The Language of CBD
Plain-English definitions for every cannabinoid, lab, formulation and condition term used on this site, each linked to the writing that uses it.
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1 termBody & systems
2-Arachidonoylglycerol, or 2-AG, is the most abundant endocannabinoid in the body, a lipid messenger that fully activates both CB1 and CB2 receptors.
A
42 termsProduct & formulation
ADME describes the four stages a substance passes through in the body: absorption into the bloodstream, distribution to tissues, metabolism into other compounds, and excretion.
Conditions
Abstinence is the sustained, deliberate avoidance of a substance such as alcohol, tobacco, cannabis or opioids, and is the most common outcome measured in addiction research.
Body & systems
Abuse liability is a drug's potential to produce rewarding effects that lead to repeated non-medical use, dependence or addiction, assessed formally before a drug is scheduled or approved.
Lab & testing
An accredited laboratory is one that an independent accrediting body has assessed against a published standard and found competent to perform specific tests.
Conditions
Acne is a common inflammatory skin condition in which hair follicles and their attached sebaceous glands become clogged, producing blackheads, whiteheads and pimples.
Lab & testing
Actigraphy is a method of estimating sleep and wake patterns over days or weeks by recording body movement with a small wrist-worn sensor.
Conditions
Acute stress is the body's short-term response to an immediate demand or threat, involving rapid changes in hormones, heart rate and attention that normally settle once the situation passes.
Body & systems
Adaptation is the process by which the body adjusts its own function in response to a repeated stimulus, whether a drug, a stressor or an environmental change.
Body & systems
The adenosine A2A receptor is a cell-surface protein that responds to adenosine, a signaling molecule involved in blood flow, immune activity and sleep pressure.
Product & formulation
An adverse event is any unwanted medical occurrence in a person or animal during exposure to a substance, whether or not the substance caused it.
Lab & testing
Aflatoxins are a family of potent mycotoxins produced by certain Aspergillus molds that can grow on crops and stored plant material.
Conditions
Aging pets are senior dogs and cats whose bodies and behavior gradually change with age, often affecting mobility, comfort, sleep, appetite and cognition.
Body & systems
An agonist is a molecule that binds to a receptor and switches it on, producing the same kind of cellular response as the body's own signaling molecule.
Product & formulation
Alanine aminotransferase is an enzyme concentrated in liver cells, measured in blood tests as a marker of possible liver injury.
Conditions
Alcohol use disorder is a medical condition marked by an impaired ability to stop or control drinking despite harmful consequences to health, relationships or responsibilities.
Body & systems
Alkaline phosphatase, or ALP, is an enzyme found in the liver, bone, intestine and other tissues, and its blood level is a routine marker on a veterinary chemistry panel.
Lab & testing
An allergen statement is the label declaration identifying major food allergens present in a product, usually as a line beginning with the word Contains.
Conditions
Allergic dermatitis is an itchy, inflammatory skin disease in dogs triggered by an exaggerated immune reaction to environmental allergens, flea saliva or ingredients in food.
Conditions
An allergy is an immune system overreaction to a normally harmless substance, such as pollen, food proteins, dust mites or animal dander, that triggers symptoms on exposure.
Body & systems
An allosteric modulator is a molecule that binds a receptor at a site separate from the main binding pocket and changes how strongly the receptor responds to its usual signal.
Cannabinoids
Alpha-pinene is a pine-scented terpene found in conifer needles, rosemary, and many cannabis and hemp varieties.
Conditions
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia, gradually eroding memory, reasoning, language and the ability to carry out daily tasks.
Conditions
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive disease of the motor neurons controlling voluntary movement, leading to weakness, muscle wasting and eventual loss of speech, swallowing and breathing.
Body & systems
Analgesia is the reduction or absence of pain sensation without loss of consciousness, produced by the body's own systems, by medicines or by other interventions.
Body & systems
Anandamide is a fatty-acid messenger made by the body that binds cannabinoid receptors, making it one of the two best-studied endocannabinoids.
Product & formulation
Animal pharmacokinetics is the study of how a substance is absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and eliminated in a specific animal species.
Body & systems
An antagonist is a molecule that binds a receptor without activating it, blocking the site so the body's own signal or another drug cannot switch it on.
Body & systems
An antipsychotic is a prescription medication that reduces hallucinations, delusions and disordered thinking, mainly by blocking dopamine D2 receptors in the brain.
Body & systems
An antiseizure medication is a drug prescribed to reduce the frequency or severity of seizures by calming abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
Conditions
Anxiety is a state of excessive worry, fear or tension that can be a normal response to uncertainty or, when persistent and disruptive, a feature of a diagnosable disorder.
Conditions
Anxiety and sleep problems form a two-way relationship in which worry makes it harder to fall or stay asleep and poor sleep in turn amplifies anxiety.
Conditions
An aphthous ulcer, commonly called a canker sore, is a small, painful, shallow sore on the soft lining of the mouth, such as the inner cheeks, lips or tongue.
Product & formulation
Appetite decrease is a reduced desire to eat, noticed as smaller meals, skipped meals, or a lack of interest in food.
Product & formulation
Area under the concentration-time curve is a pharmacokinetic measure of total exposure to a substance in the bloodstream over a period of time.
Conditions
Arthritis is an umbrella term for more than a hundred conditions that cause joint pain, swelling and stiffness through degeneration, inflammation or immune-mediated damage.
Product & formulation
Aspartate aminotransferase is an enzyme found in the liver, heart, and skeletal muscle, measured in blood as a marker of tissue injury.
Product & formulation
Ataxia is a loss of coordinated movement, seen as a wobbly gait, swaying, stumbling, or difficulty placing the feet accurately.
Conditions
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin disease marked by intense itch, dry skin and a weakened skin barrier, and it is the most common form of eczema.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition involving persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity that interfere with functioning at school, work or home.
Conditions
An aura is a set of temporary sensory, visual or other neurological symptoms that precede or accompany a migraine attack or signal the start of a focal seizure.
Conditions
Autism spectrum disorder is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social communication and interaction along with restricted interests, repetitive behaviors and sensory sensitivities.
Conditions
An autoimmune disease is a condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own cells and tissues as if they were foreign.
B
20 termsConditions
Back pain is discomfort felt anywhere along the spine, most often in the lower back, arising from muscles, ligaments, discs, joints or nerves.
Product & formulation
A balm is a semisolid topical preparation made from waxes, butters, and oils, applied to the skin and left to absorb or sit on the surface.
Lab & testing
A batch, or lot, is a defined quantity of product made in one production run under the same conditions and from the same materials.
Lab & testing
A batch number is the identifier printed on a product that connects one specific production lot to its manufacturing and laboratory records.
Lab & testing
Batch testing is the practice of analyzing a sample from every production batch before release so that each lot can be shown to meet its specifications.
Product & formulation
A bath bomb is a compressed, effervescent mixture of baking soda, citric acid, and fragrance that fizzes and dissolves when dropped into bath water.
Body & systems
A bedtime routine is a consistent sequence of calming activities performed in the same order each night to signal the body and mind that sleep is coming.
Body & systems
Behavior is the observable set of actions an animal performs, and in pets it is the main window owners and veterinarians have into comfort, stress and illness.
Conditions
Behavioral stress in dogs refers to the observable and physiological signs an animal shows when it perceives a situation as threatening, unfamiliar or beyond its control.
Lab & testing
A best-by date is the manufacturer's statement of the date until which a product, stored as directed, is expected to remain within its labeled specifications.
Cannabinoids
Beta-caryophyllene is a peppery, woody terpene in black pepper, cloves, and hemp that can bind the CB2 cannabinoid receptor.
Cannabinoids
Beta-pinene is a pine- and rosemary-scented terpene that occurs with its isomer alpha-pinene in conifers, herbs, and hemp.
Product & formulation
Bioavailability is the fraction of an administered amount of a substance that reaches the bloodstream unchanged and is available to act in the body.
Conditions
Biotoxin exposure means contact with poisonous substances produced by living organisms, including certain molds, cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates and other marine or terrestrial life.
Cannabinoids
Bisabolol is a mild, floral terpene alcohol best known from German chamomile and also present in some cannabis chemovars.
Body & systems
Body weight is the mass of a person or animal, and in pharmacology it is the most common basis for scaling how much of a substance the body receives.
Body & systems
The brain is the organ inside the skull that controls thought, emotion, memory, movement, sensation and the automatic processes that keep the body alive.
Conditions
Brain fog is an informal term for a cluster of cognitive complaints, including difficulty concentrating, slowed thinking, forgetfulness and a sense of reduced mental clarity.
Cannabinoids
Broad spectrum is a commercial label for a hemp extract that keeps many cannabinoids and terpenes but is processed to 0.0% THC.
Product & formulation
Buccal administration delivers a substance through the lining of the cheek, where it is absorbed into the blood vessels of the oral mucosa.
C
73 termsConditions
Cancer is a group of diseases in which abnormal cells grow uncontrollably, invade surrounding tissue and can spread to distant parts of the body.
Conditions
Cancer pain is pain caused by a tumor pressing on or invading bone, nerves or organs, or by the surgery, chemotherapy and radiation used to treat the disease.
Conditions
Canine anxiety is a broad term for excessive or persistent fear and apprehension in dogs that goes beyond a normal, short-lived reaction to something startling.
Product & formulation
Canine atopic dermatitis is a chronic, itchy, inflammatory skin disease in dogs linked to an allergic response to environmental substances such as pollen, dust mites, or mold.
Conditions
Canine osteoarthritis is a progressive, degenerative joint disease in dogs in which cartilage breaks down, causing chronic pain, stiffness and reduced mobility.
Cannabinoids
Cannabichromene, or CBC, is a non-intoxicating minor phytocannabinoid produced in hemp from the same precursor as CBD and THC.
Cannabinoids
Cannabichromenic acid, or CBCA, is the acidic form of CBC that a living hemp plant produces before heat converts it.
Cannabinoids
Cannabicyclol, or CBL, is a minor cannabinoid that forms when cannabichromene breaks down under light and heat.
Cannabinoids
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is the major non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid in Cannabis sativa and the main compound in hemp extracts.
Cannabinoids
Cannabidiolic acid, or CBDA, is the acidic form of CBD found in raw hemp before heat converts it to CBD.
Cannabinoids
Cannabidivarin, or CBDV, is a minor non-intoxicating cannabinoid that is a shorter-chain, propyl analog of CBD.
Cannabinoids
Cannabidivarinic acid, or CBDVA, is the acidic precursor to cannabidivarin, produced naturally in some hemp chemovars.
Cannabinoids
Cannabigerol, or CBG, is a non-intoxicating minor phytocannabinoid formed from cannabigerolic acid, the shared precursor of most cannabinoids.
Cannabinoids
Cannabigerolic acid, or CBGA, is the first cannabinoid acid the hemp plant makes and the precursor to most others.
Cannabinoids
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.
Cannabinoids
Cannabinoid acids are the carboxylated forms in which cannabinoids are actually made by the hemp plant, such as CBDA, THCA and CBGA, before heat converts them to their neutral forms.
Lab & testing
Cannabinoid degradation is the gradual chemical breakdown of cannabinoids in a product over time, driven mainly by heat, light, oxygen and, for the acid forms, decarboxylation.
Cannabinoids
A cannabinoid profile is the measured breakdown of which cannabinoids, and how much of each, a plant sample or product contains.
Body & systems
The cannabinoid receptor type 1, or CB1, is the most abundant G protein-coupled receptor in the brain and the main site where THC produces intoxication.
Body & systems
The cannabinoid receptor type 2, or CB2, is a G protein-coupled receptor found mainly on immune cells, where it influences inflammation and immune-cell movement.
Cannabinoids
Cannabinol, or CBN, is a mildly psychoactive minor cannabinoid that forms mainly when THC oxidizes with age, heat, and light.
Conditions
Accidental cannabis ingestion is the unintended swallowing of cannabis or a THC-containing product, most often by a child or a pet who finds an edible left within reach.
Cannabinoids
Cannabis sativa is the plant species that, under U.S. terminology, includes both hemp and marijuana-type cannabis.
Conditions
Cannabis use disorder is a pattern of problematic cannabis use that causes significant impairment or distress and continues despite negative consequences.
Cannabinoids
Cannabitriol, or CBT, is a family of minor, oxygen-rich cannabinoids found in trace amounts in some cannabis and hemp varieties.
Cannabinoids
Cannflavins are a small group of flavonoids that have been identified only in cannabis, distinct from the plant's cannabinoids and terpenes.
Product & formulation
Capsaicin is the compound that makes chili peppers hot, a natural irritant that activates the heat-sensing TRPV1 channel on sensory nerves.
Product & formulation
A capsule is an oral dosage form in which a measured amount of powder, granules, or liquid is sealed inside a small, dissolvable shell.
Conditions
Car travel anxiety in dogs is a pattern of fear, stress or overexcitement associated with riding in a vehicle, sometimes accompanied by motion sickness.
Conditions
Car-travel stress describes the behavioral and physiological stress response some dogs show during vehicle rides, measured through behavior, heart rate and cortisol.
Body & systems
The cardiovascular system is the heart and the network of arteries, veins and capillaries that circulate blood, delivering oxygen and nutrients and removing waste.
Product & formulation
A carrier oil is the edible fat in which a cannabinoid extract is dissolved so that it can be measured, swallowed or applied evenly.
Cannabinoids
CBD + CBG describes a formulation that pairs cannabidiol with cannabigerol, two non-intoxicating hemp cannabinoids with overlapping but distinct pharmacology.
Cannabinoids
CBD + CBN describes a formulation that combines cannabidiol with cannabinol, a mildly psychoactive minor cannabinoid, usually positioned for nighttime.
Product & formulation
CBD for cats refers to hemp-derived cannabidiol products marketed for feline use, an area where scientific research is still very limited.
Product & formulation
CBD for dogs refers to hemp-derived cannabidiol products marketed for canine use, the species with the most veterinary cannabinoid research to date.
Cannabinoids
CBD isolate is a highly purified form of cannabidiol, usually a white crystalline powder, with nearly all other plant constituents removed.
Product & formulation
CBD oil is the common consumer name for a liquid product made by dissolving a hemp extract or cannabidiol isolate in a carrier oil.
Body & systems
The central nervous system is the brain and spinal cord, the command center that processes sensation, thought, movement and the body's automatic functions.
Lab & testing
A certificate of analysis is a laboratory report stating what was measured in a specific batch of product, including cannabinoid content and screened contaminants.
Lab & testing
cGMP refers to the current good manufacturing practice regulations that govern how regulated products such as drugs, foods and dietary supplements are made and controlled.
Lab & testing
Chain of custody is the documented record of who handled a sample, when, and under what conditions from the moment it was collected until testing was complete.
Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting is a common and distressing side effect of cancer treatment caused by chemotherapy drugs stimulating the brain's vomiting centers and the gut.
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage caused by certain cancer drugs, producing numbness, tingling, burning pain and weakness that usually begins in the hands and feet.
Cannabinoids
A chemovar is a cannabis or hemp variety classified by its measured chemical profile rather than by a strain name or appearance.
Lab & testing
Chromatography is a family of laboratory techniques that separate the components of a mixture by moving them at different speeds through a stationary material.
Chronic inflammatory response syndrome is a contested diagnostic label applied to a persistent, multisystem set of symptoms that some practitioners attribute to biotoxin exposure, most often mold in water-damaged buildings.
Conditions
Chronic pain is pain that persists or recurs beyond the normal time of healing, usually defined as lasting longer than three months, in people or animals.
Conditions
Circadian disruption is a misalignment between the body's internal roughly 24-hour clock and the external schedule of light, activity, meals and sleep.
Product & formulation
Clearance is the volume of blood plasma from which a substance is completely removed per unit of time, expressed in units such as liters per hour.
Lab & testing
A clinical trial is a research study in which people receive an intervention under a written protocol so that its safety and effects can be measured.
Product & formulation
Clobazam is a prescription benzodiazepine antiseizure medication used mainly in certain severe childhood epilepsies, often alongside other seizure drugs.
Lab & testing
CO2 extraction uses pressurized carbon dioxide, in a liquid or supercritical state, as the solvent that pulls cannabinoids and other compounds out of hemp.
Body & systems
Cognition is the collection of mental processes by which the brain acquires, stores, retrieves and uses information, including attention, memory, language, reasoning and planning.
Conditions
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is a structured, short-term program that changes the thoughts, habits and conditioned responses keeping chronic insomnia going.
Body & systems
The colon is the large intestine, the final section of the digestive tract that absorbs water and salts from digested food and forms and stores stool.
Product & formulation
A companion animal is an animal kept primarily for the company and enjoyment of its owner rather than for work, food, or sport, most commonly a dog or cat.
Lab & testing
Concentration is the amount of a substance contained in a given quantity of product, most often expressed for cannabinoids as milligrams per milliliter or percent by weight.
Conditions
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury caused by a blow, jolt or sudden movement of the head that temporarily disrupts normal brain function.
Lab & testing
Confirmatory testing is the second-stage laboratory analysis that identifies and quantifies a specific compound after a screening test returns a non-negative result.
Lab & testing
Contaminants are unwanted substances that can enter a hemp product during growing, extraction, manufacturing or storage and that laboratories screen for.
Conditions
A convulsion is a violent, involuntary contraction of the muscles, usually a visible sign of a seizure caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
Conditions
Cortisol is a steroid hormone released by the adrenal glands that regulates metabolism, immune function and the body's response to stress in dogs, cats and people.
Conditions
Craving is an intense, often intrusive desire or urge to use a substance or engage in a behavior, and it is a core feature of substance use disorders.
Product & formulation
A cream is a semisolid topical emulsion that blends oil and water with an emulsifier, giving a smooth texture that spreads easily and absorbs into the skin.
Conditions
Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that can affect any part of the digestive tract, most commonly the end of the small intestine and the colon.
Lab & testing
Cross-reactivity is the tendency of an immunoassay to respond to a compound other than its intended target because the two share a similar molecular structure.
Body & systems
Cue reactivity is the physiological and emotional response, including craving, that a person with a substance use history shows when exposed to reminders of that substance.
Lab & testing
A cutoff concentration is the threshold, set by a testing program, at or above which a drug test reports a result as non-negative or positive.
Product & formulation
Cytochrome P450 2C19 is a liver enzyme that metabolizes a range of medications, including some antidepressants, proton pump inhibitors, and the active metabolite of clobazam.
Product & formulation
Cytochrome P450 3A4 is the most abundant drug-metabolizing enzyme in the human liver and intestine, involved in breaking down a large share of prescription medications.
Product & formulation
Cytochrome P450 enzymes are a large family of liver and intestinal proteins that chemically modify drugs, toxins, and natural compounds so the body can eliminate them.
Body & systems
A cytokine is a small protein that immune and other cells release to signal one another, coordinating inflammation, infection defense and tissue repair.
D
24 termsConditions
Daytime fatigue is a persistent lack of energy or motivation during waking hours, often paired with sleepiness, that interferes with work, mood and concentration.
Lab & testing
Decarboxylation is the chemical reaction in which acidic cannabinoids lose a carboxyl group, usually through heat or time, and become their neutral forms.
Cannabinoids
Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol is a psychoactive isomer of delta-9 THC that occurs naturally in cannabis only in very small amounts.
Cannabinoids
Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol is the principal intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis and the compound that defines the legal line between hemp and marijuana.
Conditions
Dementia is a syndrome, not a single disease, in which memory, thinking, language or judgment decline enough to interfere with independent daily life.
Product & formulation
Dependence is a state in which the body has adapted to a substance so that stopping or sharply reducing it produces withdrawal symptoms.
Conditions
Depression is a mood disorder involving persistent sadness, loss of interest or pleasure and related changes in sleep, appetite, energy and concentration that last for weeks or longer.
Conditions
Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body cannot properly regulate blood glucose because it makes too little insulin or cannot use insulin effectively.
Body & systems
Diacylglycerol lipase, or DAGL, is the enzyme that makes the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol by cutting a fatty acid from a membrane lipid called diacylglycerol.
Product & formulation
Diarrhea is the passage of loose or watery stools more frequently than is normal for the person or animal.
Lab & testing
The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 is the federal law that defines dietary supplements and sets the rules for how they are labeled, marketed and regulated.
Cannabinoids
Distillate is a highly refined hemp or cannabis extract produced by heating a crude extract under vacuum and collecting the purified vapor.
Conditions
Dog joint pain is discomfort arising from one or more joints in a dog, most often due to osteoarthritis but also injury, developmental disorders or immune-mediated disease.
Product & formulation
A dose is the measured amount of a substance given or taken at one time, usually expressed in milligrams or in milligrams per kilogram of body weight.
Product & formulation
Dose-response describes the relationship between the amount of a substance given and the size or likelihood of the effect it produces.
Lab & testing
DOT drug testing is the federally mandated program for safety-sensitive transportation workers, run to a fixed panel, fixed cutoffs and fixed procedures set by the Department of Transportation.
Conditions
Dravet syndrome is a rare, severe form of epilepsy that begins in infancy and is marked by prolonged, treatment-resistant seizures and developmental impairment.
Cannabinoids
Dronabinol is the generic name for synthetic delta-9 THC, approved as a prescription drug for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and for appetite loss with weight loss in people with AIDS.
Lab & testing
Drug approval is the formal decision by a regulator that a specific product is safe and effective for a defined use, allowing it to be marketed as a medicine.
Lab & testing
A drug claim is any labeling or marketing statement asserting that a product will diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent a disease or its symptoms.
Product & formulation
A drug-drug interaction occurs when one substance changes the concentration, effect, or safety of another substance taken at the same time.
Conditions
Drug-resistant idiopathic epilepsy is recurrent seizure activity in dogs that remains inadequately controlled despite appropriate trials of standard antiseizure medications.
Conditions
Dyskinesia is a general term for abnormal, involuntary movements such as writhing, twisting, jerking or fidgeting that a person cannot fully control.
Conditions
Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for painful menstruation, typically felt as cramping in the lower abdomen that may spread to the back and thighs.
E
17 termsConditions
Eczema is a group of inflammatory skin conditions that cause itchy, dry, red and sometimes cracked or weeping patches of skin.
Product & formulation
An edible is a food or drink product that has cannabinoids added to it, such as a gummy, chocolate, baked good, beverage, or honey.
Cannabinoids
An endocannabinoid is a lipid signaling molecule that the human and animal body makes on its own to act on cannabinoid receptors.
Body & systems
The endocannabinoid system is a signaling network of receptors, lipid messengers made by the body and the enzymes that build and break those messengers down.
Conditions
Endometriosis is a chronic condition in which tissue resembling the lining of the uterus grows outside it, most often on the ovaries, fallopian tubes and pelvic lining.
Body & systems
Endothelial function is how well the thin layer of cells lining blood vessels regulates vessel widening, blood clotting and inflammation.
Cannabinoids
The entourage effect is the hypothesis that cannabinoids, terpenes and other hemp compounds act differently in combination than any one of them does alone.
Body & systems
Enzyme inhibition is the reduction of an enzyme's activity by a molecule that binds to it, and in pharmacology it is the main mechanism behind many drug interactions.
Lab & testing
Epidiolex is the prescription oral solution of highly purified cannabidiol that the FDA has approved for certain rare, severe seizure disorders.
Conditions
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder defined by a lasting tendency to have recurrent, unprovoked seizures caused by abnormal bursts of electrical activity in the brain.
Product & formulation
Ethanol is the alcohol found in beverages, used in hemp manufacturing as an extraction solvent and in some liquid products as a carrier or preservative.
Lab & testing
Ethanol extraction dissolves cannabinoids and other compounds out of hemp using ethanol, the same alcohol found in beverages, as the solvent.
Body & systems
Executive function is the set of higher-order mental skills, including working memory, inhibitory control and mental flexibility, that allow a person to plan, focus, and manage behavior toward goals.
Conditions
Exercise recovery is the physiological process by which the body restores muscle function, energy stores, hydration and readiness after physical activity.
Conditions
Exercise-related inflammation is the temporary, normal inflammatory response the body mounts after strenuous or unaccustomed physical activity as part of muscle repair.
Cannabinoids
An extract is a concentrated material made by pulling cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds out of hemp plant biomass using a solvent or pressure.
Lab & testing
Extraction is the manufacturing step that separates cannabinoids, terpenes and other desired compounds from raw hemp plant material into a concentrated form.
F
20 termsLab & testing
The 2018 Farm Bill, formally the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, is the federal law that removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act and set its legal definition.
Lab & testing
A false positive in drug testing is a screening result that reads non-negative but is not confirmed when the sample is tested by a more specific method.
Lab & testing
The Farm Bill is the recurring federal agriculture law whose 2018 version legally separated hemp from marijuana on the basis of delta-9 THC concentration.
Conditions
Fatigue is a persistent sense of tiredness or lack of energy that is not fully explained by exertion and is not fixed by ordinary rest.
Body & systems
Fatty acid amide hydrolase, or FAAH, is the enzyme that breaks down anandamide and related fatty-acid messengers, ending their signal within minutes.
Lab & testing
An FDA warning letter is a formal notice informing a company that the agency considers it to have violated federal law, most often through unapproved drug claims.
Conditions
Feline anxiety is a pattern of fear-related behavior in cats that persists beyond a brief startle and affects how the animal eats, sleeps, eliminates or interacts.
Conditions
Feline chronic pain is persistent or recurring pain in cats lasting months, most commonly caused by degenerative joint disease and often unrecognized because cats hide discomfort.
Conditions
Feline epilepsy is a condition in which cats experience recurrent, unprovoked seizures caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
Conditions
Feline osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease in cats in which cartilage wears away, causing chronic musculoskeletal pain that is common in older cats yet frequently overlooked.
Conditions
Feline stress is the physiological and behavioral response a cat shows when it perceives a threat or loss of control over its environment.
Conditions
Fetal exposure is the transfer of a substance from a pregnant person's bloodstream across the placenta to the developing fetus.
Conditions
Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome of widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, unrefreshing sleep, memory and concentration problems and heightened sensitivity to pressure.
Conditions
Fireworks anxiety in dogs is an intense fear reaction to the sudden bangs, flashes and vibrations of fireworks, and one of the most common noise phobias in dogs.
Conditions
Fireworks fear is an acute fear and stress response in dogs triggered by the noise and flashes of fireworks, ranging from mild unease to panic.
Product & formulation
First-pass metabolism is the breakdown of a swallowed substance by the gut wall and liver before it reaches the general bloodstream, reducing the amount that becomes active.
Cannabinoids
Flavonoids are a large class of plant polyphenols responsible for much of the color in fruits, vegetables, and flowers, including cannabis.
Product & formulation
A formulation is the complete recipe of a product: its active ingredients, carriers, excipients, concentrations and physical form, designed to work together.
Conditions
Fragile X syndrome is an inherited genetic condition caused by changes in the FMR1 gene on the X chromosome and is the most common known inherited cause of intellectual disability.
Cannabinoids
Full spectrum is a commercial label for a hemp extract that retains the plant's wide range of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids, including its natural THC.
G
11 termsBody & systems
A G protein-coupled receptor is a cell-surface protein that senses a signal outside the cell and relays it inward through G proteins.
Body & systems
G protein-coupled receptor 18, or GPR18, is a cell-surface receptor found on immune cells and in parts of the nervous system whose natural signal is still debated.
Body & systems
G protein-coupled receptor 55, or GPR55, is a cell-surface receptor in bone, gut, nerves and immune cells that responds to certain lipids and, in the laboratory, to some cannabinoids.
Body & systems
Gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain and spinal cord, the chemical that tells neurons to fire less.
Lab & testing
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, or GC-MS, is an analytical method that vaporizes a sample, separates its compounds in a gas stream and identifies each by its mass signature.
Body & systems
The gastrointestinal tract is the continuous tube from mouth to anus that digests food, absorbs nutrients and water, and hosts much of the body's immune and nervous tissue.
Conditions
Generalized anxiety disorder is a mental health condition marked by persistent, excessive worry about many areas of life that is difficult to control and lasts for at least six months.
Conditions
Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums, usually caused by the buildup of plaque along the gumline, and it is the earliest and reversible stage of gum disease.
Body & systems
Glutamate is the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system, the chemical signal that makes a receiving neuron more likely to fire.
Lab & testing
Good manufacturing practice, or GMP, is the general framework of quality management rules that govern how products are consistently produced and controlled.
Product & formulation
A gummy is a chewable, gelatin- or pectin-based confection that carries a measured amount of an added ingredient, in this case a hemp-derived cannabinoid.
H
16 termsProduct & formulation
Half-life is the time it takes for the concentration of a substance in the blood to fall by half after absorption is complete.
Conditions
Hand osteoarthritis is the wear-related breakdown of cartilage in the finger and thumb joints, producing pain, stiffness, bony enlargement and reduced grip.
Conditions
Heart rate variability is the natural beat-to-beat variation in the time between heartbeats, used as a window into the balance of the autonomic nervous system.
Lab & testing
Heavy metals are toxic elements, chiefly lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, that plants can absorb from soil and water and carry into finished products.
Cannabinoids
Hemp is the U.S. legal category for Cannabis sativa containing no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis.
Product & formulation
Hemp seed oil is a culinary and cosmetic oil cold-pressed from the seeds of the hemp plant, containing essential fatty acids but only trace cannabinoids.
Product & formulation
Hepatotoxicity is chemical injury to the liver caused by a drug, supplement, herb, or other substance, ranging from mild enzyme elevation to serious liver failure.
Conditions
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a persistent elevation of the force of blood against artery walls that raises the risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and heart failure.
Lab & testing
High-performance liquid chromatography, or HPLC, is the standard laboratory method for separating and measuring individual cannabinoids in hemp and finished products.
Body & systems
Histamine is a signaling molecule stored in mast cells and basophils and released during allergic reactions, where it widens blood vessels and triggers itching and swelling.
Conditions
Histamine intolerance is a nonstandardized term for symptoms attributed to an impaired ability to break down histamine from food, leading to a buildup that mimics an allergic reaction.
Body & systems
Homeostasis is the body's continual adjustment of internal conditions such as temperature, blood sugar and pH to keep them within a narrow range that supports life.
Lab & testing
Homogeneity is the even distribution of an active ingredient throughout a batch, so that every unit or serving contains close to the same amount.
Conditions
Hot flashes are sudden waves of heat, flushing and sweating, most often in the face, neck and chest, that occur commonly during the menopause transition.
Cannabinoids
Humulene is an earthy, woody terpene best known from hops and also found in hemp, sage, and ginseng.
Body & systems
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is the hormonal chain linking the brain to the adrenal glands that controls the body's stress response and the daily rhythm of cortisol.
I
18 termsConditions
Idiopathic epilepsy is a condition in which dogs have recurrent seizures with no identifiable structural or metabolic cause, presumed to have a genetic basis.
Body & systems
Immune signaling is the exchange of chemical messages, mainly cytokines and chemokines, by which immune cells coordinate the detection of threats and the mounting and resolution of inflammation.
Lab & testing
An immunoassay is a rapid screening test that uses antibodies to detect whether a class of molecules is present in a sample above a set concentration.
Conditions
Indoor air quality is the condition of the air inside homes, workplaces and other buildings as it affects the health and comfort of the people and animals breathing it.
Lab & testing
Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, or ICP-MS, is a highly sensitive method for measuring individual elements, used mainly for heavy metal testing.
Conditions
Infant exposure refers to a baby taking in cannabinoids or other substances through breast milk, secondhand smoke or accidental ingestion.
Conditions
Inflammation is the immune system's protective response to injury, infection or irritation, bringing blood flow, fluid and immune cells to the affected tissue.
Conditions
Inflammatory bowel disease is a group of chronic disorders, mainly Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, in which the immune system drives ongoing inflammation of the digestive tract.
Conditions
Inflammatory pain is pain that arises when inflammatory chemicals released by injured or infected tissue sensitize nearby nerve endings, making the area tender and sore.
Product & formulation
Inhalation is the delivery of a substance to the lungs by breathing in smoke, vapor, or aerosol, where it is absorbed rapidly across the large surface of the airways.
Conditions
Insomnia is a sleep disorder marked by persistent difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or waking too early, together with daytime impairment such as fatigue or poor concentration.
Lab & testing
The Insomnia Severity Index is a brief seven-item questionnaire that rates how severe a person's insomnia has been over the past two weeks.
Body & systems
Interleukin-1 beta is a cytokine released by immune cells that drives fever, inflammation and pain signaling in response to infection or tissue damage.
Body & systems
Interleukin-6, or IL-6, is a cytokine released by immune cells, muscle and fat that drives the acute inflammatory response and signals the liver to make inflammatory proteins.
Lab & testing
Interstate commerce is trade that crosses state lines, and it is the legal basis on which the federal government regulates hemp products shipped, sold or advertised across the country.
Body & systems
An inverse agonist is a molecule that binds a receptor and pushes its activity below the resting level, rather than simply blocking it.
Lab & testing
An Investigational New Drug application is the FDA submission that allows an unapproved drug to be given to people in clinical trials.
Lab & testing
ISO/IEC 17025 is the international standard specifying the competence, impartiality and consistent operation required of testing and calibration laboratories.
J
2 termsConditions
Joint pain is discomfort, aching or soreness arising from a joint or the ligaments, tendons and bursae around it, affecting one joint or many.
Conditions
Joint stiffness is a reduced ease or range of movement in one or more joints, often most noticeable after rest or first thing in the morning.
K
2 termsConditions
Knee osteoarthritis is the gradual breakdown of cartilage and underlying bone in the knee joint, producing pain, stiffness and reduced function.
Conditions
Knee pain is discomfort arising from the knee joint or the ligaments, tendons, cartilage and bursae that surround it.
L
17 termsLab & testing
A label claim is the stated amount or characteristic printed on product packaging, such as the milligrams of CBD per container or per serving.
Lab & testing
Label claim variance is the difference between the amount of an ingredient stated on a product label and the amount a laboratory actually measures.
Product & formulation
Lactation is the production and release of milk from the mammary glands to feed an infant, a period during which substances in the parent's blood can pass into the milk.
Conditions
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is a severe childhood-onset epilepsy marked by multiple seizure types, a characteristic EEG pattern and developmental impairment.
Product & formulation
Lethargy is a state of reduced energy, alertness, and activity, seen in an animal as unusual sleepiness, reluctance to move, or lack of interest in normal routines.
Body & systems
Levodopa is a precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine and the most effective medication for the movement symptoms of Parkinson's disease, usually given with carbidopa.
Body & systems
A ligand is any molecule that binds to a specific site on a receptor, enzyme or other protein, whether it activates, blocks or merely occupies that site.
Lab & testing
The limit of detection is the lowest concentration of a substance that an analytical method can reliably distinguish from a blank sample containing none.
Lab & testing
The limit of quantitation is the lowest concentration at which an analytical method can assign a numerical value with acceptable accuracy and precision.
Cannabinoids
Limonene is a citrus-scented terpene found in orange and lemon peel and in many cannabis and hemp varieties.
Cannabinoids
Linalool is a floral, slightly spicy terpene alcohol best known from lavender and present in some cannabis and hemp chemovars.
Product & formulation
A liposome is a microscopic spherical vesicle made of one or more lipid bilayers, used to encapsulate and carry an active ingredient through the body or into the skin.
Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, or LC-MS/MS, pairs liquid chromatography with two stages of mass analysis to identify and measure compounds at very low levels with high selectivity.
Body & systems
Liver enzymes are proteins made by liver cells, such as ALT, AST and alkaline phosphatase, whose levels in the blood are measured to detect liver stress or injury.
Lab & testing
A lot number is the code a manufacturer assigns to a single production run so that its materials, records and test results can be traced together.
Product & formulation
A lotion is a lightweight topical emulsion with a higher water content than a cream, designed to spread easily over larger areas of skin and absorb quickly.
Conditions
Low back pain is pain felt in the lumbar region between the bottom of the rib cage and the top of the legs.
M
34 termsConditions
Major depressive disorder is a mood disorder defined by persistent low mood or loss of interest lasting at least two weeks alongside other symptoms.
Lab & testing
Marijuana is the legal term for cannabis containing more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC by dry weight, a regulatory category rather than a botanical one.
Lab & testing
Marketing claims are the statements a company makes about a product on labels, websites, social media and advertising, and for cannabinoids they are tightly limited by law.
Lab & testing
Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique that identifies and quantifies molecules by ionizing them and measuring their mass-to-charge ratio.
Conditions
Mast cell activation syndrome is a condition in which mast cells release inflammatory mediators inappropriately, causing recurrent allergy-like episodes across several body systems.
Body & systems
Mast cell degranulation is the rapid release of histamine and other stored chemicals from a mast cell, the event that sets off an allergic reaction.
Body & systems
Mast cells are immune cells stationed in skin, airways, gut and around blood vessels that store histamine and release it during allergic and inflammatory responses.
Product & formulation
Maximum plasma concentration, abbreviated Cmax, is the highest level of a substance measured in the blood after a single administration.
Product & formulation
Medium-chain triglycerides are fats made of fatty acids with six to twelve carbon atoms, typically derived from coconut or palm kernel oil and used as a carrier oil.
Body & systems
Melatonin is a hormone released by the pineal gland in darkness that signals nighttime to the body and helps set the timing of the sleep-wake cycle.
Conditions
Menopause is the point at which menstrual periods stop permanently, confirmed after twelve consecutive months without a period.
Body & systems
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that convert food into energy and building blocks and transform drugs and other foreign compounds into forms the body can excrete.
Lab & testing
Microbial testing screens a product for bacteria, yeast and mold, either as total counts or as specific organisms that can cause illness.
Body & systems
Microglia are the resident immune cells of the brain and spinal cord, constantly surveying their surroundings and responding to injury, infection and cellular debris.
Conditions
Migraine is a neurological disorder producing recurrent attacks of moderate to severe headache, often with nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.
Product & formulation
A milligram is a metric unit of mass equal to one thousandth of a gram, the standard unit for stating the amount of a cannabinoid in a product.
Product & formulation
Milligrams per kilogram is a dosing unit that expresses the amount of a substance relative to the body weight of the person or animal receiving it.
Product & formulation
Milligrams per milliliter is a concentration unit that states how much of a substance is dissolved in each milliliter of a liquid product.
Cannabinoids
Minor cannabinoids are the cannabinoids other than CBD and THC that occur in hemp in small amounts, typically well under one percent of the plant's dry weight.
Conditions
Mobility impairment in a companion animal is a reduced ability to walk, rise, climb or move comfortably compared with what is normal for its age and breed.
Conditions
Mold exposure is contact with airborne fungal spores, fragments or the volatile compounds molds produce, most often inside damp buildings.
Body & systems
Monoacylglycerol lipase, or MAGL, is the main enzyme that breaks down the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol, controlling how long its signal lasts.
Body & systems
Mood is a sustained emotional state that colors perception and behavior over hours to weeks, as distinct from an emotion, which is a brief response to a specific event.
Conditions
Mood swings are rapid or pronounced shifts in emotional state, such as moving from calm to irritable or from cheerful to tearful within a short period.
Body & systems
A motor neuron is a nerve cell that carries signals from the brain or spinal cord to muscles and glands, producing voluntary movement, reflexes and muscle tone.
Conditions
A movement disorder is a neurological condition that causes either too much involuntary movement or too little voluntary movement, arising from problems in the brain's motor circuits.
Product & formulation
Mucosal delivery is the absorption of a compound through the moist lining of the mouth, nose, rectum or vagina rather than through the digestive tract or skin.
Conditions
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic immune-mediated disease in which the protective myelin coating of nerves in the brain and spinal cord is damaged.
Conditions
Muscle soreness is aching, tenderness and stiffness in muscles that follows unaccustomed or intense physical effort.
Conditions
A muscle spasm is a sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle or group of muscles that can be brief or sustained.
Body & systems
Muscle tone is the slight continuous tension a healthy muscle maintains at rest, which keeps posture stable and readies the muscle to move.
Body & systems
The musculoskeletal system is the framework of bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilage that supports the body and makes movement possible.
Lab & testing
Mycotoxins are toxic chemicals produced by certain molds that can persist in plant material even after the mold itself is gone.
Cannabinoids
Myrcene is an earthy, musky terpene that is often the most abundant terpene in cannabis and is also found in hops, mango, and thyme.
N
24 termsBody & systems
N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase D, or NAPE-PLD, is an enzyme that releases anandamide and related lipid messengers from a membrane precursor when a cell is stimulated.
Cannabinoids
Nabilone is a synthetic cannabinoid similar to THC, approved as a prescription capsule for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting that has not responded to usual anti-nausea drugs.
Product & formulation
A nanoemulsion is a mixture in which oil is dispersed in water as extremely small droplets, typically under a few hundred nanometers, so that the mixture appears clear or translucent.
Conditions
Nausea is the uneasy sensation in the stomach and throat that often precedes vomiting, though it can occur without it.
Conditions
Neck pain is discomfort in the cervical spine region, including the vertebrae, discs, muscles and ligaments that support the head.
Conditions
Nerve pain is pain caused by damage or dysfunction of the nerves themselves rather than by injury to the tissue they serve.
Lab & testing
Net weight, or net quantity of contents, is the amount of product in a container by weight or volume, excluding the packaging itself.
Body & systems
Neurodevelopment is the process by which the nervous system forms and matures, from the first neural tissue in early pregnancy through the reorganization of the brain in adolescence.
Body & systems
Neuroinflammation is an inflammatory response within the brain or spinal cord, driven mainly by microglia and astrocytes rather than by the white blood cells of the rest of the body.
Conditions
Neurologic disorders are conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord, nerves or muscles, and the word neurologic describes any symptom or finding that arises from the nervous system.
Conditions
Neuropathic pain is chronic pain produced by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system, either peripheral or central.
Body & systems
A neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger that a neuron releases across a synapse to excite, inhibit or modulate the next cell.
Lab & testing
A New Drug Application is the formal submission through which a company asks the FDA for approval to market a new prescription or over-the-counter drug.
Body & systems
NF-kB signaling is a pathway inside cells that, when switched on, moves the protein NF-kB into the nucleus to turn on genes for inflammation and immune defense.
Conditions
Nicotine use disorder is a pattern of nicotine use that leads to dependence, withdrawal and continued use despite harm.
Conditions
Nightmares are vivid, disturbing dreams that wake the sleeper, usually from REM sleep in the second half of the night, and are remembered clearly on waking.
Conditions
Nighttime awakenings are episodes of waking after sleep has begun, whether brief and forgotten or long enough to notice and remember.
Body & systems
The NLRP3 inflammasome is a protein complex that assembles inside immune cells in response to danger signals and activates the inflammatory cytokines IL-1 beta and IL-18.
Body & systems
Nociception is the nervous system's process of detecting and transmitting signals about actual or threatened tissue damage, which the brain may or may not experience as pain.
Conditions
Nociceptive pain is pain that arises from actual or threatened tissue damage detected by specialized nerve endings called nociceptors.
Conditions
Noise phobia in dogs is an intense, persistent fear response to loud sounds such as fireworks, thunder or gunfire.
Lab & testing
A non-negative result is the correct term for a screening test that reads at or above the cutoff before confirmatory testing has been performed.
Lab & testing
This laboratory result indicates that an analyte was not found above the method's detection or reporting threshold, rather than that the substance is entirely absent.
Body & systems
A nuclear receptor is a protein inside the cell that binds a hormone or other small molecule and then acts directly on DNA to switch genes on or off.
O
14 termsConditions
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental health condition marked by intrusive, unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors performed to reduce the distress they cause.
Cannabinoids
Ocimene is a sweet, herbal monoterpene found in mint, basil, orchids, and many other aromatic plants, including cannabis and hemp.
Conditions
Opioid use disorder is a chronic medical condition involving problematic use of prescription or illicit opioids that leads to impairment, distress and physical dependence.
Product & formulation
Oral administration is the delivery of a substance by mouth so that it is swallowed and absorbed through the digestive tract.
Body & systems
Oral health is the condition of the teeth, gums, tongue and lining of the mouth, and it reflects and influences the health of the rest of the body.
Conditions
Oral inflammation is redness, swelling, soreness or bleeding of the gums, tongue, cheeks or other soft tissues inside the mouth.
Body & systems
The oral mucosa is the moist lining of the mouth, a thin tissue rich in blood vessels through which some substances can pass directly into the bloodstream.
Product & formulation
An oral spray is a liquid cannabinoid product delivered by a metered pump into the mouth, usually under the tongue or against the cheek, giving a fixed amount per actuation.
Conditions
Orofacial pain is pain felt in the mouth, jaws, face and related structures, arising from dental, muscular, joint or nerve sources.
Conditions
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease in which cartilage wears down and the underlying bone and surrounding tissues change, producing pain and stiffness.
Lab & testing
Other ingredients are everything in a product that is not an active ingredient, including carrier oils, waxes, emulsifiers, preservatives, sweeteners and flavorings.
Lab & testing
An over-the-counter drug is a medicine that may be sold without a prescription because the FDA has found it safe and effective for consumers to use on their own.
Lab & testing
An overage is the deliberate addition of an active ingredient above the labeled amount so that a product still meets its claim at the end of its shelf life.
Body & systems
Oxidative stress is an imbalance in which reactive oxygen molecules outpace the body's antioxidant defenses, damaging lipids, proteins and DNA.
P
39 termsLab & testing
The 0.3 percent THC limit is the federal threshold, measured as delta-9 THC by dry weight, that separates lawful hemp from marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act.
Conditions
Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage.
Conditions
A panic attack is an abrupt surge of intense fear that peaks within minutes and brings physical symptoms such as a pounding heart, sweating and shortness of breath.
Conditions
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and persistent worry about having more.
Conditions
A parasomnia is any unwanted behavior, experience or physical event that happens while falling asleep, during sleep or on waking, such as sleepwalking, sleep terrors or acting out dreams.
Conditions
Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder caused by loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain, leading to tremor, slowness and stiffness.
Body & systems
A partial agonist is a molecule that activates a receptor but produces a smaller maximum response than a full agonist, even when it occupies every receptor.
Lab & testing
Parts per billion is a concentration unit expressing how many units of a substance are present in one billion units of the whole sample.
Lab & testing
Parts per million is a concentration unit expressing how many units of a substance are present in one million units of the whole sample.
Conditions
Pelvic pain is pain felt in the lowest part of the abdomen and pelvis, and it is called chronic when it lasts six months or longer.
Lab & testing
Percent weight by weight expresses how much of a product's total mass is made up of a particular substance, written as a percentage.
Conditions
Perimenopause is the transitional phase before menopause when ovarian hormone levels fluctuate and menstrual cycles become irregular.
Conditions
Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the gums and supporting bone that, if untreated, leads to loosening and loss of teeth.
Conditions
Peripheral neuropathy is damage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, producing numbness, tingling, pain or weakness, most often in the feet and hands.
Body & systems
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, or PPAR-gamma, is a receptor inside the cell nucleus that controls genes for fat storage, insulin sensitivity and inflammation.
Lab & testing
Pesticide testing analyzes a sample for residues of insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and plant growth regulators that may remain from cultivation.
Conditions
Pet anxiety is a state of persistent fear or apprehension in a dog or cat that goes beyond a normal, short-lived stress response.
Conditions
Pet mobility refers to how freely and comfortably a dog or cat can walk, run, jump, climb and rise from rest.
Product & formulation
Pharmacodynamics is the study of what a substance does to the body: the receptors and pathways it acts on and the relationship between concentration and effect.
Product & formulation
Pharmacokinetics is the study of how the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and eliminates a substance over time, often summarized as what the body does to a drug.
Lab & testing
Pharmacovigilance is the science and practice of detecting, assessing and understanding adverse effects of medicines and health products once they are in use.
Cannabinoids
A phytocannabinoid is a cannabinoid produced by a plant, most notably the more than one hundred compounds identified in Cannabis sativa.
Lab & testing
The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index is a 19-item self-report questionnaire that scores a person's overall sleep quality over the previous month.
Product & formulation
Polyphenols are a large family of plant compounds built from phenol rings, found in fruits, vegetables, tea, cocoa, herbs and hemp, and studied for antioxidant activity.
Conditions
Post-concussion syndrome is a cluster of physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms that persist for weeks to months after a concussion, beyond the usual recovery period.
Conditions
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that develops after exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violence.
Conditions
Postoperative pain in a companion animal is the pain that follows surgery, arising from incised tissue, handling of organs and the inflammation of healing.
Lab & testing
Potency, in product testing, is the measured concentration of active constituents, chiefly cannabinoids, in a sample of a product.
Product & formulation
Pregnancy is the period of roughly forty weeks during which a fetus develops in the uterus, a time when substances in the parent's bloodstream can cross the placenta.
Conditions
Premenstrual syndrome is a recurring pattern of physical and emotional symptoms that appears in the days before a menstrual period and eases once bleeding begins.
Lab & testing
A product recall is the removal or correction of a marketed product because it is defective, mislabeled, contaminated or otherwise poses a risk to health.
Conditions
Pruritus is the medical term for itch, an unpleasant skin sensation that provokes the urge to scratch.
Conditions
Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated skin disease in which skin cells multiply too quickly, forming thick, scaly, often red or discolored plaques.
Conditions
Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory joint disease that occurs in some people with psoriasis, affecting joints, tendons, the spine and nails.
Conditions
Psychosis is a mental state in which a person loses contact with reality, experiencing hallucinations, delusions or severely disorganized thinking.
Conditions
Public speaking anxiety is intense fear of speaking in front of others, marked by a racing heart, sweating, shaking, dry mouth and worry about being judged.
Body & systems
The pulmonary system is the lungs and airways that bring oxygen into the blood and remove carbon dioxide with every breath.
Lab & testing
Purification is the series of manufacturing steps that remove unwanted plant material, fats, chlorophyll, solvents and specific cannabinoids from a crude extract to reach a desired composition.
Lab & testing
Purity is the proportion of a material that consists of the intended substance, with everything else counted as impurity, whether harmless or hazardous.
Q
4 termsLab & testing
Quality assurance is the system of planned procedures, oversight and documentation designed to ensure that a manufacturing process consistently produces what it is meant to.
Lab & testing
Quality control is the testing and inspection carried out on materials and finished products to verify that they meet their specifications.
Lab & testing
A quality management system is the organized set of policies, procedures, records and responsibilities through which a manufacturer ensures its products are consistently made and tested to specification.
Conditions
Quality of life is a person's overall sense of well-being and ability to take part in daily life, measured in health care through standardized questionnaires rather than by laboratory tests.
R
12 termsConditions
Radiculopathy is pain, numbness, tingling or weakness caused by a pinched or inflamed nerve root where it exits the spinal column.
Body & systems
Range of motion is the full extent of movement a joint can perform in a given direction, measured in degrees and used to track joint health and recovery.
Conditions
Rapid eye movement sleep is the sleep stage marked by darting eye movements, vivid dreaming, brain activity resembling wakefulness and near-total muscle paralysis.
Body & systems
Reactive oxygen species are unstable oxygen-containing molecules, such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, that readily react with and can damage cell components.
Body & systems
A receptor is a protein, usually on a cell's surface or in its interior, that binds a specific signaling molecule and converts that binding into a cellular response.
Body & systems
Receptor pharmacology is the study of how molecules bind to receptor proteins on or inside cells and how that binding changes cell activity.
Conditions
REM sleep behavior disorder is a parasomnia in which the normal muscle paralysis of REM sleep is lost, so people physically act out their dreams.
Lab & testing
Residual solvents are traces of the chemicals used during extraction or processing that remain in a finished extract or product.
Cannabinoids
Resin is the sticky secretion produced by cannabis trichomes that holds most of the plant's cannabinoids and terpenes.
Conditions
Restorative sleep is sleep of sufficient length and quality that a person wakes feeling refreshed and able to function well during the day.
Conditions
Rett syndrome is a rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorder, almost always affecting girls, in which early development stalls and skills are lost after the first months of life.
Conditions
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the lining of joints, causing inflammation, pain, swelling and eventual joint damage.
S
46 termsProduct & formulation
A salve is a semisolid ointment made from oils and wax, spread on the skin to form a protective, slow-absorbing layer that carries added ingredients.
Lab & testing
Schedule I is the most restrictive category under the federal Controlled Substances Act, reserved for substances judged to have high abuse potential and no accepted medical use.
Conditions
Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder characterized by psychosis together with disorganized thinking, reduced motivation and cognitive difficulties.
Conditions
Sciatica is pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve from the lower back through the buttock and down the back of one leg.
Body & systems
Sebum is the waxy, lipid-rich substance produced by sebaceous glands in the skin that coats hair and the skin surface and helps keep it supple and water-resistant.
Conditions
Sedation is a drug-induced state of reduced alertness and responsiveness, ranging from mild drowsiness to deep unresponsiveness, that differs from natural sleep.
Conditions
A seizure is a sudden burst of abnormal electrical activity in the brain that temporarily changes behavior, movement, sensation or awareness.
Conditions
Separation anxiety in dogs is a behavioral disorder in which a dog becomes intensely distressed when left alone or separated from its attachment figure.
Conditions
Separation stress is the milder, short-lived distress a dog shows when parted from its owner, falling short of the full clinical picture of separation anxiety.
Product & formulation
A serious adverse event is any unwanted medical occurrence during exposure to a substance that results in death, is life-threatening, requires hospitalization, causes lasting disability, or produces a birth defect.
Body & systems
The serotonin 1A receptor, or 5-HT1A, is a receptor for serotonin found throughout the brain that lowers neuronal firing and is a target of several anxiety and depression medicines.
Product & formulation
Serving size is the amount of a product that the manufacturer designates as a single use on the label, along with the cannabinoid content that amount contains.
Lab & testing
Servings per container is the number of servings a package holds at the labeled serving size, and the figure that connects total content to cost per serving.
Lab & testing
Shelf life is the period during which a product, stored as directed, is expected to remain within its specifications, including its labeled cannabinoid content.
Conditions
Shift work sleep disorder is a circadian rhythm disorder in which work hours overlapping the normal sleep period cause persistent insomnia, excessive sleepiness, or both.
Body & systems
The skin is the body's largest organ, a layered barrier that protects against water loss, microbes and injury while sensing touch, temperature and pain.
Conditions
Skin inflammation is the redness, warmth, swelling, itching or pain that develops when the immune system responds to irritation, allergy, infection or injury in the skin.
Body & systems
Sleep is a reversible, recurring state of reduced awareness and responsiveness during which the brain and body carry out restorative processes essential to health.
Conditions
Sleep apnea is a disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, fragmenting rest and lowering blood oxygen.
Body & systems
Sleep architecture is the structure of a night's sleep, described by the sequence, duration and proportion of the stages the brain passes through.
Conditions
Sleep deprivation is a state of getting less sleep than the body needs, whether from a single short night or from chronic restriction over weeks.
Conditions
Sleep disturbance is any disruption in the amount, timing or quality of sleep that leaves a person poorly rested or impairs daytime function.
Conditions
Sleep efficiency is the percentage of time spent in bed that a person is actually asleep.
Body & systems
Sleep hygiene is the set of daily habits and bedroom conditions that support regular, sufficient and good-quality sleep.
Conditions
Sleep maintenance is the ability to stay asleep through the night after falling asleep, without prolonged or frequent awakenings.
Conditions
Sleep onset is the transition from wakefulness to sleep, and the time it takes is called sleep onset latency.
Conditions
Sleep quality is a person's overall sense of how well they slept, reflecting depth, continuity, restfulness and how refreshed they feel on waking.
Conditions
Slow-wave sleep is the deepest stage of non-REM sleep, identified by large, slow brain waves called delta waves on an electroencephalogram.
Product & formulation
Smoking is inhaling the smoke produced by burning dried plant material, which delivers its compounds through the lungs within seconds.
Conditions
Snoring is the harsh sound produced when air moving through a partly blocked upper airway vibrates the soft tissues of the throat during sleep.
Conditions
Social anxiety disorder is an anxiety disorder defined by intense, persistent fear of social situations in which a person may be judged or embarrassed.
Product & formulation
A softgel is a one-piece capsule with a soft, flexible shell made of gelatin or a plant-based alternative, sealed around a liquid or oil-based fill.
Product & formulation
Somnolence is a state of drowsiness or strong inclination to sleep, in which a person or animal is difficult to keep fully alert.
Conditions
Spasticity is a velocity-dependent increase in muscle tone caused by damage to the brain or spinal cord, making muscles stiff, tight and resistant to movement.
Lab & testing
Stability testing measures how a product's chemical, physical and microbial characteristics change over time under defined storage conditions.
Lab & testing
A standard operating procedure is a controlled written document that specifies exactly how a recurring task is to be performed, by whom and with what records.
Lab & testing
A state hemp program is the set of state-level rules, licenses and enforcement that governs hemp production and sale within a state, layered on top of federal law.
Body & systems
Stimulus control is a behavioral method for insomnia that rebuilds the association between the bed, the bedroom and falling asleep quickly.
Conditions
Stress is the body's physical and psychological response to demands or threats, real or perceived, that exceed a person's sense of their resources to cope.
Lab & testing
A structure/function claim describes the effect of an ingredient on the normal structure or function of the body without asserting that it addresses any disease.
Product & formulation
Sublingual administration places a substance under the tongue so it can be absorbed through the thin, blood-rich tissue on the floor of the mouth.
Conditions
Substance use disorder is a medical condition in which the use of alcohol or drugs becomes compulsive and continues despite significant harm.
Lab & testing
A Supplement Facts panel is the standardized label box that lists serving size, servings per container and the amount of each dietary ingredient per serving.
Product & formulation
A suppository is a solid, single-dose form that is inserted into the rectum or vagina, where it melts or dissolves at body temperature and releases its contents.
Conditions
Surgery is any procedure in which a surgeon cuts into the body to repair, remove or examine tissue, and the perioperative period spans preparation, the operation itself and recovery.
Cannabinoids
A synthetic cannabinoid is a laboratory-made compound designed to act on cannabinoid receptors, ranging from approved prescription drugs to unregulated designer chemicals.
T
37 termsConditions
Temporomandibular disorder is a group of conditions causing pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and the muscles that control chewing.
Conditions
Tension headache is the most common headache type, producing a dull, pressing or tightening pain on both sides of the head without the nausea or aura of migraine.
Cannabinoids
Terpenes are volatile aromatic compounds that give cannabis, conifers, citrus, and countless other plants their characteristic scents and flavors.
Cannabinoids
Terpinolene is a fresh, piney, slightly floral monoterpene found in tea tree, apples, lilac, and some cannabis and hemp chemovars.
Cannabinoids
Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the shorthand name for the intoxicating cannabinoids in cannabis, most often meaning delta-9 THC.
Cannabinoids
Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, or THCA, is the non-intoxicating acidic form of THC that the living cannabis plant actually produces.
Cannabinoids
Tetrahydrocannabivarin, or THCV, is a minor cannabinoid that is a shorter-chain, propyl analog of THC found in some cannabis chemovars.
Cannabinoids
Tetrahydrocannabivarinic acid, or THCVA, is the acidic precursor that the plant produces before heat converts it into THCV.
Cannabinoids
THC analogs are compounds that share the core structure of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol but differ in the position of a double bond, a side chain or an added chemical group.
Cannabinoids
A THC isomer is a compound with the same chemical formula as delta-9 THC but a different arrangement of atoms, such as delta-8 THC and delta-10 THC.
Cannabinoids
THC oxidation is the chemical reaction in which tetrahydrocannabinol reacts with oxygen and loses hydrogen, converting over time into cannabinol, a mildly active cannabinoid.
Lab & testing
THC remediation is any processing step intended to reduce the delta-9 THC concentration of a hemp extract, typically to bring it within legal or product specifications.
Body & systems
THC toxicity, or tetrahydrocannabinol toxicosis, is the set of neurological and bodily effects an animal shows after ingesting enough THC to overwhelm its cannabinoid receptors.
Lab & testing
THC-COOH, or 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC, is the inactive metabolite the body forms after processing delta-9 THC, and the compound that standard urine drug tests detect.
Lab & testing
Third-party testing is laboratory analysis performed by an independent laboratory with no ownership stake in the product, used to verify cannabinoid content and screen for contaminants.
Conditions
Thunderstorm anxiety in dogs is a fear response triggered by storms, often beginning before the first thunder as the dog senses changes in pressure, wind, light and sound.
Product & formulation
Time to maximum plasma concentration, abbreviated Tmax, is the interval between administration of a substance and the moment its blood level reaches its peak.
Product & formulation
A tincture is a liquid plant extract, traditionally alcohol-based, and in the CBD market usually a hemp extract dissolved in carrier oil and sold in a dropper bottle.
Conditions
Tobacco use disorder is the diagnostic term for problematic, dependent use of tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco.
Product & formulation
Tolerance is a reduced response to a substance after repeated exposure, so that the same amount produces a smaller effect than it did at first.
Product & formulation
A topical product is one applied to the surface of the skin, where its ingredients act locally in the outer layers rather than being designed to enter the bloodstream.
Lab & testing
Total THC is a calculated figure that combines delta-9 THC with the portion of THCA that would convert to THC when heated, using a factor of 0.877.
Body & systems
Toxicity is the degree to which a substance can damage an organism, depending on the dose, the route and duration of exposure, and the species and individual exposed.
Lab & testing
Traceability is the ability to follow a product and its ingredients forward and backward through every stage of sourcing, manufacturing, testing and distribution.
Product & formulation
Transdermal delivery is a method in which a substance is formulated to pass through intact skin into the bloodstream for a systemic effect, most often via an adhesive patch.
Product & formulation
A transdermal patch is an adhesive pad that holds a drug or active ingredient against the skin and releases it steadily into the bloodstream over hours or days.
Body & systems
Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1, or TRPA1, is an ion channel on sensory nerve endings that detects irritating chemicals, cold and tissue damage and signals pain.
Body & systems
Transient receptor potential melastatin 8, or TRPM8, is an ion channel on sensory nerves that opens in response to cool temperatures and to menthol, producing the sensation of cold.
Body & systems
Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, or TRPV1, is an ion channel on pain-sensing nerves that opens in response to heat, acid and capsaicin, the hot component of chili peppers.
Body & systems
Transient receptor potential vanilloid 2, or TRPV2, is an ion channel related to the heat sensor TRPV1 that responds to very high temperatures, mechanical stretch and certain lipids.
Conditions
Treatment-resistant epilepsy is epilepsy in which seizures continue despite adequate trials of at least two appropriately chosen and tolerated anti-seizure medications.
Conditions
A tremor is an involuntary, rhythmic shaking of a body part, most often the hands, but also the head, voice, legs or trunk.
Cannabinoids
A trichome is a tiny, resin-producing glandular structure on cannabis flowers and leaves where cannabinoids and terpenes are concentrated.
Body & systems
TRP channels are a family of ion channels in cell membranes that open in response to temperature, chemical irritants, pressure or pH and let calcium and sodium enter the cell.
Conditions
Tuberous sclerosis complex is a rare genetic disorder in which benign tumors grow in the brain, skin, kidneys, heart, eyes and lungs.
Conditions
A tumor is an abnormal mass of tissue that forms when cells grow and divide more than they should, and it may be benign or malignant.
Body & systems
Tumor necrosis factor alpha, or TNF-alpha, is a cytokine released mainly by macrophages that triggers fever, inflammation and the recruitment of immune cells to injured tissue.
U
5 termsLab & testing
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is the federal agency that regulates foods, dietary supplements, drugs, cosmetics and animal products, including those that contain cannabinoids.
Conditions
An ulcer is an open sore where skin or a mucous membrane has broken down, most often meaning a peptic ulcer in the stomach or duodenum lining.
Conditions
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes continuous inflammation and ulcers in the inner lining of the colon and rectum.
Lab & testing
Ultra-performance liquid chromatography, or UPLC, is a higher-pressure form of liquid chromatography that uses smaller column particles for faster, sharper separations.
Lab & testing
A urine drug screen is a laboratory test on a urine sample that detects metabolites, the compounds the body produces after processing a substance, rather than the substance itself.
V
6 termsProduct & formulation
Valproate is a prescription antiseizure medication, also used for bipolar disorder and migraine prophylaxis, sold as valproic acid, sodium valproate, or divalproex.
Product & formulation
Vaping is inhaling an aerosol produced by heating a liquid or extract in a battery-powered device rather than burning plant material.
Body & systems
Vasodilation is the widening of blood vessels that occurs when the smooth muscle in their walls relaxes, lowering resistance and increasing blood flow.
Conditions
Vasomotor symptoms are the hot flashes and night sweats of the menopause transition, caused by unstable control of body temperature as estrogen levels fall.
Product & formulation
Veterinary CBD refers to cannabidiol products marketed for or used in animals, a category the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved for any purpose.
Product & formulation
Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of stomach contents through the mouth, a protective reflex triggered by irritation, toxins, illness, or signals from the brain.
W
8 termsBody & systems
Wake after sleep onset is the total time a person spends awake between first falling asleep and finally waking up, a core measure of how fragmented sleep is.
Conditions
Water-damaged building exposure is time spent in a structure where moisture intrusion has allowed molds, bacteria and their fragments and byproducts to accumulate.
Conditions
Weight loss is a decrease in body weight, and when it happens without trying it is a symptom that warrants medical evaluation in both people and pets.
Lab & testing
A wellness claim is a general marketing statement about supporting well-being, balance or daily routine that stops short of asserting any effect on a disease or symptom.
Lab & testing
The window of detection is the length of time after exposure during which a substance or its metabolite can still be found by a particular type of test.
Lab & testing
Winterization is a refining step that chills a crude extract dissolved in a solvent so that waxes, lipids and other fats solidify and can be filtered out.
Conditions
Withdrawal is the set of physical and psychological symptoms that appear when a person stops or sharply reduces a substance the body has adapted to.
Lab & testing
Workplace drug testing is the set of employer-run programs that screen employees or applicants for drug use, each with its own panel, cutoffs and consequences.
Z
1 termLab & testing
This product category describes CBD products whose laboratory testing reports 0.0% THC, meaning THC was below the method's reporting threshold for that batch.