Cannabinoid

A cannabinoid is any compound that acts on the body's cannabinoid receptors or related signaling, whether made by plants, the body, or a laboratory.

The word covers three families. Phytocannabinoids such as CBD, THC, and CBG come from the cannabis plant; endocannabinoids such as anandamide are made inside the human and animal body; and synthetic cannabinoids are manufactured, ranging from approved prescription drugs to unregulated designer compounds. What unites them is chemistry that lets them interact directly or indirectly with the endocannabinoid system.

In everyday retail language, cannabinoid usually means a plant compound listed on a certificate of analysis. Readers should keep in mind that the term says nothing about whether a compound is intoxicating, legal, or well studied; CBD and THC are both cannabinoids with very different profiles. Research into individual cannabinoids ranges from mature, in the case of a few prescription drugs, to very early for most minor compounds.