What is CBG (cannabigerol)?

CBG (cannabigerol) is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid found in hemp and other cannabis plants. It is the neutral form of cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), which the plant turns into the acid forms of THC, CBD and CBC. That is why CBG is often called the "mother cannabinoid". Mature plants usually contain less than 1% CBG, and human research on it is still limited.

What is CBG and where does it come from?

Hemp makes its cannabinoids as acids, and cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) comes first. Plant enzymes then turn CBGA into tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) and cannabichromenic acid (CBCA); the enzyme that makes CBDA is what makes fibre hemp a CBD-type plant (Taura et al., 2007). Strictly, the "mother cannabinoid" is CBGA. CBG is what CBGA becomes when heat removes its acid group, and CBGA converts more slowly than THCA (Wang et al., 2016).

Because most CBGA is converted as the plant matures, CBG is usually present at under 1% of dry weight (Perez et al., 2022). Plants with the B0 genotype convert much less CBGA, so CBG becomes their main cannabinoid (Zagožen et al., 2021). That is also the answer to "what is CBG in weed?": in cannabis bred for THC, CBG is normally a minor cannabinoid. A close relative with a shorter side chain, CBGV, forms the same way. CBG was first described by Gaoni and Mechoulam in 1964.

What is CBG's chemical structure?

CBG has one aromatic ring (a resorcinol) and an open geranyl chain. In CBD that chain has closed into a second ring, and in THC a third ring closes as well. CBG's formula, C₂₁H₃₂O₂, has two more hydrogen atoms than CBD and THC (C₂₁H₃₀O₂) (PubChem).

What does CBG do in the body?

What is known comes mostly from cell and animal studies, which don't show what happens in people.

• Cannabinoid receptors: CBG binds both CB1 and CB2 receptors (Navarro et al., 2018).
• Other receptors: in mouse brain tissue, CBG was a potent α2-adrenoceptor agonist and a moderate 5-HT1A receptor blocker (Cascio et al., 2010).
• TRP channels: CBG stimulated the TRPV1 channel, and a CBG-rich extract was among the most potent blockers of TRPM8 (De Petrocellis et al., 2011).

A review describes its receptor profile as lying "between Δ9-THC and CBD" and unique at α2-adrenoceptors and 5-HT1A (Nachnani et al., 2021). For the receptors themselves, see the endocannabinoid system.

What is CBG studied for?

Searches for "CBG benefits" usually lead to long lists. The table shows what has actually been studied and in what kind of study. None of it shows that a CBG product prevents or treats a condition.

The human studies are small, and the stress trial used a single oral dose. Our oils are cosmetics for use on the skin, so oral study results don't apply to them. A 2024 review describes most of this work as preclinical, with clinical trials still to come (Li et al., 2024).

Is CBG stronger than CBD?

"Stronger" hasn't been measured in people. In lab studies CBG acts on some receptors that CBD doesn't, such as α2-adrenoceptors, but CBD has been tested in many more human trials. Our CBG vs CBD comparison sets the two side by side, with the CBG and CBD content measured in our oils.

Does CBG get you high?

No. CBG is non-intoxicating. In a placebo-controlled trial, a single 20 mg dose produced "no evidence of subjective drug effects or impairment" (Cuttler et al., 2024). The cannabinoid that causes a high is THC; see which cannabinoids are psychoactive.

Is CBG safe, and is it hard on the liver?

Safety data in people are limited to the small studies above. Human cytochrome P450 liver enzymes break CBG down quickly, and interactions with medicines have not yet been studied in people (Li et al., 2024). There are no human data on CBG and the liver. In a mouse model of fatty liver disease, a low dose reduced markers of liver damage while a high dose increased them (Li et al., 2024). If you are pregnant, have a liver condition or take medication, ask your doctor before using cannabinoid products. For CBD, see CBD side effects.

Will CBG make you fail a drug test?

Standard drug tests look for THC or its breakdown product, not for CBG. A positive result comes from THC in a product, so check the certificate of analysis. Our drug test guide explains the details.

How is CBG oil made?

CBG oil is made by extracting the cannabinoids from hemp, refining the extract and diluting it in a carrier oil. Because most hemp has little CBG, producers use CBG-rich varieties or add purified CBG. At Formula Swiss we use CO₂ extraction only. Our page how is CBG oil made? explains each step.

Is CBG legal?

CBG is not listed in the UN drug conventions. In the EU database of cosmetic ingredients (CosIng), cannabigerol is listed with the function "skin conditioning"; CosIng is a reference list, not law. As a food ingredient, CBG counts as a novel food that needs authorisation before it can be sold. National rules on hemp products differ, including THC limits. See CBD as a novel food in the EU.

Which Formula Swiss oils contain CBG?

Our April 2026 certificates measured CBG in six oils: Lugano Clarity (7.28%), St. Moritz Restore (4.29%), Lucerne Calm (3.19%), Zermatt Balance (1.51%), Pet Routine for Horses (1.04%) and Pet Routine for Dogs (0.53%). The certificates are on our test results page, and the CBG vs CBD comparison lists their CBD and THC values too. All our oils are in the CBD oil collection.