CBN Distillate: One of the Purest Forms of the Sleep Cannabinoid

Cannabis concentrates are taking over the marijuana industry these days. All products contain at least one type of concentrate in varying proportions, and there is a good reason behind it. Cannabis connoisseurs are getting into concentrates due to their potency and the infinite number of ways of consumption.

A concentrate’s potency can range from 40% up to 99.58% cannabinoid content. The most common cannabis concentrates contain THC and CBD, but did you know minor cannabinoids can be concentrates too? We’re about to introduce you to CBN distillate, the concentrated marketed as a sleep aid, but there’s actually more to it than its sedative use.

Cannabis Concentrates 101: Distillate vs. Isolate

Before we get into a specific type of cannabinoid concentrate, it is important to understand the basics first.

What is a Distillate?

As the name implies, a distillate is a distilled form of hemp extract that does not contain chlorophyll, waxes, or other potentially undesirable substances that are present in crude cannabinoid concentrate.

A distillate is usually honey-like in both appearance and consistency. Since it still contains terpenes and flavonoids, it still has unique flavors and aromas, depending on the type of hemp plant where it was extracted from.

In addition to a single dominant cannabinoid present, distillates can also contain a variety of other cannabinoids that serve more minor roles.

What is an Isolate?

An isolated cannabinoid or simply an “isolate” is a nearly molecularly homogenous extract of one particular cannabinoid. Most forms of cannabinoid isolate contain 99% or even more of a selected cannabinoid like CBD, THC, CBN, and others.

Distillate Vs. Isolate: Comparison

The main difference between isolates and distillates is the amount of cannabinoids in the finished extract. CBN distillate contains at least 70% CBN.

Distillates are more expensive to produce than isolates, but the one difference that sets them apart is the “entourage effect.” This is where cannabinoids interact with each other by producing a combined and better set of effects.

Cannabinoid isolate may also be superior to distillate in the context of product formulation. While it can be difficult to calculate the concentration of cannabinoids in finished products when using distillate since this extract contains so many compounds, it’s easy to calculate how much isolate is in a finished product because this extract is almost entirely molecularly homogenous.

What is CBN?

Cannabinol, or simply CBN, is one of the many cannabinoids found in hemp plants. It is closely related to CBD in terms of molecular structure, which explains why they both offer similar therapeutic effects.

CBN comes from the oxidation and decomposition of THC from a hemp plant, meaning that when THC is heated and exposed to Co2 (oxygen), it then converts to CBN. The compound offers a mild psychoactive response, slightly more so than CBD but much less than THC.

What is CBN Distillate?

A CBN distillate is a highly refined cannabis extract, often derived from high CBD hemp flower and hemp plant biomass. This mildly psychoactive cannabinoid is found only in trace amounts in cannabis and is mostly found in aged plants.

When exposed to light, air, heat, and time, THC will convert to the CBN compound. It is made through a process called chromatography, which separates the cannabinoids in the plant. A CBN distillate comes in a liquid form, making it ideal for producing oral and topical cannabis products, including oils, tinctures, lotions, and rubs.

While CBN distillate contains a slightly lower concentration of CBN than its isolated counterpart, it retains the waxes, terpenes, antioxidants, and vitamins also found in cannabis plants.

What are the effects of CBN Distillate?

CBN distillates are mildly psychoactive, which means they can get users slightly “high.” While CBD can act as a mild appetite suppressant, CBN Isolate tends to stimulate one’s appetite.

What Are the Potential Benefits of CBN Distillate?

CBN is marketed as the “sleep cannabinoid” but other benefits of it according to current researches available. Take note that the studies done by experts are still limited, as opposed to its more famous cousin, CBD.

CBN As A Potential Neuroprotective Drug

In a rodent study in 2005, 
CBN was found to possibly delay the onset of the condition, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control.

As of this writing, there have not been human studies done by experts using CBN Distillate as a however there is a chance for CBN Distillate to provide as an agent to assist in the fight against ALS and other possible neurodegenerative conditions.

CBN Shows Antibacterial Potential

In a 
2008 study, CBN showed antibacterial potential in lab settings. CBN was tested on strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria that are resistant to traditional antibiotics. Researchers found it to be a potent antibacterial agent against these resistant bacteria strains. If this research continues, CBN Distillate could be seen if assisting to fight off bacterial infections that our current antibiotics couldn’t heal.

CBN And its Sedative Properties: How Accurate Is It?

As mentioned, CBN is more famously known as a supplement to promote sleep. However, there is no recent research to back up this claim. We can only rely on anecdotal evidence and outdated research done way back to the 1970s. Although the sample size was small, respondents of this 
CBN research reported that the cannabinoid made them feel sleepy.

CBN Distillate: In Summary

CBN distillate is one of the less famous cannabis concentrates out there, and it is often marketed as a sleep aid. Albeit less research than others, it still offers a wide range of potential benefits on its own. We can only hope that more research would be done in the near future for us to fully grasp its potential.