Phytocannabinoid

A phytocannabinoid is a cannabinoid produced by a plant, most notably the more than one hundred compounds identified in Cannabis sativa.

The prefix phyto means plant and distinguishes these compounds from endocannabinoids, made by the body, and synthetic cannabinoids, made in a laboratory. CBD, THC, CBG, CBC, and CBN are all phytocannabinoids, as are their acidic forms such as CBDA and THCA. Cannabis makes them in the resin glands of its flowers, and a few related compounds have been reported in other plants.

The term says nothing about whether a compound is intoxicating; THC and CBD are both phytocannabinoids with very different effects. Readers encounter phytocannabinoids listed by name on a certificate of analysis, where the cannabinoid profile shows which ones a batch contains. Research depth varies enormously across the group, from a single FDA-approved CBD drug to minor compounds with almost no human or veterinary data.