cannabinoids and no placebo group was used, so nothing can be credited to CBC.

Q: Is CBC safe?

Not enough is known. Rats tolerated two weeks of oral CBC. But a human liver-on-a-chip showed moderate liver-injury signals, and CBC slowed bone healing in mice. There are no safety trials in people. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any product, particularly with liver disease or a healing fracture.

Q: Can CBC interact with medicines?

Nobody has tested this in people. Lab work shows several liver enzymes (CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C8, 2C19, 2D6 and 3A4) break CBC down, and in mice it raised the brain level of THC. Many products also contain CBD or THC. Ask a pharmacist before combining a CBC product with any prescription.

Q: Is CBC safe in pregnancy, breastfeeding, children or older adults?

No human safety data exist for any of these groups. In a cell study CBC changed hormone-receptor and ageing markers in womb-lining cells. The FDA page cites ACOG advice to stop cannabis use in pregnancy and to discourage it while breastfeeding. Keep all products away from children.

Q: Do CBC products match their labels?

We found no test of products sold as CBC. In 80 hemp CBD oils, CBC was present in 72% and the authors say minor cannabinoids are largely absent from labels. A certificate of analysis from an independent lab for the exact batch is the best check; see our page on how to read one.

2-methyl-2-(4-methylpent-3-enyl)-7-pentylchromen-5-ol (C21H30O2; PubChem CID 30219) · also called CBC, cannabichromene; its acid form is CBCA (cannabichromenic acid). Not the same as the CBC blood test (complete blood count).

CBC is a compound made by the cannabis plant that did not act like THC in mouse tests. The plant makes it from CBGA, through its acid form CBCA. No CBC medicine is approved. The only human data are one blood-level pilot and one mixed-product pain study, so almost everything rests on mouse, rat and cell work. Shop products may not match their labels.

General information, not medical advice. Last substantive update October 25, 2026 · Not medically reviewed. A named clinician has not signed off on this page. How this page is made

About CBC (Cannabichromene)

CBC (cannabichromene) is a cannabis compound that did not act like THC in mouse tests. The plant makes it from CBGA through its acid form, CBCA. There is no approved CBC medicine. Human research is almost absent: a blood-level pilot and one mixed-product pain study. Almost everything else is mouse, rat or cell work. Here, CBC means the cannabis compound, not the blood test.

What CBC is, and what CBCA is

CBC (cannabichromene) is a compound made by the cannabis plant. Its formula is C21H30O2, the same as THC and CBD, but its structure is different. The plant first makes CBGA, then an enzyme called CBC synthase turns it into CBCA (cannabichromenic acid). CBCA loses a carbon dioxide unit with time and heat and becomes CBC.

A review calls CBC the fourth most abundant cannabinoid in many cannabis types, and says how much a plant makes does not depend on whether it is a THC type or a CBD type. The letters CBC are also the common abbreviation for a blood test, the complete blood count. That test has nothing to do with this compound.

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What the human studies show

No trial has tested CBC alone in people. A pilot in 43 adults measured CBC in blood after a seven-day course of a CBD-rich cannabis oil that held small amounts of THC and CBC; CBC levels rose with the dose, and CBC appeared to be absorbed better than CBD or THC when given together. It reported nothing on benefit or harm, and the authors work for the company that makes the oil.

A 12-week study in 164 adults with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis or knee/hip osteoarthritis gave one of three cannabinoid capsules. One held 3 mg CBC with THCA, CBDA and CBG. Pain scores improved on every product, and people on the CBC-containing capsule reported lower neuropathic pain intensity. There was no placebo group and many dropped out, so nothing can be credited to CBC.

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Animal and laboratory research is not human evidence

Most claims about CBC come from mice, rats or cells. In mice, CBC reduced fracture pain, depression-like behaviour and heat-triggered seizures. In rats and mice it lowered signs of arthritis and skin inflammation. In dishes it killed several kinds of cancer cell and stopped MRSA growth.

These findings suggest where to look, not what CBC does in people. Results in mice often fail to carry over to humans, and the same mouse study that found less fracture pain also found slower bone healing.

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Shop products and the law

We found no test of whether products sold as CBC match their labels. In 80 hemp CBD oils bought in Kentucky, CBC was found in 72% and the authors say minor cannabinoids are largely missing from product labels. A product may hold CBC, its acid CBCA or both.

The US FDA has approved no CBC medicine, and its cannabis Q&A page does not mention CBC. It says THC and CBD products are excluded from the dietary supplement definition. Rules differ by state and country and were not reviewed here; this is not legal advice.

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What the lab numbers show

Our data holds 122 laboratory measurements of CBC in cannabis flower for 104 differently named strains. They come from published papers and their supplements; none comes from a state testing dataset, and we did not test anything ourselves. A strain name is only a label: the same name can have very different chemistry, and these are real results from specific samples.

The most usable group is one greenhouse study with means for 30 names, each from 3 to 9 plants, in percent of flower dry weight. They run from 0.05 (Bohdi Tree) to 0.62 (Thunderstruck), with a middle value of 0.26. After Thunderstruck come Love Lace at 0.56, Crystal Cookies at 0.51 and Lavendar Jones at 0.5; after Bohdi Tree the lowest are Blue Dream at 0.13 and four names at 0.14. Among our profile strains, Blue Dream is 0.13 and White Widow 0.17. A second listing repeats the same values for five of these names without stating the number of plants.

A third group lists 15 plant lines in percent weight by weight (w/w), from 1 to 3 plants each, from 0.01 to 0.05; for example Bubba Kush is 0.02 from 3 plants. The unit and method differ from the greenhouse study, so do not compare the two.

A further 72 values for 62 names are single commercial batches printed in a paper's supplement table. Its column header reads "% dry wt", but the values (0.0001 to 0.0102) are far smaller than in the other studies, so the unit is unclear and we do not compare them. Blue Dream alone has four batches, from 0.00265 to 0.00424. These numbers describe how much CBC the flower held when tested. They say nothing about effects, and nothing about CBC oils or capsules.

At a glance

Traditional uses history, not proof

Cannabis has a long history of use as a whole plant. No traditional use of isolated CBC is described in the sources read; this page covers only the compound.

Studied for research

Pain and nerve sensitivity (animal and cell research): very low
Low mood (mouse behaviour tests): very low
Seizures (mouse and cell research): very low
Inflammation and arthritis (rat and mouse research): very low
Skin inflammation, eczema model (mouse research): very low
Gut pain sensitivity (mouse, inside a mixture): very low
Cancer cells (laboratory and mouse research): very low
Bacteria in the lab (MRSA): insufficient

Main compounds

CBC (cannabichromene) itself
CBCA, the acid precursor
CBGA, the common starting material also used for THC and CBD
CBCV and CBCVA, related compounds
THC and CBD, which have the same formula but different structures

Common forms

CBC isolate in oil (used in rat studies)
Hemp extracts and CBD oils that carry CBC as a minor ingredient
CBD-rich cannabis oil with small CBC and THC amounts (used in one human pilot)
CBC-rich cannabis flower

Research links: FDA: cannabis and CBD questions and answers (does not mention CBC) · PubMed: CBC blood levels in people (pilot, 2022) · PubMed: CBC review (2026) · PubMed: The Potential of CBC as a Therapeutic Agent (review, 2024) · PubMed: minor cannabinoids in CBD oils (2025) · PubChem: cannabichromene · Research Library · Genes & Biomarkers Library

What it is and its history

Name: Cannabichromene (CBC)
Chemical name: 2-methyl-2-(4-methylpent-3-enyl)-7-pentylchromen-5-ol
Other names: Cannabichromene; CBC; Cannabichrome; Pentylcannabichromene; (+/-)-Cannabichromene; 2-Methyl-2-(4-methyl-3-pentenyl)-7-pentyl-2H-1-benzopyran-5-ol
Common names: CBC (English); Cannabicromeno (Spanish)
Formula: C21H30O2
Molecular weight: 314.5
CAS number: 20675-51-8
PubChem ID: 30219
Chemical class: Phytocannabinoid (a 21-carbon compound with a chromene ring, made by the cannabis plant)
How the plant makes it: The plant first makes cannabigerolic acid (CBGA). The enzyme CBC synthase (CBCAS) turns CBGA into cannabichromenic acid (CBCA). CBCA loses a carbon dioxide unit with time and heat and becomes CBC. THC and CBD acids are made from the same CBGA by different synthases.
Where it is found: A review calls CBC the fourth most abundant cannabinoid in many cannabis types. A second review says CBC content does not depend on the genetic locus (B) that sets THC versus CBD type. In 80 hemp CBD oils bought in Kentucky, CBC was detected in 72%.
Related or similar compounds: Name: THC and CBD; Note: Same formula (C21H30O2) as CBC but different structures, and quite different effects. Results for them do not carry over to CBC.; Name: CBCA (cannabichromenic acid); Note: The acid form the raw plant makes; it becomes CBC with heat. A different molecule.; Name: CBCV (cannabichromevarin); Note: A related compound with a shorter side chain, studied in the same mouse seizure work.; Name: CBC, the blood test; Note: Complete blood count; unrelated.

Traditional use and history history, not clinical proof

Tradition or era	Documented use	Source
2010	A mouse study found CBC produced part of the four-test cannabinoid pattern, reduced paw swelling, and worked without CB1 or CB2 receptors; CBC also raised THC levels in the brain.	p20619971
2010	A mouse screen found CBC reduced immobility in swim and tail-suspension tests, while CBG and CBN did not.	p20332000
2021	CBC, CBCA and related compounds were shown to reach the mouse brain and to raise the seizure threshold in a Dravet syndrome model.	p33395525
2022	The first report of CBC blood levels in people, from a secondary analysis of a trial of a cannabis oil.	p34664109
2023	Rat studies from a cannabis company reported blood and brain levels and 14-day safety of oral CBC.	p37721989
2024	A review of CBC pharmacology noted CBC products are sold over the counter and widely used with little or no evidence of safety or efficacy.	p38777605
2026	A comprehensive review calls CBC high-potential but critically understudied and notes the absence of clinical trials.	p42464425

History shows how a substance was used or discovered. It does not show that a product works or is safe today.

What is inside, and how it may work

What it contains and how those compounds act in cells and animals. Laboratory and animal mechanisms are not proven effects in people.

Main compounds

Compound	Family	Where it is concentrated	Activity studied	Level of evidence
Cannabichromenic acid (CBCA) PubChem 3084339	Phytocannabinoid acid	Not read in the sources Not read	The acid precursor of CBC, made from CBGA by CBC synthase. In the Dravet mouse model CBCA, like CBC, raised the seizure threshold. Reviews of acid cannabinoids say they are not intoxicating mainly when unheated and have low bioavailability and few human trials. ^{31 26 4 8}	Review
Cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) PubChem 6449999	Phytocannabinoid acid	Not read in the sources Not read	The common precursor from which the plant makes the acids of CBC, THC and CBD. ^{32 8 24}	Review
Cannabigerol (CBG) PubChem 5315659	Phytocannabinoid	Not read in the sources Not read	The decarboxylated form of CBGA. In the human liver chip CBG showed less toxicity than CBC; CBG and CBC were the pair tested in lung cancer cells. ^{32 18 28}	Laboratory research
CBC-series relatives: CBCV, CBCVA and 5-fluoro-CBC	Phytocannabinoid analogues (the last is lab-made)	Not read in the sources Not read	In the mouse Dravet model CBCVA also raised the seizure threshold; the lab-made 5-fluoro-CBC reached the brain better than CBC but was not more effective. ⁴	Animal research
THC and CBD PubChem 16078	Phytocannabinoids (isomers of CBC)	Not read in the sources Not read	Made from CBGA by other synthases. CBC bound CB1 more weakly than THC in mouse receptor work and did not act like THC in mice trained to recognise it. CBD is CID 644019. ^{32 35}	Animal research

Mechanisms, receptors and pathways

Target or pathway	Gene or receptor	What was found	Level
Cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2	CB1 (CNR1), CB2 (CNR2)	CBC bound CB1 and CB2 weakly (among the weakest CB1 binders tested), did not act like THC in mouse drug-discrimination tests, and its mouse tetrad and anti-swelling effects were not blocked by CB1 or CB2 blockers. Computer docking predicted CB2 binding, and in pancreatic cancer cells CB2 blockers reversed cell death; in lung cancer cells CB1, CB2 and TRPV1 blockers did not. The picture is mixed. ^{35 6 25 10 28}	Animal research
TRP channels (TRPV1, TRPA1, TRPV3, TRPV4)	TRPV1, TRPA1, TRPV3, TRPV4	A review describes CBC as activating these channels, which sense heat, irritants and pain. In cultured neurons CBC and nine other minor cannabinoids reduced capsaicin-triggered calcium entry through TRPV1 signalling, and CBC activated mostly larger sensory neurons. ^{8 3 22}	Review
GABA-A receptor	GABA-A receptor beta-2 subunit (GABRB2), site V436	CBC increased GABA-triggered currents in frog egg cells and mouse cortical neurons, and the study names V436 on the beta-2 subunit as a key binding site. ³⁴	Animal research
Potassium channels	Inward-rectifier potassium channels (blocked by tertiapin Q)	In cultured rat neurons, the CBC block of capsaicin responses was reversed by tertiapin Q, so potassium channels appear to be involved. ³	Laboratory research
Anandamide handling	Anandamide (reuptake), NAPE-PLD	A review says CBC indirectly raises endocannabinoid tone by inhibiting anandamide reuptake. In womb-lining cells CBC raised NAPE-PLD gene signals but lowered its protein. ^{8 2}	Review
Inflammatory signalling	NF-kB, IL-6, STAT3, IL-17A, NLRP3, JAK/STAT	In rat arthritis tissue CBC lowered IL-6, STAT3, IL-17A and inflammasome parts (NLRP3, NLRP1A, caspase-11); in mouse skin it lowered Th2 cytokines and JAK1, JAK2 and STAT proteins. ^{27 13}	Animal research

Absorption, metabolism and elimination

Absorption: In a 43-person pilot of an oral cannabis oil (CBD-rich, with THC and CBC), the peak CBC level rose 1.3 to 1.8-fold for each doubling of the dose and was reached 1.6 to 4.3 hours after a dose. The CBD dose was 18 times the CBC dose, yet CBD exposure was only 6.6 to 9.8 times higher, so CBC appeared to be absorbed relatively well. A review says oral bioavailability is low; the review gives no percentage in its abstract. In rats much of oral CBC travels through the lymph, and a nanoemulsion raised absorption.
Distribution: In rats given CBC by mouth, CBC was found in brain tissue 24 hours after the first and last doses. In mice, the CBC series had brain-to-blood ratios of 0.2 to 5.8 after injection.
Metabolism: Mainly in the liver. In human liver cells CBC was preferentially glucuronidated directly (UGT 1A1, 1A8, 1A9, 2B7) and also hydroxylated by CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C8, 2C19, 2D6 and 3A4. CBC was more open to CYP attack than CBD, CBG or CBN.
Elimination: Not described in the abstracts read for people.
Bioavailability: Described as low in a review (no figure given in its abstract). No study in people compared oral and injected CBC.

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Isolated compounds versus whole extracts

'CBC' on a product label can mean an isolate, a hemp extract that also holds CBD and other cannabinoids, or an oil where CBC is a minor unlisted ingredient. CBC was found in 72% of hemp CBD oils tested, mostly not listed on the label. The one trial with human CBC data used a CBD-rich oil with small THC and CBC amounts. In mice, a hemp extract and its separate parts both had anti-seizure effects, and a mix of low amounts of four cannabinoids reduced gut pain sensitivity; the authors suggest 'entourage' effects, which remain a hypothesis.

Nutritional composition

CBC is not a nutrient and has no nutritional claim. The FDA Q&A page says THC and CBD products are excluded from the dietary supplement definition and that adding THC or CBD to food is prohibited; it does not mention CBC, so how CBC itself is treated was not found.

8benefits and uses looked at

36studies and sources checked

Very low certaintybest evidence rating found

11lab markers tracked in trials

7 very low certainty1 not enough evidence

What was looked at

The 8 benefits and uses checked for CBC (Cannabichromene), each with how strong the evidence is. Tap one to open it.

Pain and nerve sensitivity (animal and laboratory research)Very low certainty
Low mood (mouse behaviour tests)Very low certainty
Seizures (mouse and cell research)Very low certainty
Inflammation and arthritis (animal and cell research)Very low certainty
Skin inflammation, eczema model (mouse research)Very low certainty
Gut pain sensitivity (mouse research, in a mixture)Very low certainty
Cancer cell research (laboratory and mouse research)Very low certainty
Bacteria, MRSA biofilms (laboratory research)Not enough evidence

Lab markers tracked in the studies

Pain behaviour in miceCapsaicin-triggered calcium entry in nerve cellsImmobility time in mouse stress testsSeizure temperature threshold in a Dravet mouse modelSelf-rated pain and function (questionnaires)Arthritis score in ratsInflammatory signals (TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-17A)Paw swelling after an inflammatory injection (mice)Tumour size in mice with transplanted human tumoursSkin lesion severity and ear thickness (mice)Cancer cell death in a dish

What is CBC (Cannabichromene) good for?

The uses people ask about and how strong the evidence is for each. None is an approved use. Every row except one is animal or lab research and says so.

Pain and nerve sensitivityVery low certaintyIn mice with a broken shin bone, CBC reduced pain behaviours but slowed bone healing. In rat and mouse pain-nerve cells it reduced capsaicin signals. No trial tested CBC alone for pain in people. One 12-week study of a four-cannabinoid capsule that included 3 mg CBC had no placebo group. Low mood (mouse research)Very low certaintyCBC cut time spent motionless in two mouse stress tests, in one case like the antidepressant imipramine. No human study exists. Seizures (mouse and cell research)Very low certaintyCBC and its acid CBCA raised the temperature that triggered seizures in a Dravet syndrome mouse model, and CBC boosted GABA-A currents in cells. The only approved cannabis-derived seizure medicine is purified CBD. Inflammation and arthritis (animal research)Very low certaintyIn rats with arthritis CBC lowered arthritis scores but not paw swelling. In mice it reduced paw swelling without using CB1 or CB2 receptors. Skin inflammation, eczema model (mouse research)Very low certaintySkin-applied CBC reduced lesions and immune signals in a chemically induced mouse eczema model. Gut pain sensitivity (mouse, in a mixture)Very low certaintyA mix of CBD, CBC, CBDV and CBG lowered gut pain sensitivity in mice with colitis. CBC was only tested inside the mix. Cancer cell research (laboratory and mouse)Very low certaintyCBC killed pancreatic, lung and breast cancer cells in dishes and slowed transplanted tumours in mice. This is early lab work, not a cancer treatment. Bacteria, MRSA (laboratory research)Not enough evidenceFive cannabinoids, including CBC, stopped MRSA growth in a dish at 1 to 2 micrograms per mL. No animal or human test.

Benefits, one by one

Each card is a research question, not a promise. Tap a goal to filter. Open a card to see the studies, doses and limits.

Pain and nerve sensitivity (animal and laboratory research)

Very low certainty

In mice with a broken shin bone, CBC reduced pain behaviours, but it also slowed bone healing. In dishes of rat and mouse pain-sensing nerve cells, CBC reduced signals triggered by capsaicin, the hot-pepper compound. Reviews call the pain evidence preliminary. No trial has tested CBC alone for pain in people.

6 studiesAnimal studies injected CBC. The human study gave a fixed capsule for…

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

No trial of CBC alone for pain. One real-world study gave 164 adults with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis one of three cannabinoid capsules for 12 weeks; the capsule that held CBC (3 mg, with THCA, CBDA and CBG) was linked to lower neuropathic pain intensity, but there was no placebo group and nothing can be credited to CBC.

Results

In the fracture study CBC improved touch, cold and heat sensitivity and walking in mice (abstract gives no numbers). In neurons, CBC reduced capsaicin-triggered calcium entry. In the human study, everyone's self-rated symptoms improved on all three products and no one can say why.

Effect sizes as reported

The abstracts give no effect sizes for CBC in animals; the human study abstract gives none either.

Why this rating

Animal and cell work plus one uncontrolled human study of a mixture. A review says the main gap is clinical studies.

Form and dose studied

Animal studies injected CBC. The human study gave a fixed capsule for 12 weeks; amounts are not advice.

Who was studied

Mice, rats, cultured neurons; adults with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis (mixed-product study).

Limits

Nobody has shown CBC relieves pain in a person. The one mouse study that tested it also found slower bone healing. The human study had no placebo and a high drop-out (168 of 276 finished).

Why researchers looked

Cannabis is widely used for pain, and CBC does not cause a THC-type high in mouse tests, so researchers asked whether it could ease pain on its own.

Traditional use

No traditional use of isolated CBC is described in the sources read. Cannabis has a long history as a whole plant; this page covers only the compound.

Proposed mechanism Preliminary mechanism

In cultured rat sensory neurons the capsaicin block was reversed by a potassium channel blocker, so CBC seems to act through potassium channels. Reviews also list activation of TRP channels and effects on anandamide handling. Whether this explains pain relief in animals is not settled.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Possible slower bone healing seen in mice; see the Safety tab.

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Low mood (mouse behaviour tests)

Very low certainty

In mice, CBC cut the time spent motionless in two stress tests that are used as rough signs of depression-like behaviour. In stressed male mice the effect was similar to the antidepressant imipramine. These are mouse findings only; nobody has tested CBC for low mood in people.

3 studiesInjected or dosed into mice in animal amounts; no human amounts exist.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

In the 2010 screen, CBC reduced immobility in the forced swim test (20 mg/kg) and in the tail suspension test (40 and 80 mg/kg), while CBG and CBN did not. In the 2025 stress model CBC at 20 mg/kg reduced immobility like imipramine, without changing movement, and reduced plasma nitrite and corticosterone.

Effect sizes as reported

No effect sizes in the abstracts, only significance statements.

Why this rating

Two small mouse studies, one of which used computer modelling for the mechanism. Mouse immobility tests are a rough proxy for depression.

Form and dose studied

Injected or dosed into mice in animal amounts; no human amounts exist.

Who was studied

Male Swiss albino mice (2025 study); mice (2010 study).

Limits

Male mice only in the stress model. The tests show behaviour change, not mood. No human data.

Why researchers looked

Cannabis users report mood effects, and early screens suggested some cannabinoids act on mouse behaviour like antidepressants, so CBC was tested.

Traditional use

No traditional use of isolated CBC is described in the sources read. Cannabis has a long history as a whole plant; this page covers only the compound.

Proposed mechanism Preliminary mechanism

Computer docking predicted CBC binds the CB2 receptor, and stressed mice given CBC had less brain MAO-A activity and lower stress hormones. These are leads from one study, not an established mechanism.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Little is known about CBC safety in people. See the Safety tab, including a liver warning sign in a lab model and slower bone healing in mice.

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Seizures (mouse and cell research)

Very low certainty

In mice, CBC and its acid form CBCA raised the temperature at which heat-triggered seizures began in a Dravet syndrome model, and CBC reduced seizure susceptibility in drug-induced seizure tests. In cells it boosted GABA-A receptor currents. No human seizure study of CBC exists. The only approved cannabis-derived epilepsy medicine is purified CBD (Epidiolex).

4 studiesSingle injections or acute treatments in mice; no human amounts.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

In Scn1a+/- mice CBC, CBCA and CBCVA each significantly raised the seizure-triggering temperature. In another mouse study CBC and CBN showed significant anti-seizure effects among five hemp components. The abstracts give no numbers.

Effect sizes as reported

No effect sizes given in the abstracts.

Why this rating

Two mouse studies with different models and no human test.

Form and dose studied

Single injections or acute treatments in mice; no human amounts.

Who was studied

Mice with a Dravet syndrome mutation; mice with drug-induced seizures; frog egg cells and mouse neurons.

Limits

A raised seizure threshold in mice does not show CBC controls seizures in people. Anyone with epilepsy should not rely on a CBC product. Ask a doctor.

Why researchers looked

Some families use home-made cannabis oils for severe childhood epilepsy, and CBC is often found in such oils, so researchers tested it.

Traditional use

No traditional use of isolated CBC is described in the sources read. Cannabis has a long history as a whole plant; this page covers only the compound.

Proposed mechanism Animal research

CBC increased GABA-triggered currents in frog egg cells and mouse brain cells, and the work points to a binding site (V436) on the beta-2 subunit of the GABA-A receptor. The Dravet mouse work did not test the mechanism.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Little is known about CBC safety in people. See the Safety tab, including a liver warning sign in a lab model and slower bone healing in mice.

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Inflammation and arthritis (animal and cell research)

Very low certainty

In rats with collagen-induced arthritis, CBC lowered arthritis scores and weight loss, but it did not significantly cut paw swelling. In mice it reduced paw swelling from an inflammatory injection. In cells it lowered TNF-alpha. No human study exists.

3 studiesAnimal amounts by injection; no human amounts exist.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

In rats, arthritis scores and weight loss improved versus placebo, paw swelling did not significantly change, and joint-damage markers MMP-3 and MMP-9 were not significantly changed. In mice, CBC reduced paw edema dose-dependently.

Effect sizes as reported

The abstracts give significance statements, not effect sizes.

Why this rating

One rat model and one older mouse study; no human data; some measures unchanged.

Form and dose studied

Animal amounts by injection; no human amounts exist.

Who was studied

Female Wistar rats with arthritis; mice with paw swelling; human vein cells (HUVEC).

Limits

Joint-damage markers were not much changed, so it is unclear whether CBC would protect joints.

Why researchers looked

Inflammation is part of many diseases, and early mouse work suggested CBC lowers it without acting on CB1 or CB2 receptors.

Traditional use

No traditional use of isolated CBC is described in the sources read. Cannabis has a long history as a whole plant; this page covers only the compound.

Proposed mechanism Animal research

In the arthritis study CBC lowered IL-6, STAT3, IL-17A and parts of the NLRP3 inflammasome. In the 2010 mouse study, a CB2 blocker did not stop CBC's anti-swelling effect, so CBC does not seem to use CB2.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Little is known about CBC safety in people. See the Safety tab, including a liver warning sign in a lab model and slower bone healing in mice.

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Skin inflammation, eczema model (mouse research)

Very low certainty

In mice with an eczema-like skin condition, CBC applied to the skin reduced lesions, ear and skin thickness and mast cells, and lowered immune-signal molecules. This was a chemically induced skin model in mice. No person has been tested.

2 studiesApplied to the skin in mice; no human amounts exist. Not a recommenda…

Studies, doses and limits

Results

At 0.1 mg/kg, CBC significantly reduced lesion severity, ear thickness, epithelial thickness and mast cell infiltration (p < 0.001) and lowered a list of inflammatory gene signals.

Effect sizes as reported

Significance levels only; no effect sizes in the abstract.

Why this rating

One mouse model with a chemical irritant.

Form and dose studied

Applied to the skin in mice; no human amounts exist. Not a recommendation to use CBC skin products.

Who was studied

BALB/c mice.

Limits

A chemically induced model does not reproduce human eczema.

Why researchers looked

Skin inflammation involves Th2 immune signals and JAK/STAT pathways, and CBC has been proposed to affect them.

Traditional use

No traditional use of isolated CBC is described in the sources read. Cannabis has a long history as a whole plant; this page covers only the compound.

Proposed mechanism Animal research

CBC lowered Th2 cytokines (TSLP, IL-4, IL-13) and JAK/STAT proteins in the mouse skin.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Little is known about CBC safety in people. See the Safety tab, including a liver warning sign in a lab model and slower bone healing in mice.

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Gut pain sensitivity (mouse research, in a mixture)

Very low certainty

In mice with colitis, a mix of CBD, CBC, CBDV and CBG, each at a small amount, lowered gut pain sensitivity without changing the colitis. CBC was only tested inside the mix, so its own part is unknown.

2 studiesInjected into mice.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

A single 10 mg/kg injection of CBD or CBG reduced gut pain sensitivity; the mixture with 1 mg/kg CBC also did.

Effect sizes as reported

No effect sizes in the abstract.

Why this rating

CBC is never tested alone in the abstract.

Form and dose studied

Injected into mice.

Who was studied

Mice with DSS-induced colitis; sensory neurons.

Limits

Combination study; mouse colitis model.

Why researchers looked

Abdominal pain is the most disabling symptom of inflammatory bowel disease, and people turn to cannabis for it.

Traditional use

No traditional use of isolated CBC is described in the sources read. Cannabis has a long history as a whole plant; this page covers only the compound.

Proposed mechanism Animal research

The mixture acted on voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels, particularly Cav2.2.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Little is known about CBC safety in people. See the Safety tab, including a liver warning sign in a lab model and slower bone healing in mice.

^{29 36}

Cancer cell research (laboratory and mouse research)

Very low certainty

In dishes, CBC killed pancreatic, lung and breast cancer cells, and extracts holding CBC plus THC killed bladder cancer cells. In mice with transplanted human tumours, CBC slowed pancreatic tumour growth and, with CBD, breast tumour growth. This is early laboratory work. CBC is not a cancer treatment.

4 studiesLab concentrations and animal injections; no human amounts exist.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

Pancreatic cancer cells: CBC triggered cell death and slowed xenograft growth. Resistant triple-negative breast cancer: CBC plus CBD cut tumour volume two-fold versus single treatments and four-fold versus control in mice, and invasiveness fell about 55% in a lab assay. Bladder cancer cell lines: three CBC- and THC-containing extracts had IC50 values of 17.9 to 21.6 micrograms/mL.

Effect sizes as reported

Combination and extract studies; CBC alone is only separated in the pancreatic and lung studies.

Why this rating

Cells and mice with transplanted tumours; one study used whole extracts with THC and another a CBC plus CBD pair.

Form and dose studied

Lab concentrations and animal injections; no human amounts exist.

Who was studied

Human cancer cell lines; mice with xenografts; ex vivo bladder tissue cultures.

Limits

Killing cells in a dish does not mean treating cancer in a person. No clinical study exists.

Why researchers looked

Many compounds kill cancer cells in a dish; researchers test cannabinoids because they are plant compounds that act on cell-death pathways.

Traditional use

No traditional use of isolated CBC is described in the sources read. Cannabis has a long history as a whole plant; this page covers only the compound.

Proposed mechanism Laboratory research

Pancreatic cancer cells: apoptosis and ferroptosis, with TRPV1 and CB2 needed. Lung cancer cells: death was independent of CB1, CB2, TRPV1, TRPM8 and PPAR-gamma. The two findings disagree on which receptors matter.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Cell-killing activity is not selective proof of safety; see the Safety tab.

^{10 28 1 5}

Bacteria, MRSA biofilms (laboratory research)

Not enough evidence

In the lab, CBC and four other cannabinoids stopped MRSA from growing at 1 to 2 micrograms per mL. The abstract highlights CBN, not CBC. No test in an infected animal or person is reported.

2 studiesLab concentrations only.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

All five cannabinoids had minimum inhibitory concentrations between 1 and 2 micrograms/mL. CBN was the most potent against biofilm and CBD the least effective in most assays.

Effect sizes as reported

No CBC-specific numbers beyond the shared range.

Why this rating

A single lab assay.

Form and dose studied

Lab concentrations only.

Who was studied

MRSA bacteria in culture.

Limits

A growth-stopping concentration in a dish is not a treatment.

Why researchers looked

Hospital infections that resist antibiotics are a major problem, so plant compounds are screened for new leads.

Traditional use

No traditional use of isolated CBC is described in the sources read. Cannabis has a long history as a whole plant; this page covers only the compound.

Proposed mechanism Laboratory research

Not settled; the authors say different cannabinoids may act differently on the bacteria and their biofilm.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Little is known about CBC safety in people. See the Safety tab, including a liver warning sign in a lab model and slower bone healing in mice.

^{16 24}

Connections to the rest of health

How CBC (Cannabichromene) connects to the rest of our health knowledge graph. Every link says what kind of connection it is. A safety link (for example to the liver) is a warning, not a benefit. A study that merely mentions a topic never creates a benefit link.

Explore every connection: goals, body systems, organs, symptoms, genes

Kind of connection Connected to Search

A. Wellness goals

Connected to	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Pain Relief	Very low certainty	Pain and nerve sensitivity (animal and laboratory research): In mice with a broken shin bone, CBC reduced pain behaviours, but it also slowed bone healing. In dishes of rat and mouse pain-sensing nerve cells, CBC reduced signals triggered by capsaicin, the hot-pepper compound. Reviews call the pain evidence preliminary. No trial has tested CBC alone for pain in people.	^{12 3 22 14 24 8}
Mood Balance	Very low certainty	Low mood (mouse behaviour tests): In mice, CBC cut the time spent motionless in two stress tests that are used as rough signs of depression-like behaviour. In stressed male mice the effect was similar to the antidepressant imipramine. These are mouse findings only; nobody has tested CBC for low mood in people.	^{25 7 8}
Brain Health	Very low certainty	Seizures (mouse and cell research): In mice, CBC and its acid form CBCA raised the temperature at which heat-triggered seizures began in a Dravet syndrome model, and CBC reduced seizure susceptibility in drug-induced seizure tests. In cells it boosted GABA-A receptor currents. No human seizure study of CBC exists. The only approved cannabis-derived epilepsy medicine is purified CBD (Epidiolex).	^{4 34 24 26}
Inflammation Balance	Very low certainty	Inflammation and arthritis (animal and cell research): In rats with collagen-induced arthritis, CBC lowered arthritis scores and weight loss, but it did not significantly cut paw swelling. In mice it reduced paw swelling from an inflammatory injection. In cells it lowered TNF-alpha. No human study exists.	^{27 6 36}
Joint Support	Very low certainty	Inflammation and arthritis (animal and cell research): In rats with collagen-induced arthritis, CBC lowered arthritis scores and weight loss, but it did not significantly cut paw swelling. In mice it reduced paw swelling from an inflammatory injection. In cells it lowered TNF-alpha. No human study exists.	^{27 6 36}
Healthy Skin	Very low certainty	Skin inflammation, eczema model (mouse research): In mice with an eczema-like skin condition, CBC applied to the skin reduced lesions, ear and skin thickness and mast cells, and lowered immune-signal molecules. This was a chemically induced skin model in mice. No person has been tested.	^{13 8}
Gut Health	Very low certainty	Gut pain sensitivity (mouse research, in a mixture): In mice with colitis, a mix of CBD, CBC, CBDV and CBG, each at a small amount, lowered gut pain sensitivity without changing the colitis. CBC was only tested inside the mix, so its own part is unknown.	^{29 36}
Immune Support	Not enough evidence	Bacteria, MRSA biofilms (laboratory research): In the lab, CBC and four other cannabinoids stopped MRSA from growing at 1 to 2 micrograms per mL. The abstract highlights CBN, not CBC. No test in an infected animal or person is reported.	^{16 24}

B. Body systems

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Nervous System	Biological association	Very low certainty	Studied for: Pain and nerve sensitivity (animal and laboratory research) Studied for: Low mood (mouse behaviour tests)	^{12 3 22 14 24 8 25 7 4 34 26}
Pain Inflammation	Biological association	Very low certainty	Studied for: Pain and nerve sensitivity (animal and laboratory research) Studied for: Inflammation and arthritis (animal and cell research)	^{12 3 22 14 24 8 27 6 36 29}
Stress Mood	Biological association	Very low certainty	Studied for: Low mood (mouse behaviour tests)	^{25 7 8}
Immune System	Biological association	Very low certainty	Studied for: Inflammation and arthritis (animal and cell research) Studied for: Skin inflammation, eczema model (mouse research)	^{27 6 36 13 8 10 28 1 5 16 24}
Musculoskeletal System	Biological association	Very low certainty	Studied for: Inflammation and arthritis (animal and cell research)	^{27 6 36}
Integumentary System	Biological association	Very low certainty	Studied for: Skin inflammation, eczema model (mouse research)	^{13 8}
Digestive System	Biological association	Very low certainty	Studied for: Gut pain sensitivity (mouse research, in a mixture)	^{29 36}
Cells	Biological association	Very low certainty	Studied for: Cancer cell research (laboratory and mouse research)	^{10 28 1 5}

C. Body parts and organs

Connected to	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Liver	Very low certainty	Raised LDH and cytokines and lowered albumin over seven days; cell model only. Preparation or compound: CBC in a human liver chip	¹⁸
Bone	Very low certainty	Slower soft-callus resorption and lower bone formation despite less pain. Preparation or compound: CBC in mice with a tibial fracture	¹²
Womb lining (endometrium)	Very low certainty	Changed hormone-receptor and senescence markers; effect on fertility unknown. Preparation or compound: CBC at 2 micromolar in endometrial cells	²
Brain	Very low certainty	CBC reached the brain after oral and injected doses; effects on behaviour in people are unstudied. Preparation or compound: CBC in rats and mice	^{19 4}

I. Biomarkers

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Pain behaviour in mice	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: improved. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	¹²
Capsaicin-triggered calcium entry in nerve cells	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{3 22}
Immobility time in mouse stress tests	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{7 25}
Seizure temperature threshold in a Dravet mouse model	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: raised. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	⁴
Self-rated pain and function (questionnaires)	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: improved. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	¹⁴
Arthritis score in rats	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	²⁷
Inflammatory signals (TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-17A)	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{27 13}
Paw swelling after an inflammatory injection (mice)	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	⁶
Tumour size in mice with transplanted human tumours	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{10 1}
Skin lesion severity and ear thickness (mice)	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	¹³
Cancer cell death in a dish	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: raised. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{28 5}

J. Genes, receptors and enzymes

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C8, 2C19, 2D6, 3A4	Preliminary mechanism	Very low certainty	Enzymes that break CBC down; effect of CBC on other drugs is not shown in the abstract. Preparation or compound: CBC with human enzymes	⁹
CYP1A2, CYP2B6, CYP2C8, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP3A4; UGT1A1, UGT1A8, UGT1A9, UGT2B7	Preliminary mechanism	In vitro	Human enzymes that break down CBC. Their effect on other drugs is not shown in the abstract.	⁹
TRPV1, TRPA1, TRPV3, TRPV4	Preliminary mechanism	Review	Heat and pain-sensing channels that CBC is reported to activate or modulate.	^{8 3}
GABA-A receptor (beta-2 subunit)	Preliminary mechanism	Animal	CBC increased GABA currents; a binding site on beta-2 was identified.	³⁴
CB2 (CNR2)	Preliminary mechanism	In vitro	Predicted by docking and needed for cancer-cell death in one study, but not in another.	^{25 10 28}

K. Biological pathways

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
NF-kB / IL-6 / STAT3 / IL-17A and the NLRP3 inflammasome	Preliminary mechanism	Animal	Inflammatory pathways CBC lowered in rat arthritis tissue.	²⁷

L. Active compounds

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Cannabichromenic acid (CBCA)	Biological association	Review	The acid precursor of CBC, made from CBGA by CBC synthase. In the Dravet mouse model CBCA, like CBC, raised the seizure threshold. Reviews of acid cannabinoids say they are not intoxicating mainly when unheated and have low bioavailability and few human trials. Preparation or compound: Not read in the sources	^{31 26 4 8}
Cannabigerolic acid (CBGA)	Biological association	Review	The common precursor from which the plant makes the acids of CBC, THC and CBD. Preparation or compound: Not read in the sources	^{32 8 24}
Cannabigerol (CBG)	Biological association	In vitro	The decarboxylated form of CBGA. In the human liver chip CBG showed less toxicity than CBC; CBG and CBC were the pair tested in lung cancer cells. Preparation or compound: Not read in the sources	^{32 18 28}
CBC-series relatives: CBCV, CBCVA and 5-fluoro-CBC	Biological association	Animal	In the mouse Dravet model CBCVA also raised the seizure threshold; the lab-made 5-fluoro-CBC reached the brain better than CBC but was not more effective. Preparation or compound: Not read in the sources	⁴
THC and CBD	Biological association	Animal	Made from CBGA by other synthases. CBC bound CB1 more weakly than THC in mouse receptor work and did not act like THC in mice trained to recognise it. CBD is CID 644019. Preparation or compound: Not read in the sources	^{32 35}

Each connection is stored with the ingredient, the connected record, the kind of connection, the evidence status, the supporting studies, the preparation or compound involved, and a review date (last reviewed October 25, 2026).

Evidence at a glance: what changed in 9 lab markers

Tap a number to show only those markers. Counts are markers, not people.

Other72

The evidence

The research centre for CBC (Cannabichromene). Every record here was checked against PubMed or the publisher's page; we never list a study we have not verified.

Evidence by outcome

Pain and nerve sensitivity (animal and laboratory research) 6 studies · 164 people in trials Very low certainty Low mood (mouse behaviour tests) 3 studies Very low certainty Seizures (mouse and cell research) 4 studies Very low certainty Inflammation and arthritis (animal and cell research) 3 studies Very low certainty Skin inflammation, eczema model (mouse research) 2 studies Very low certainty Gut pain sensitivity (mouse research, in a mixture) 2 studies Very low certainty Cancer cell research (laboratory and mouse research) 4 studies Very low certainty Bacteria, MRSA biofilms (laboratory research) 2 studies Not enough evidence

Bars show how many studies we found for each outcome, not how well it works. People are added up across trials only (reviews are not added, to avoid double counting).

How we rate evidence

High certainty

Several well-run trials or reviews agree; further research is unlikely to change the picture much.

Moderate certainty

Good trials point the same way, but some doubt remains.

Low certainty

Small, short or inconsistent trials. The finding could change with better research.

Very low certainty

Very little or very weak human data. Treat as a possibility only.

Mixed findings

Trials or reviews disagree with each other.

Not enough evidence

Not enough human research to say either way.

Evidence against

Good research found no benefit, or found harm.

We take the reviewers' own risk-of-bias and GRADE statements where they exist, and otherwise judge from study size, design, consistency, directness and whether a product matches what is sold. Many publications do not make evidence high. Method note: We searched PubMed and read the abstracts of the studies cited. The FDA cannabis questions-and-answers page was retrieved and summarised on the date shown. Compound identity was checked in PubChem. Lab numbers come from a table of published data and are not our own testing.

Study library: every study we checked 36

Design Research type Year from Search

Study	Design	People	Product, dose, length	Result
Aare 2026 Pharmacokinetic studies and synergistic antitumor effects of cannabichromene and cannabidiol in drug-resistant breast cancers. Drug Deliv Transl Res · PMID 41670942 · DOI	Laboratory research human cells, mouse and rat	Doxorubicin-resistant triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), nude-mouse xenografts, and rats for pharmacokinetics	CBC (10 mg/kg), CBD (20 mg/kg) or both, injected into the abdomen of mice CBC 10 mg/kg and CBD 20 mg/kg (animal amounts) · vs CBC alone; CBD alone; control	CBC with CBD acted synergistically against resistant cancer cells, caused G0/G1 arrest and cut invasiveness by about 55% in a Matrigel assay. In xenografts, the combination reduced tumour volume two-fold compared with single treatments and four-fold versus control. Co-administration increased peak blood level and exposure in rats. A CBC plus CBD combination slowed resistant breast-cancer tumours in mice Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Cell growth, invasion, tumour volume, signalling proteins, blood levels Limitations: Cells and mice; combination, so CBC's own part is not separated. Not a cancer treatment. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no conflict of interest. They used ChatGPT to improve language. Read: abstract
Alves 2025 Effects of cannabidiol, cannabichromene, cannabidivarin, cannabigerol and cannabinol in endometrial cells: Implications for endocrine and senescence modulation. Reprod Toxicol · PMID 40706771 · DOI	Laboratory research human cells	St-T1b human endometrial stromal cell line	CBC (with CBD, CBDV, CBG, CBN) 2 micromolar (lab concentration) Cell culture · vs Untreated cells	CBC raised progesterone receptor gene expression and androgen receptor gene expression, altered the ageing (senescence) markers YPEL3 and LMNB1 with more beta-galactosidase build-up, increased the NAPE-PLD gene signal but reduced its protein. All the cannabinoids blocked androgen receptor activation. The authors say cannabinoids may disrupt hormone and endocannabinoid signalling in the womb lining and may affect female fertility. CBC changed hormone-receptor and ageing markers in womb-lining cells Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Hormone-receptor gene and protein levels, senescence markers, anandamide-making and breaking enzymes Limitations: One cell line at one concentration. Effects on fertility or pregnancy in people are not shown. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no competing interests. Read: abstract
Anand 2025 Modulatory Effects of 'Minor' Cannabinoids in an in vitro Model of Neuronal Hypersensitivity. J Pain Res · PMID 41322279 · DOI	Laboratory research rat cells	Cultured adult rat dorsal root ganglion neurons made over-sensitive with growth factors	CBC (with nine other minor cannabinoids); morphine and gabapentin as comparison 0.001 to 100 micromolar (lab concentrations) Cell culture · vs Morphine, gabapentin	All the minor cannabinoids tested reduced capsaicin-triggered calcium entry, in some neurons completely. The authors conclude they inhibited TRPV1 signalling. For CBC, the block was reversed by tertiapin Q, a potassium channel inhibitor, so CBC seems to work through potassium channels. They conclude CBC shows potential analgesic effects in vitro. CBC blunted capsaicin signals in rat pain neurons Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Calcium entry into neurons after capsaicin Limitations: Cells in a dish, not pain in an animal or person. Funding and conflicts: One author is Chief Medical Officer at Curaleaf International (a cannabis company). The funders had no role per the paper. Read: abstract
Anderson 2021 Cannabichromene, Related Phytocannabinoids, and 5-Fluoro-cannabichromene Have Anticonvulsant Properties in a Mouse Model of Dravet Syndrome. ACS Chem Neurosci · PMID 33395525 · DOI	Animal research mouse	Scn1a+/- mice (a mouse model of Dravet syndrome)	CBC, CBCA, CBCV, CBCVA and a lab-made 5-fluoro-CBC, by injection into the abdomen Single treatment before heat-triggered seizures · vs Vehicle	All compounds in the CBC series were absorbed and entered the brain (brain-to-blood ratios from 0.2 to 5.8). CBC, CBCA and CBCVA each raised the temperature threshold at which the mice had a generalised tonic-clonic seizure. 5-fluoro-CBC reached the brain better but was not more effective. The authors suggest CBC may be part of why home-made cannabis oils help some children with epilepsy. Higher seizure-temperature threshold in a mouse epilepsy model Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Blood and brain levels; temperature at which a generalised seizure occurred Limitations: Mouse model, injected rather than swallowed, single treatment. The closing suggestion about home-made oils is a hypothesis, not a finding in children. Funding and conflicts: No competing interests stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Anis 2025 Targeting bladder cancer: Potent anti-cancer effects of cannabichromene and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-rich Cannabis sativa strains. Asian J Urol · PMID 41467200 · DOI	Laboratory research human cells	Human bladder cancer cell lines (HTB-4, HTB-9) and ex vivo organ cultures	Whole cannabis extracts from three commercial cannabis types (PARIS, Dairy Queen, sCBD), all containing CBC and THC Whole cannabis extract (flower) IC50 about 18 to 22 micrograms per mL (lab) 48-hour treatment · vs Untreated cells	The three extracts were cytotoxic to bladder cancer cells (IC50 21.58 micrograms/mL for PARIS and about 18 for the other two), reduced migration, shifted the cell cycle and raised cell-death gene expression in organ cultures. All extracts contained both CBC and THC, so the effect cannot be credited to CBC. Whole cannabis extracts containing CBC and THC killed bladder cancer cells in a dish Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Cell survival, migration, cell cycle, apoptosis Limitations: Whole extracts with THC; no isolated-CBC test in the abstract. Cell work only. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no conflict of interest. Read: abstract
DeLong 2010 Pharmacological evaluation of the natural constituent of Cannabis sativa, cannabichromene and its modulation by delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol. Drug Alcohol Depend · PMID 20619971 · DOI	Animal research mouse	Mice (tetrad tests and LPS paw-swelling test)	CBC alone and with THC, by injection Several animal amounts Acute · vs Vehicle; THC; receptor blockers (rimonabant, SR144528)	CBC produced activity in the mouse tetrad, and the effects were not blocked by the CB1 blocker rimonabant. A THC amount that did nothing by itself made CBC's effects stronger and raised THC brain levels. CBC reduced paw swelling in a dose-dependent way; the CB2 blocker SR144528 did not block it, so CBC does not seem to act through CB1 or CB2. CBC raised THC brain levels in a dose-dependent way after injected THC. CBC acts in mice without using CB1 or CB2; it raised THC brain levels Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Movement, pain response, catalepsy and body temperature (the 'tetrad'); paw swelling; THC brain levels Limitations: Mice, injected, a small number of tests; THC level effect shown after injected THC only. Funding and conflicts: None of the authors report a conflict of interest. Read: abstract
El-Alfy 2010 Antidepressant-like effect of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabinoids isolated from Cannabis sativa L. Pharmacol Biochem Behav · PMID 20332000 · DOI	Animal research mouse	Mice (forced swim and tail suspension tests)	CBC (with THC, CBG, CBN, CBD) by injection CBC 20 mg/kg in the swim test; 40 and 80 mg/kg in the tail test (animal amounts) Acute · vs Vehicle	CBC (20 mg/kg) showed a significant antidepressant-like effect in the forced swim test and, in the tail suspension test, a dose-dependent drop in immobility at 40 and 80 mg/kg. CBG and CBN had no effect up to 80 mg/kg; CBD acted only at 200 mg/kg. Less immobility in two mouse behaviour tests Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Immobility time in the mouse forced swim and tail suspension tests Limitations: Mouse behaviour screens; the abstract does not say whether the effective CBC amounts also affect movement. Funding and conflicts: No competing interests stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Elbouzidi 2026 Cannabichromene (CBC): a comprehensive review of biosynthesis, pharmacology, therapeutic potential, and translational perspectives. J Cannabis Res · PMID 42464425 · DOI	Narrative review review	Review of laboratory, animal and chemistry studies of CBC	CBC (review)	Describes CBC as the fourth most abundant cannabinoid in many cannabis types and non-psychoactive. Reports that CBCA is made from CBGA by CBC synthase and loses carbon dioxide with heat. Notes low oral bioavailability, minimal direct CB1/CB2 engagement, activation of TRPV1, TRPA1, TRPV3 and TRPV4 channels, and indirect effects on anandamide. Lists preclinical anti-inflammatory, pain, antimicrobial, anticancer, nerve-protective, antidepressant-like and skin findings. Says there are no clinical trials and calls CBC understudied. Narrative summary; no pooled numbers Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Biosynthesis, pharmacokinetics, receptor profile, preclinical findings, safety, regulation Limitations: A narrative review, not a systematic one. Relies on animal and cell work. The abstract does not describe how studies were chosen. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no competing interests. Read: abstract
Havlasek 2023 Hepatic biotransformation of non-psychotropic phytocannabinoids and activity screening on cytochromes P450 and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol · PMID 37574147 · DOI	Laboratory research human cells	Human liver cells (hepatocytes) and recombinant human enzymes	CBC (with CBD, CBG, CBN) · vs Other cannabinoids	Liver cells changed the cannabinoids in the order CBN > CBG > CBC > CBD. CBC was mainly glucuronidated directly. CBC was more open to attack by CYP enzymes than the others tested: CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C8, 2C19, 2D6 and 3A4 were involved. Glucuronidation of CBC was carried out by UGT 1A1, 1A8, 1A9 and 2B7. CBC is broken down by many liver enzymes Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: How each cannabinoid was changed by liver cells and which enzymes did it Limitations: Cell and enzyme work. The abstract describes how CBC is broken down; it does not say whether CBC changes other drugs' levels. Funding and conflicts: Authors report financial ties to cannabinoid companies (CB21 Pharma, CBDepot, PharmaCan) and a CEO co-author. Read: abstract
Hwang 2025 Cannabichromene: integrative modulation of apoptosis, ferroptosis, and endocannabinoid signaling in pancreatic cancer therapy. Cell Death Discov · PMID 40790027 · DOI	Laboratory research human cells and mouse	Human pancreatic cancer cells and mouse xenograft tumours	CBC Cell culture; xenograft period · vs Untreated cells and tumours; receptor blockers	CBC changed the expression of many cell-death genes (including the ferroptosis gene HMOX1), triggered apoptosis and ferroptosis, and raised TRPV1 and CB2 expression; cell death was reversed by TRPV1 and CB2 blockers. In mouse xenografts, tumour growth was inhibited consistently with these changes. The abstract also contains a formula typo (C21H3O2). Killed pancreatic cancer cells in a dish and slowed xenograft growth in mice Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Gene expression, cell death assays, tumour growth Limitations: Cells and mice with transplanted human tumours. Not a cancer treatment. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no competing interests. Read: abstract
Johnson 2025 Minor Cannabinoid Profile of Unregulated Cannabidiol Products. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res · PMID 39478329 · DOI	Product analysis human product study	80 80 hemp-derived oil products bought online and in shops in central Kentucky, plus Epidiolex as a regulated control	Hemp-derived CBD oils (unregulated over-the-counter products) Single purchase and test · vs Epidiolex (regulated medicine)	CBC was found in 72% of the unregulated products (CBDV 100%, CBG 77%, CBN 67%, CBL 67%, CBDA 51%). Amounts ranged from trace to several mg/mL for the more abundant ones (CBDA 0.006 to 12.258 mg/mL). The authors say these minor cannabinoids are largely absent from product labels, so consumers are uninformed about contents. CBC present in about 7 of 10 CBD oils tested; mostly not on labels Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Concentrations of 15 minor cannabinoids by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry Limitations: One region, a snapshot of products bought in one period. The abstract gives CBC amounts only as part of the wide range for minor cannabinoids. It does not test CBC-labelled products. Funding and conflicts: Research Support, US Government grant per PubMed; one author works at LGC Assure (a testing lab). No product-maker funding stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Khajuria 2026 Cannabichromene attenuates fracture pain but impairs bone repair in a murine tibial fracture model. Bone · PMID 41794091 · DOI	Animal research mouse and cells	Mice with a surgically produced tibia (shin bone) fracture; bone cells in culture	CBC · vs Vehicle	CBC reduced fracture pain: mechanical and cold allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia and gait all improved. But bone healing was impaired: soft callus was resorbed more slowly, bone cell death and osteoclast activity rose, and bone formation and mineralisation fell. In cell culture CBC promoted osteoclast formation. The authors contrast this with CBD and CBG, which helped repair in their earlier work, and urge caution with cannabis oils of variable make-up. Less fracture pain but slower bone healing in mice Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Pain tests (touch, cold, heat, gait); healing of the bone callus; bone cell death, bone-resorbing cells, bone formation Limitations: One mouse injury model. No data in people. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no competing interests. Read: abstract
Kim 2024 Cannabichromene as a Novel Inhibitor of Th2 Cytokine and JAK/STAT Pathway Activation in Atopic Dermatitis Models. Int J Mol Sci · PMID 39769302 · DOI	Animal research mouse	BALB/c mice with DNCB-induced skin inflammation (atopic dermatitis model)	CBC applied to the skin 0.1 and 1 mg/kg (animal amounts) · vs Untreated (DNCB-only) mice	At 0.1 mg/kg CBC significantly reduced skin lesion severity, ear thickness, skin thickness and mast cell numbers (p < 0.001). It lowered mRNA of Th2 cytokines (TSLP, IL-4, IL-13) and other inflammatory mediators, and lowered JAK1, JAK2, STAT1, STAT2, STAT3 and STAT6 proteins. Less skin inflammation in a mouse eczema model Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Skin lesion severity, ear thickness, mast cells, cytokine genes, JAK/STAT proteins Limitations: A chemically induced skin model in mice. Not people with eczema. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Read: abstract
Kruger 2026 Assessing the Efficacy of Cannabinoid Compositions for Treating 3 Classes of Chronic Pain: A Real-World Evidence Study. Clin Ther · PMID 42140793 · DOI	Controlled trial	164 California adults with fibromyalgia (64), rheumatoid arthritis (25) or knee/hip osteoarthritis (75); 276 recruited, 168 finished the questionnaires, 4 removed	Oral capsules: product 2 held THCA 10 mg, CBDA 10 mg, CBG 5 mg and CBC 3 mg; the other two products held no CBC Fixed capsule amounts for 12 weeks (study amounts, not advice) 12 weeks · vs Two other cannabinoid products (no placebo arm)	Per-protocol analyses found significant improvement in all symptoms except cognitive function, with small to large effects that mostly did not differ by product or pain type. Products differed for sleep disturbance, and people on product 2 (the one with CBC) reported lower neuropathic pain intensity. The abstract gives no numbers. Self-reported improvement on all products; product 2 (with CBC) differed for neuropathic pain intensity and sleep Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Self-reported pain, mental health, cognitive and physical functioning questionnaires at baseline and 12 weeks Limitations: No placebo group, so the improvement cannot be credited to any product. Many people dropped out (168 of 276 finished). Self-report only. Product 2 mixed four cannabinoids, so nothing can be credited to CBC. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no competing interests. Four authors work for the company MoreBetter. Funding is not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Kulpa 2023 Toxicological Evaluation and Pain Assessment of Four Minor Cannabinoids Following 14-Day Oral Administration in Rats. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res · PMID 37721989 · DOI	Animal research rat	Sprague Dawley rats	CBC (and CBN, delta-8-THC, THCV) in oil by oral gavage CBC 3.2 to 100 mg/kg per day (animal amounts) Once daily for 14 days · vs Vehicle oil	No treatment-related deaths. The cannabinoids were generally well tolerated. Blood-test differences were put down to normal biological variation, organ weight changes were small and mostly in males, and there were no biologically significant tissue findings. Pain results across the minor cannabinoids were inconsistent. The authors say modest dose-linked trends in organ weights and blood chemistry warrant exploration at higher doses. Well tolerated for 14 days in rats; no tissue damage seen Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Behaviour, body weight, food intake, blood tests, organ weights, body temperature, tail-flick pain test, organ tissue under the microscope Limitations: Two weeks only, rats, one route. Says nothing about people or long-term use. Funding and conflicts: Authors include employees of Canopy Growth Corporation (cannabis company). Read: abstract
Kwong 2025 The anti-biofilm activity of cannabinoids against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Appl Microbiol · PMID 40844832 · DOI	Laboratory research bacteria	MRSA bacteria grown as biofilms in the lab	CBC (with CBD, THC, CBN, CBG) Minimum inhibitory concentrations 1 to 2 micrograms/mL (lab) Lab assay · vs Other cannabinoids	The minimum inhibitory concentration of all five cannabinoids was between 1 and 2 micrograms/mL. CBN was the most potent against biofilm; CBD was the least effective in most assays. The abstract does not single out CBC. The authors say the cannabinoids differed in potency and perhaps mechanism. All five cannabinoids inhibited MRSA growth in a dish Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Biofilm mass, bacterial viability, reactive oxygen species, membrane damage Limitations: Lab bacteria only. The abstract does not give CBC-specific results beyond the shared MIC range. Funding and conflicts: No competing interests are stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Lacerda 2025 Pharmacokinetics of Non-Psychotropic Phytocannabinoids. Pharmaceutics · PMID 40006604 · DOI	Narrative review review	Review of CBD, CBG, CBC and their acid forms (CBDA, CBGA, CBCA)	CBC and CBCA (review)	Finds that pharmacokinetic values for these cannabinoids are highly variable and depend on dose, formulation, route and diet; brain penetration and first-pass metabolism are challenges. Concludes more research is needed for CBG, CBC and their acids, with the biggest gap being clinical investigations. Narrative summary; no pooled numbers Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination Limitations: Narrative review; limited human data exist to review. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Read: abstract
Larson 2025 Hepatotoxicity evaluation of cannabidiol, cannabinol, cannabichromene and cannabigerol using a human quad culture liver chip. Sci Rep · PMID 40750820 · DOI	Laboratory research human cells	Human liver-on-a-chip made of four liver cell types	CBC, CBD, CBN, CBG 0.24, 3 or 4.7 micromolar (lab concentrations) 7 days of continuous dosing · vs Acetaminophen as a positive control; untreated chips	CBD, CBN and CBG showed the lowest liver-toxicity signals. CBC treatment raised lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and cytokine release and lowered albumin production, which the authors read as moderate hepatotoxicity. The chip also showed different effects on reactive oxygen species and mitochondria in different cell types. Moderate liver-toxicity signals for CBC in a lab chip Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Liver injury markers, albumin, inflammatory signals, reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial function Limitations: Cell model, a week, fixed concentrations that may differ from blood levels in people. A warning sign to follow up, not proof of liver injury in people. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no competing interests. Three authors work for Herbalife (a supplement company). Read: abstract
Moore 2023 Pharmacokinetics of Oral Minor Cannabinoids in Blood and Brain. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res · PMID 37721988 · DOI	Animal research rat	6 Sprague-Dawley rats, 6 per dose, half female	CBC (and THCV, CBN, delta-8-THC) in oil by oral gavage CBC 3.2 to 100 mg/kg per day (animal amounts) Once daily for 14 days · vs Vehicle oil	All four cannabinoids were found in blood after the first and after 14 days of dosing. Dose-normalised peak level and exposure were highest for delta-8-THC, followed by CBC, CBN and THCV. No sex difference. CBC was detected in brain tissue 24 hours after the first and last doses at 3.2 to 100 mg/kg. CBC reached the blood and brain in rats Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Blood levels after the first and last dose; brain levels 24 hours after dosing Limitations: Rats only; oral oil by tube; amounts do not translate to people. Funding and conflicts: Authors include employees of Canopy Growth Corporation (cannabis company); funding is not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Moore 2023 Evaluation of the Modulatory Effects of Minor Cannabinoids and Terpenes on Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Discrimination in Rats. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res · PMID 37721992 · DOI	Animal research rat	16 16 rats (half female) trained to tell THC from vehicle	CBC (3 to 30 mg/kg) and other minor cannabinoids and terpenes, given after THC 3 to 30 mg/kg (animal amounts) Acute · vs Vehicle	CBC and the other compounds had little effect on the percent of THC-like responding in either sex; none lowered it to 50% or below. THCV, CBC, CBDA and beta-caryophyllene together with THC lowered response rates compared with THC alone. The authors conclude these compounds are unlikely to lower THC's psychoactive effects. CBC did not change the THC-like effect in rats Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Whether the added compound changed the THC-like response Limitations: Small rat study. Whether this holds for people is unknown. Funding and conflicts: Authors include employees of Canopy Growth Corporation (cannabis company). Read: abstract
Peters 2022 Pharmacokinetics of cannabichromene in a medical cannabis product also containing cannabidiol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol: a pilot study. Eur J Clin Pharmacol · PMID 34664109 · DOI	Other	43 43 adults randomised to four oral dose groups of a CBD-rich cannabis oil or placebo (secondary analysis of a trial)	Oral cannabis oil (CBD 20 mg, THC 0.9 mg and CBC 1.1 mg per mL) Study amounts of 6.6 to 26.4 mg CBC per day with CBD and THC (not advice) Every 12 hours for 7 days · vs Placebo group in the parent trial	After a single dose and after the last dose, the peak CBC level rose 1.3 to 1.8-fold for each doubling of the dose; time to peak was 1.6 to 4.3 hours. The CBD dose was 18 times the CBC dose, yet CBD exposure (AUC) was only 6.6 to 9.8 times higher than CBC exposure; THC at a similar dose to CBC was measurable in fewer blood samples than CBC. The authors conclude CBC may be absorbed better than CBD and THC when given together. Dose-linked rise in blood CBC; CBC absorbed relatively well from a combined oil Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Plasma CBC levels after the first and last dose Limitations: A pilot, secondary analysis of a trial built for another purpose. One combination product. It measures blood levels only, not benefit or harm. CBC was not given on its own. Funding and conflicts: Written by employees of Canopy Growth Corporation (the product maker), who report stock options; the trial was registered (ACTRN12619001450101). Registration: ACTRN12619001450101 Read: abstract
Rabl 2026 Minor cannabinoids CBD, CBG, CBN, and CBC differentially modulate sensory neuron activation. J Pharmacol Exp Ther · PMID 42139799 · DOI	Laboratory research mouse cells	Cultured mouse dorsal root ganglion (sensory) neurons	CBC (with CBD, CBG, CBN) Lab concentrations in a dose-response range Cell culture · vs Other cannabinoids	CBD, CBG and CBC produced larger responses than CBN. CBN and CBC activated mostly larger sensory neurons. CBG and CBC showed S-shaped dose-response curves. The authors suggest a mix of minor cannabinoids might give complementary pain-blocking activity, but this was a hypothesis, not tested in animals or people here. CBC switched on mostly larger mouse sensory neurons Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Calcium responses of pain-sensing neurons Limitations: Mouse neurons in a dish; switching neurons on does not show pain relief. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Read: abstract
Rysanek 2025 Effect of Quantitative Structural Properties and Drug Formulation in Four Cannabinoids (Cannabidiol, Cannabigerol, Cannabichromene, and Cannabinol) on Their Lymphatic Transport after Enteral Administration in Rats. Mol Pharm · PMID 40611782 · DOI	Animal research rat	Rats (jugular vein cannulated; anaesthetised lymph duct cannulated)	CBC as an oil solution and as a nanoemulsion, by the gut Single administrations · vs Oil solution versus nanoemulsion	Intestinal lymphatic transport plays a major role in the absorption of CBD, CBG, CBC and CBN. Nanoemulsion led to a 3-fold increase in CBC bioavailability via the lymph and an 8-fold increase via the portal vein. Total oral bioavailability was not changed. Much of the CBC taken by mouth travels through the lymph in rats Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Oral bioavailability and lymphatic transport Limitations: Rat absorption model. Not measured in people. Funding and conflicts: No competing interests are stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Sepulveda 2024 The Potential of Cannabichromene (CBC) as a Therapeutic Agent. J Pharmacol Exp Ther · PMID 38777605 · DOI	Narrative review review	Review of CBC pharmacology (mostly animal and cell studies)	CBC (review)	Reviews what is known about CBC: pain relief (antinociceptive), antibacterial and anti-seizure activity are the areas examined. Says preliminary studies suggest unique therapeutic potential that warrants further investigation, and notes that CBC products are sold over the counter and widely used with little or no evidence of safety or efficacy. Narrative summary; no pooled numbers Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, receptor profile and areas studied Limitations: Narrative review; preliminary data only. Funding and conflicts: Funding statement is in the full text; the abstract lists NIH extramural support. No competing interests are stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Sharma 2025 Cannabichromene, a key non-psychotropic phytocannabinoid in treatment of major depressive disorder: in silico and in vivo explorations. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol · PMID 40358684 · DOI	Animal research mouse	Male Swiss albino mice under chronic unpredictable mild stress, plus computer modelling	CBC 10 and 20 mg/kg for 21 days (animal amounts); imipramine 15 mg/kg as comparison 21 days · vs Imipramine; unstressed mice	CBC at 20 mg/kg reduced immobility in stressed mice, like imipramine, without changing movement. Both reduced plasma nitrite and corticosterone and MAO-A activity in the brain, and CBC reversed the stress-related drop in catalase. Computer docking predicted strong binding to the CB2 receptor. Less depression-like immobility in stressed male mice Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Immobility time, locomotion, plasma nitrite and corticosterone, brain MAO-A, catalase Limitations: Male mice only, a behaviour test that is a rough proxy for depression. The CB2 idea comes from computer modelling. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no competing interests. Read: abstract
Singh 2026 Therapeutic potential of acidic cannabinoids: an update. J Cannabis Res · PMID 41545891 · DOI	Narrative review review	Review of acid cannabinoids (THCA, CBDA, CBGA, CBCA)	Acid cannabinoids including CBCA (review)	Calls CBCA, THCA, CBDA and CBGA the acidic biosynthetic precursors of the neutral cannabinoids. Says acid forms have neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant and anti-proliferative actions in laboratory work, are not intoxicating like THC but that this applies mainly to unheated use, and that chemical instability, low bioavailability and a lack of controlled human trials hold back clinical use. Narrative summary; no pooled numbers Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Biosynthesis, decarboxylation, pharmacology and disease-specific findings Limitations: Systematic narrative review of mostly laboratory work; CBCA is one of four acids covered. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no competing interests. Read: abstract
Sklenarova 2026 Signaling pathways of inflammation in CIA model of rheumatoid arthritis regulated by cannabichromene. J Cannabis Res · PMID 42343451 · DOI	Animal research rat and cells	Female Wistar rats with collagen-induced arthritis; LPS-stimulated human vein cells (HUVEC)	CBC · vs Saline (placebo) and methylprednisolone	In cells CBC lowered TNF-alpha expression at low micromolar concentrations. In the rats, CBC significantly lowered arthritis scores and the weight loss compared with placebo, but did not significantly reduce paw swelling. Lab tests showed lower IL-6, STAT3 and IL-17A and lower inflammasome parts (NLRP3, NLRP1A, caspase-11). MMP-3 and MMP-9 were not significantly changed. Lower arthritis score in rats; paw swelling not significantly reduced Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Arthritis score, paw thickness, weight, inflammatory genes and proteins Limitations: Rat model of arthritis. Joint-damage markers were not much changed. No human data. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no competing interests. Read: abstract
Spengler 2026 Cannabigerol and Cannabichromene Induce Lung Cancer Cell Death and Apoptosis-Contribution of PPARalpha to Cannabigerol Effects. Antioxidants (Basel) · PMID 42352060 · DOI	Laboratory research human cells	Human lung cancer cell lines A549 and H460	CBC and CBG Lab concentrations Cell culture · vs Receptor blockers	CBG and CBC triggered concentration-dependent cell death, autophagy and mitochondrial apoptosis in both lung cancer cell lines, raised mitochondrial superoxide and lowered mitochondrial oxygen use. CBC- and CBG-induced cell death occurred independently of CB1, CB2, TRPV1, TRPM8 and PPAR-gamma. This differs from the pancreatic cancer cell study, where TRPV1 and CB2 blockers reversed CBC's effect. CBC killed lung cancer cells in a dish Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Cell survival, apoptosis, mitochondria, receptor dependence Limitations: Cells only. Results on which receptors matter differ between cancer types. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Read: abstract
Svendsen 2025 Entourage effects of nonpsychotropic cannabinoids on visceral sensitivity in experimental colitis. J Pharmacol Exp Ther · PMID 39921943 · DOI	Animal research mouse	Mice with DSS colitis and gut pain hypersensitivity; sensory neurons	CBC (1 mg/kg) inside a mix with CBD 5 mg/kg, CBDV and CBG 1 mg/kg CBC within a mixture (animal amounts) Single injection · vs CBD or CBG alone; vehicle	A single 10 mg/kg injection of CBD or CBG reduced gut pain hypersensitivity. A mix of CBD 5 mg/kg with CBC, CBDV and CBG at 1 mg/kg each also reduced it without changing the colitis, and the mixture acted on voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels, particularly Cav2.2. CBC was not reported on its own in the abstract. A mix containing CBC lowered gut pain sensitivity in mice Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Visceral hypersensitivity, spinal c-Fos, colitis, sodium and calcium channel currents Limitations: CBC was only tested inside a mixture, so its own share is unknown. Mice only. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Read: abstract
US Food and Drug Administration 2024 FDA Regulation of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products, Including Cannabidiol (CBD): Questions and Answers FDA website · Source	Authoritative guidance n/a	n/a	n/a	Fetched on 2026-10-25 (the page says content current as of 07/16/2024). It says the FDA has not approved cannabis for any disease or condition, lists the approved cannabis-related medicines (Epidiolex, Marinol, Syndros, Cesamet), says THC and CBD products are excluded from the dietary supplement definition, and says adding THC or CBD to food in interstate commerce is prohibited. It cites ACOG advice that pregnant people or those planning pregnancy stop cannabis use and that use while breastfeeding be discouraged. It does not mention cannabichromene or CBC. n/a Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: US regulator statements on approved products, supplements and pregnancy Limitations: The page text was retrieved through a summarising web tool, so wording is paraphrased and later changes were not checked. It does not mention CBC. Funding and conflicts: n/a Read: page fetched and summarised
US National Library of Medicine 2026 PubChem compound record: Cannabichromenic acid (CID 3084339) PubChem · Source	Reference database n/a	n/a	n/a	Retrieved through the PubChem REST API on 2026-10-25: formula C22H30O4, molecular weight 358.5, IUPAC name 5-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(4-methylpent-3-enyl)-7-pentylchromene-6-carboxylic acid, InChIKey HRHJHXJQMNWQTF-UHFFFAOYSA-N. n/a Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Chemical identity Limitations: A database record, not a study. Funding and conflicts: n/a Read: full record
US National Library of Medicine 2026 PubChem compound records: CBGA (CID 6449999), CBG (CID 5315659), CBD (CID 644019), THC (CID 16078) PubChem · Source	Reference database n/a	n/a	n/a	Retrieved through the PubChem REST API on 2026-10-25: CBGA C22H32O4 (360.5); CBG C21H32O2 (316.5); CBD C21H30O2 (314.5); THC (CID 16078) C21H30O2 (314.5). CBC, CBD and THC therefore share the formula C21H30O2 but have different structures. n/a Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Chemical identity of related compounds Limitations: Database records, not studies. Funding and conflicts: n/a Read: full record
US National Library of Medicine 2026 PubChem compound record: Cannabichromene (CID 30219) PubChem · Source	Reference database n/a	n/a	n/a	Retrieved through the PubChem REST API on 2026-10-25: formula C21H30O2, molecular weight 314.5, IUPAC name 2-methyl-2-(4-methylpent-3-enyl)-7-pentylchromen-5-ol, InChIKey UVOLYTDXHDXWJU-UHFFFAOYSA-N; the synonym list includes CAS 20675-51-8 and the label (+/-)-Cannabichromene. The record shows no stereochemistry. n/a Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Chemical identity Limitations: A database record, not a study. Funding and conflicts: n/a Read: full record
Wang 2024 Cannabichromene from full-spectrum hemp extract exerts acute anti-seizure effects through allosteric activation of GABA(A) receptors. Fundam Res · PMID 39734535 · DOI	Animal research mouse and cells	Mice with drug-induced seizures; frog egg cells and mouse brain cells for receptor tests	Full-spectrum hemp extract and its separate components including CBC and CBN Acute, single treatment · vs CBD and other hemp components	Of five non-addictive hemp components tested, CBC and CBN showed significant anti-seizure effects. CBC increased GABA-triggered currents in frog egg cells and mouse brain cells, and the study identifies V436 in the beta-2 subunit of the GABA-A receptor as a key binding site for CBC. Anti-seizure effect in drug-induced seizure models (mice) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Seizure susceptibility; GABA-A receptor currents Limitations: Short-term, drug-induced seizures in mice, not epilepsy in people. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Read: abstract
Wiley 2024 Evaluation of cannabimimetic effects of selected minor cannabinoids and terpenoids in mice. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry · PMID 38417478 · DOI	Animal research mouse	Mice trained to tell THC from vehicle; receptor binding tests	CBC (with CBD, CBN, CBCV, delta-8-THC, delta-10-THC, THCV, beta-caryophyllene, beta-caryophyllene oxide) Several animal amounts Acute · vs THC	All the minor cannabinoids showed measurable CB1 and CB2 binding, with CBC, CBCV and CBD showing the weakest CB1 binding. Only delta-8-THC fully substituted for THC; CBN and delta-10-THC partially did. Only THC, delta-8-THC, delta-10-THC and CBN produced THC-like discriminative effects, so CBC did not. CBC bound CB1 weakly and did not act like THC in mice Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: CB1 and CB2 receptor binding; whether the mice treated the compound like THC (drug discrimination) Limitations: Mice. Subjective effects in people were not measured. Funding and conflicts: The authors declare no competing interests. Read: abstract
Zagozen 2020 Cannabigerol and cannabichromene in Cannabis sativa L. Acta Pharm · PMID 36654096 · DOI	Narrative review review	Review of CBG and CBC in the cannabis plant and in basic research models	CBG and CBC (review)	Says CBC content does not depend on the allele that sets the THC-versus-CBD type of the plant (locus B). Reports that CBC has shown anti-inflammatory effects, reduced gut hypermobility, an in vitro effect on adult neural stem progenitor cells, modest pain-relieving properties in rodents, and antifungal, antibacterial, pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative effects in tumour cells. Narrative summary; no pooled numbers Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Plant genetics and reported effects in mice, rats and cells Limitations: Narrative review of basic research; opening line says CBG and CBC have 'beneficial effects on human health' without human data in the abstract. Funding and conflicts: No funding or conflicts in the abstract. Read: abstract

What we do not know yet

What the evidence supports: nothing at moderate or high certainty. All findings are rated very low or insufficient, and almost all come from mice, rats and cells.
No trial of CBC alone in people, for any use or for safety. The two human studies are a blood-level pilot and a mixed-product pain study with no placebo.
Liver effects of repeated use, medicine interactions, bone healing, and effects in pregnancy, children and older adults are unstudied in people.
No study has tested whether products sold as CBC match their labels or carry THC.
Independent repeats are needed: several of the studies are by cannabis-company authors.

How new research is added

New studies are found by a saved PubMed search and are placed in a review queue. A person reads each one before it changes any evidence rating or safety wording.

Lab markers

What changed in blood or saliva tests during trials. A changed number is not the same as feeling or being healthier, and we give no "normal ranges".

Other 11

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Pain behaviour in mice

Improved in trials

How strongly a mouse pulls away from touch, cold or heat, and how normally it walks after an injury.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It shows whether CBC reduces pain-like behaviour in an animal model.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

A mouse pain-test change; it is not pain relief in a person, and healing worsened.

Safety implication

Slower bone healing in the same mice.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹²	Reduced fracture pain: mechanical and cold allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia and gait function improved (abstract gives no numbers). Bone healing was impaired.	Mice with a tibial fracture	CBC versus vehicle

¹²

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Capsaicin-triggered calcium entry in nerve cells

Lowered in trials

How much calcium flows into a cultured pain-sensing neuron when capsaicin switches on its TRPV1 channel.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It is a lab marker of how excitable pain nerves are.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

A cell-level signal; not pain relief.

Safety implication

None reported in the abstracts.

Study	Result	People	Product
³	All ten minor cannabinoids tested, including CBC, reduced capsaicin-triggered calcium influx; for CBC the block was reversed by tertiapin Q, a potassium channel inhibitor.	Cultured adult rat sensory neurons made hypersensitive with growth factors	0.001 to 100 micromolar CBC, morphine and gabapentin as comparison
²²	CBC activated mostly larger sensory neurons, with an S-shaped dose-response curve.	Cultured mouse sensory neurons	CBC versus CBD, CBG and CBN

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Immobility time in mouse stress tests

Lowered in trials

How long a mouse stays still in the forced swim or tail suspension test; shorter time is read as less depression-like behaviour.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It is a screening test for antidepressant-like activity in animals.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

A behaviour change in mice; it does not show effects on mood in people.

Safety implication

None reported in the abstracts.

Study	Result	People	Product
⁷	CBC reduced immobility in the forced swim test at 20 mg/kg and in the tail suspension test at 40 and 80 mg/kg.	Mice	CBC by injection versus vehicle
²⁵	CBC at 20 mg/kg reduced immobility in stressed mice like imipramine, without changing movement.	Male Swiss albino mice under chronic mild stress	CBC 10 and 20 mg/kg for 21 days

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Seizure temperature threshold in a Dravet mouse model

Raised in trials

The body temperature at which a mouse bred with a Dravet syndrome mutation has a generalised seizure.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It tests whether a compound makes heat-triggered seizures less likely.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

A mouse model result. Not evidence of seizure control in people.

Safety implication

None reported in the abstract.

Study	Result	People	Product
⁴	CBC, CBCA and CBCVA each significantly increased the temperature threshold for a generalised tonic-clonic seizure.	Scn1a+/- mice	Single injection of each compound

⁴

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Self-rated pain and function (questionnaires)

Improved in trials

How a person scores their own pain, mood, sleep and physical function on standard questionnaires.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

These are the outcomes the human mixed-product study measured.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Improvement on every product with no placebo group means the products may not be the cause.

Safety implication

Little is known about CBC safety in people. See the Safety tab, including a liver warning sign in a lab model and slower bone healing in mice.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹⁴	Significant improvements in all symptoms except cognitive function across the three products, mostly similar between products; product 2 (with CBC, THCA, CBDA and CBG) was linked to reduced neuropathic pain intensity. No numbers in the abstract.	164 adults with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis or knee/hip osteoarthritis	12 weeks of one of three cannabinoid capsules; no placebo

¹⁴

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Arthritis score in rats

Lowered in trials

A score of redness, swelling and joint involvement in rats with collagen-induced arthritis.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It shows whether CBC reduces arthritis signs in an animal model.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

A rat model result; no human data.

Safety implication

Little is known about CBC safety in people. See the Safety tab, including a liver warning sign in a lab model and slower bone healing in mice.

Study	Result	People	Product
²⁷	CBC significantly decreased arthritis scores and attenuated weight loss versus placebo, but did not significantly reduce paw swelling.	Female Wistar rats with collagen-induced arthritis	CBC versus saline and methylprednisolone

²⁷

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Inflammatory signals (TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-17A)

Lowered in trials

Small proteins that cells release to drive inflammation.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

They show whether CBC turns down inflammatory signalling.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Lab markers; a change in these does not show a health benefit in people.

Safety implication

Little is known about CBC safety in people. See the Safety tab, including a liver warning sign in a lab model and slower bone healing in mice.

Study	Result	People	Product
²⁷	CBC reduced TNF-alpha expression in cells at low micromolar concentrations and lowered IL-6, STAT3 and IL-17A in rat synovial tissue.	LPS-stimulated human vein cells; rat joint tissue	CBC
¹³	CBC lowered mRNA for TSLP, IL-4, IL-13, IL-6, IL-17 and others in mouse skin.	Mice with eczema-like skin	Skin-applied CBC

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Paw swelling after an inflammatory injection (mice)

Lowered in trials

How much a mouse paw swells after an injection of the bacterial fragment LPS.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It is an older test of anti-inflammatory activity.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

A mouse model result; CBC works through a route other than CB1 or CB2.

Safety implication

CBC also increased THC levels in the brain in mice.

Study	Result	People	Product
⁶	CBC reduced LPS-induced paw swelling in a dose-dependent way; a CB2 blocker did not stop the effect. The effect of CBC and THC together was additive.	Mice	CBC and THC by injection

⁶

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Tumour size in mice with transplanted human tumours

Lowered in trials

How large a transplanted human tumour grows in a mouse.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It tests whether a compound can slow tumour growth in an animal.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

A mouse tumour model; not a cancer treatment.

Safety implication

Little is known about CBC safety in people. See the Safety tab, including a liver warning sign in a lab model and slower bone healing in mice.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹⁰	Tumour growth was inhibited after CBC treatment in pancreatic cancer xenografts, consistent with the cell findings.	Mice with human pancreatic tumour xenografts	CBC
¹	CBC plus CBD reduced tumour volume two-fold versus single treatments and four-fold versus control.	Nude mice with doxorubicin-resistant breast tumours	CBC 10 mg/kg and CBD 20 mg/kg

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Skin lesion severity and ear thickness (mice)

Lowered in trials

A score of redness and scaling and a measure of ear swelling in mice with an eczema-like condition.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It tests whether a skin treatment reduces the signs of inflammation.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

A chemical irritation model in mice.

Safety implication

Little is known about CBC safety in people. See the Safety tab, including a liver warning sign in a lab model and slower bone healing in mice.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹³	At 0.1 mg/kg, skin lesion severity, ear thickness and mast cells fell significantly (p < 0.001).	BALB/c mice with DNCB-induced dermatitis	CBC applied to the skin

¹³

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Cancer cell death in a dish

Raised in trials

How many cultured cancer cells die, and the markers of apoptosis and other death pathways.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It shows whether a compound is toxic to cancer cells in the lab.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Cell death in a dish is not a cancer treatment, and healthy cells were not tested in the abstracts.

Safety implication

Cell-killing activity raises a question about toxicity to normal cells that the abstracts do not answer.

Study	Result	People	Product
²⁸	CBC triggered concentration-dependent cell death, caspase activation and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential in A549 and H460 lung cancer cells.	Human lung cancer cell lines	CBC
⁵	Extracts holding CBC and THC were cytotoxic to bladder cancer cell lines (IC50 21.58 micrograms/mL for PARIS; about 18 for the other two).	Human bladder cancer cell lines (HTB-4, HTB-9)	Whole cannabis extracts

^{28 5}

Safety

What studies and official sources say about side effects, medicines and who should check first. Each point shows what kind of evidence it comes from.

Main points to know 8

No CBC medicine exists, and human safety data are almost absent. The FDA has approved no CBC medicine, and its cannabis Q&A page does not mention CBC at all. In people, the only studies found are a 43-person pilot that measured CBC blood levels in a seven-day trial of a CBD-rich oil, and a 12-week study of capsules where one of three products held 3 mg CBC among other cannabinoids. Neither abstract reports side effects, so nothing reliable is known about CBC's harms in people. Authoritative guidance ^{30 21 14}
A liver warning sign in a lab model. In a human liver-on-a-chip, CBC raised lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and inflammatory signals and lowered albumin over seven days, which the authors read as moderate liver toxicity, more than CBD, CBG or CBN. This was a cell model, not a person. It is a reason to ask about liver health and medicines before any CBC product. Laboratory research ¹⁸
Slower bone healing in mice. CBC reduced pain in mice with a broken shin bone, but healing got worse: slower resorption of soft callus, more bone-cell death, more bone-resorbing cells, and less bone formation and mineralisation. The authors urge caution with cannabinoid oils for people with fractures. This is one mouse study. Animal research ¹²
Rats tolerated two weeks of CBC by mouth. In rats given CBC by mouth every day for 14 days, there were no treatment-related deaths and no biologically significant tissue findings. Small, dose-linked trends in organ weights and blood chemistry were seen that the authors say warrant study at higher amounts. This does not cover long-term use or people. Animal research ¹⁵
No sign it works like THC in mouse tests, but it is not inert. In mice trained to recognise THC, CBC did not act like THC, and it bound the CB1 receptor only weakly. Even so, CBC produced part of the usual four-test cannabinoid pattern in mice, and in rats it lowered response rates when given with THC. Subjective effects in people have not been studied. Animal research ^{35 6 20}
Interactions with medicines are unstudied. Lab work shows many liver enzymes break CBC down (CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C8, 2C19, 2D6 and 3A4), and in mice CBC raised brain levels of injected THC. Nobody has tested CBC with medicines in people. Ask a pharmacist before combining CBC with any prescription. Laboratory research ^{9 6}
Shop products often contain CBC that is not on the label. In 80 hemp CBD oils bought in central Kentucky, CBC was found in 72% and the authors say minor cannabinoids are largely absent from product labels. We found no study testing whether products sold as CBC match their labels. Product analysis ¹¹
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: no human data. CBC changed hormone-receptor and ageing markers in human womb-lining cells in a dish. The FDA page cites ACOG advice that people who are pregnant or planning pregnancy stop using cannabis and that use while breastfeeding be discouraged; that advice concerns THC-containing cannabis, and the page does not mention CBC. Laboratory research ^{2 30}

Side effects 6

Effect	How often	Severity and recovery	Evidence
No adverse events reported in the abstracts of the two human studies The abstracts do not report side effects at all. That is not evidence that none occurred. Both studies involved cannabinoid mixtures.	Not established	not applicable Not applicable	Other ^{21 14}
Well tolerated for 14 days in rats (some small organ-weight and blood-chemistry trends) Daily oral CBC at 3.2 to 100 mg/kg for two weeks. Not predictive of people or long-term use.	Not established	mild or none in rats Not studied	Animal research ¹⁵
Impaired bone healing after a fracture (mice) Delayed soft-callus resorption, more bone-cell death, higher osteoclast activity, and reduced bone formation and mineralisation.	Not established	not graded Not studied	Animal research ¹²
Liver-cell injury signals in a lab chip (raised LDH and cytokines, lowered albumin) Seven days at 0.24 to 4.7 micromolar. A cell model.	Not established	moderate in the authors' reading Not studied	Laboratory research ¹⁸
Part of the cannabinoid behaviour pattern in mice (tetrad tests) and lower response rates alongside THC in rats These effects were not blocked by a CB1 blocker in mice. Animal amounts.	Not established	not graded Not studied	Animal research ^{6 20}
Changes in hormone-receptor and ageing markers in womb-lining cells One cell line at 2 micromolar. The authors say it may affect female fertility; this is a hypothesis.	Not established	not applicable Not studied	Laboratory research ²

Liver

There are no human data on CBC and the liver. In a human liver-on-a-chip, CBC raised LDH and cytokine release and lowered albumin production over seven days, a pattern the authors call moderate hepatotoxicity; CBD, CBN and CBG showed less. In rats given CBC by mouth for 14 days, tissue examination found nothing biologically significant. In human liver cells CBC was mainly glucuronidated and also broken down by several CYP enzymes, so the liver does the work of clearing it. ^{18 15 9}

How often. No rates of liver injury are known for CBC. No case reports were found in the sources read.

Monitoring. No regulator guidance on liver tests for CBC exists. Anyone with liver disease, or who takes medicines that strain the liver, should ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any cannabinoid product.

This is a safety connection. It is not evidence that CBC (Cannabichromene) supports liver health.

Medicines and supplements 4

With	Why it matters	Importance	Evidence	What to do
Medicines broken down by the liver enzymes CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C8, 2C19, 2D6 or 3A4 (and UGT 1A1, 1A8, 1A9, 2B7) prescription	In human liver cells and with recombinant enzymes, CBC was broken down by these CYP enzymes and glucuronidated by these UGT enzymes. The abstract shows CBC is a substrate. It does not say whether CBC slows or speeds the processing of other drugs.	Unknown. No study in people.	Laboratory research Very low certainty ⁹	Ask a pharmacist before combining CBC with any prescription medicine.
THC (cannabis products that contain both) cannabinoid	In mice, CBC raised THC brain levels in a dose-dependent way after an injected THC dose, and a THC amount that did nothing alone made CBC's effects stronger. In rats, CBC with THC lowered response rates compared with THC alone.	Unknown. Mouse and rat findings.	Animal research Very low certainty ^{6 20}	Many cannabis products contain several cannabinoids. Read the label and ask a pharmacist.
Products that also contain CBD (CBD-rich oils that include CBC) prescription	CBC was found in 72% of the hemp CBD oils tested, and the trial product with CBC also held CBD. The prescription CBD medicine is known from its label to interact with some other drugs, for example clobazam, valproate and warfarin. This was not read for this page.	Not studied for CBC. The CBD part is the more likely source of interactions with those drugs, but this page did not check the labels.	Other Not enough evidence ^{11 21}	If you take clobazam, valproate, warfarin or any other prescription medicine, ask a pharmacist before any cannabis or hemp product.
Alcohol, sedatives and other medicines that cause sleepiness prescription	No study of CBC with these. CBC enhanced GABA-A receptor currents in cells, which is the system many sedatives use; this is a laboratory observation only.	Unknown. No study in people.	Laboratory research Not enough evidence ³⁴	Ask a doctor or pharmacist if you use sedatives or alcohol.

Who should check first 8

Situation	Advice	Evidence
Pregnancy and breastfeeding	No human safety data for CBC. Cell studies show hormone-receptor changes in womb-lining cells. The FDA page cites ACOG advice to stop cannabis use in pregnancy and to discourage it while breastfeeding. Avoid unless a doctor advises otherwise.	Laboratory research ^{2 30}
A broken bone or bone surgery	CBC impaired bone healing in mice. No human data. Ask the treating doctor before using a CBC product while a fracture is healing.	Animal research ¹²
Liver disease or taking medicines that affect the liver	A lab liver model showed moderate toxicity signals for CBC. Ask a doctor or pharmacist first.	Laboratory research ^{18 9}
Epilepsy or any seizure disorder	CBC raised the seizure threshold in mouse models, but there is no human evidence. Do not replace or add to prescribed treatment with a CBC product without a doctor's advice. The only approved cannabis-derived epilepsy medicine is purified CBD (Epidiolex).	Animal research ^{4 34 30}
Children, teenagers and older adults	No study of CBC in these groups was found. Teenagers and older adults are not covered by any safety data. Keep all cannabis products away from children.	Other
Mental health: anxiety, psychosis, dependence	No study of CBC for any of these was found. Products that also contain THC carry the cautions that apply to THC (psychosis risk, anxiety, cannabis use disorder); those were not read for this page, so see the THC page. In mice CBC did not act like THC.	Animal research ³⁵
Driving and other tasks needing alertness	No study of CBC and driving or impairment was found. If a product also contains THC, assume driving may be affected; this was not read for this page. Ask a pharmacist.	Other
Repeated vomiting after regular cannabis use (cannabis hyperemesis syndrome)	No source read links CBC to this condition. It is described with regular THC-containing cannabis use, which was not read for this page. Anyone with repeated vomiting should see a doctor.	Other

Overdose, product quality and regulators

Summary. No toxic dose is established for people. In rats, two weeks of daily oral CBC at up to 100 mg/kg caused no deaths and no biologically significant tissue findings. A human liver chip shows warning signs, and mice showed slower bone healing.

Animal. Rats given CBC by gavage for 14 days (3.2 to 100 mg/kg per day): no treatment-related deaths, no gross organ abnormalities, small organ-weight and blood-chemistry trends. Mice with a fracture: worse bone healing.

Human doses studied. In the pilot, adults took an oil giving 6.6 to 26.4 mg CBC per day (with CBD and THC) for seven days; in the 12-week study one capsule held 3 mg CBC with three other cannabinoids. These are study amounts, not advice, and neither abstract reports harms.

High dose or long term signals. The authors of the rat study say modest dose-linked trends in organ weights and serum chemistry warrant exploration at higher doses.

Overdose response. Not studied.

Genotoxicity. Not studied in the sources read.

CBC products are sold as supplements, oils and extracts without the quality checks that apply to medicines. We found no study testing whether products sold as CBC contain the CBC amount on the label. One study of hemp CBD oils found CBC in most samples.

CBC as an unlabelled extra in CBD oils. In 80 hemp oil products bought in central Kentucky, CBC was detected in 72%. Minor cannabinoids ranged from trace amounts to several mg/mL and were largely absent from product labels. ¹¹

The acid form on a label. The plant first makes the acid form, CBCA, which loses carbon dioxide with heat and becomes CBC. A product may therefore hold CBC, CBCA or both, and the label may list them separately or only a total. ^{8 26}

Company-run research and sales. A review notes CBC products are sold over the counter and widely used with little or no evidence of safety or efficacy. Several of the animal and human studies of CBC were done by cannabis companies. ^{24 21 15}

Body	Action	Date
US Food and Drug Administration (United States)	Its cannabis Q&A page says the FDA has not approved cannabis for any disease or condition and lists the approved cannabis-related medicines (Epidiolex, Marinol, Syndros, Cesamet). It says THC and CBD products are excluded from the dietary supplement definition and that adding THC or CBD to food in interstate commerce is prohibited. CBC is not among the approved medicines, and the page does not mention CBC or cannabichromene. source	2026-10-25

When to get medical help

A child has swallowed any cannabis or CBC product, or an adult took far more than intended: call a poison center or emergency number (in the US, 1-800-222-1222).
A seizure that does not stop, or a person who cannot be woken: call emergency services.
Yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools or severe stomach pain after using a product: seek medical care (possible liver problem).
Trouble breathing, swelling of the face or a spreading rash after a product: get emergency help.
Pain, swelling or poor healing after a fracture while using a CBC product: tell the doctor about the product.
Pregnancy or breastfeeding while using a CBC product: stop and ask a doctor.

Stop using the product and contact a clinician or emergency service. In the US, Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222.

General information only, not medical advice. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before use, especially with medicines, in pregnancy or with a health condition. See the Natural Remedy Safety guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is CBC (cannabichromene)?

CBC is a compound made by the cannabis plant that did not act like THC in mouse tests. The plant makes it from CBGA, through its acid form CBCA. A review calls it the fourth most abundant cannabinoid in many cannabis types. There is no approved CBC medicine, and human research is almost absent.

^{8 36 30}

Is this the same as the CBC blood test?

No. CBC is also the usual abbreviation for a blood test, the complete blood count. That test measures blood cells. This page is only about cannabichromene, the cannabis compound. If you saw CBC on a lab report, it is almost certainly the blood test.

Does CBC get you high?

In mice trained to recognise THC, CBC did not act like THC and bound the CB1 receptor only weakly. But CBC did produce part of the usual cannabinoid behaviour pattern in mice, and its effects in people have not been tested. A product that also contains THC can cause a high.

^{35 6 20}

What is CBCA?

CBCA (cannabichromenic acid) is the acid form the plant makes first, from CBGA. Heat and time remove a carbon dioxide unit and turn it into CBC. A product may hold CBC, CBCA or both. CBCA has been studied far less; one mouse study found it raised a seizure threshold.

^{8 26 4}

Does CBC help with pain, low mood or seizures?

Not shown in people. In mice, CBC reduced fracture pain, depression-like behaviour and heat-triggered seizures, and in cells it blunted pain-nerve signals. No trial tested CBC alone for any of these. The mouse study that found less pain also found slower bone healing.

^{12 25 4 3}

What human studies exist?

Two. A 43-person pilot measured CBC blood levels after a CBD-rich cannabis oil; the authors work for the company that makes it. A 12-week study in 164 adults with chronic pain used capsules where one of three held 3 mg CBC among other cannabinoids and no placebo group was used, so nothing can be credited to CBC.

^{21 14}

Is CBC safe?

Not enough is known. Rats tolerated two weeks of oral CBC. But a human liver-on-a-chip showed moderate liver-injury signals, and CBC slowed bone healing in mice. There are no safety trials in people. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any product, particularly with liver disease or a healing fracture.

^{15 18 12}

Can CBC interact with medicines?

Nobody has tested this in people. Lab work shows several liver enzymes (CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C8, 2C19, 2D6 and 3A4) break CBC down, and in mice it raised the brain level of THC. Many products also contain CBD or THC. Ask a pharmacist before combining a CBC product with any prescription.

^{9 6 11}

Is CBC safe in pregnancy, breastfeeding, children or older adults?

No human safety data exist for any of these groups. In a cell study CBC changed hormone-receptor and ageing markers in womb-lining cells. The FDA page cites ACOG advice to stop cannabis use in pregnancy and to discourage it while breastfeeding. Keep all products away from children.

^{2 30}

Do CBC products match their labels?

We found no test of products sold as CBC. In 80 hemp CBD oils, CBC was present in 72% and the authors say minor cannabinoids are largely absent from labels. A certificate of analysis from an independent lab for the exact batch is the best check; see our page on how to read one.

¹¹

Is CBC approved or legal?

No CBC medicine is approved by the FDA, and the FDA page does not mention CBC. The approved cannabis-related medicines are Epidiolex (purified CBD), Marinol and Syndros (synthetic THC) and Cesamet (nabilone). Laws on CBC products differ by state and country and were not reviewed; this is not legal advice.

³⁰

How is CBC different from CBD and CBG?

CBC, CBD and THC share a formula but not a structure. CBG is the decarboxylated form of CBGA, the starting material for all three. In a lab liver model CBC showed more toxicity signals than CBD or CBG, and in mice CBD and CBG helped bone repair in earlier work while CBC slowed it. Results for one do not carry over to another.

^{32 18 12}

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Editorial transparency

Written by: AlternativeMed editorial team. Research compiled with AI assistance, then checked against PubMed records.
Medical review: None. This page has not been reviewed by a physician or pharmacist.
First published: 2026-10-25
Last substantive update: 2026-10-25
How we research: We searched PubMed and read the abstracts of the studies cited. The FDA cannabis questions-and-answers page was retrieved and summarised on the date shown. Compound identity was checked in PubChem. Lab numbers come from a table of published data and are not our own testing.
How we rate evidence: See "How we rate evidence" in the Evidence tab.
Independence: No product is promoted on this page. No affiliate links are shown, and none will be added for CBC. This page is information, not a recommendation to use any product.

Sources 36

Each source was opened and checked. Where we read only the abstract, it says so. The small numbers in the text point here.

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Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.