All About THCA And The Benefits Involved

Hemp is extracted from the plant cannabis, and the plant cannabis Sativa is accumulated with dozens of different types of cannabidiol components. The most common ones that are repeatedly talked about and mentioned are CBD and THC. Today in this article, our topic is THCA- the precursor to THC. The abbreviation is tetrahydrocannabinol acid. A very interesting question being asked about THCA is that can it get you high? The reply to this is easy, and it is a no. It cannot get you high because it is non-psychoactive and does not lead t euphoria. The raw form of cannabis is high with CBGA and THCA; all these are acidic forms. After the process of decarboxylation, these acidic forms are converted into their neutral components CBD and THC.

What is THCA?

It is a cannabinoid present in the plant Cannabis, which is called Sativa. THCA is an acidic form to THC. After the process of decarboxylation, THCA is converted into THC. THCA is non-psychoactive, which means it cannot lead to euphoria or a feeling of being high after the intake. Usually, THCA in acidic form is never consumed, but it is used when it is converted into its neutral zone. But both forms have their advantages and can be used precisely.

How is it produced?

The plant cannabis, when not mature, has a high amount of CBGA in it. As it matures or grows a bit, an enzymatic process takes place within the plant cannabis trichomes. The enzymes in the trichomes convert the CBGA into the acidic forms THCA and CBDA. Further, another process of decarboxylation takes place that converts the acidic versions into neutral components as well. The CBGA is called the mother of all the other cannabinoids present in cannabis, but it has the potential to convert into other important forms such as THCA.

THCA vs THC

The spot on difference between the two is that it is considered inactive in pharmacology which refers to the fact that it is ineffective to the point where THC is.

Decarboxylation is the main process that occurs in cannabis to convert all acidic versions into neutral zones. The same is the case with THCA. When decarboxylation takes place, the carboxyl group of the THCA is removed, and this happens under heat or light. The plant is exposed to 110 degrees to crush the carboxyl group.

As stated already, the raw form of cannabis is high with THCA and not THC. After it matures and goes through decarbing, it is converted into THC.

There are two processes used for decarboxylation. Manual and the natural path. For natural path exposure to sunlight is the best method used so far, but artificial light and heat objects are used for decarboxylation with manual path. You can also use the process of decarboxylation at home, and for this, you will be using an oven, baking sheet, and aluminum foil with cannabis plant for sure. The whole process at home will take 40 minutes only.

Benefits

Though it is still not active, it is believed after thorough research that it can be used for several conditions. Here is the list of benefits it can provide if used properly.

• THCA is used commonly for treating inflammation, as studies have revealed that it worked wonders when used on rats. Thus you can use this as a great anti-inflammatory substance on patients.
• Another benefit is that if it is used in combination with CBD, it can treat epilepsy in both adults and children. And soon, people are expecting this combination to become effective in the treatment of epilepsy.
• The next important benefits are that it can be used as an anti-emetic medicine. This means it is best for treating motion sickness and vomiting. You can use it with other anti-emetic medications. THC is widely used for this purpose, but with THCA, things can further improve as it will relieve nausea and queasiness without getting the patient high.
• THCA is also used as a neuroprotective agent for certain diseases like Parkinson’s disease and other degenerative conditions. With a combination of CBD, it can be used, and it is believed that it will impart great benefits altogether. Thus THCA is highly effective for recreational purposes.

Which to use?

A commonly asked question is which one to use, THCA or THC. Both have their benefits, but it is ideal to use THCA because THC is psychoactive and causes euphoria when it comes to recreational purposes. If we THCA alone then we can relieve pain and inflammation without making the other person high. However, research is being carried out to see the further effectiveness of both THCA and THC. From a medical point of view, both are effective, but preventive measures are best to be taken.