CBD stands for cannabidiol, one of more than 100 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant, including hemp. Unlike THC, it does not cause a high. Chemists first isolated it in 1940, described its structure in 1963, and today it is the main ingredient of CBD oils.
Key facts
- Full name
- Cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabinoid from Cannabis sativa L.
- Molecule
- C21H30O2, the same formula as THC, with a different structure
- Discovered
- Isolated in 1940 (Adams); structure described in 1963 (Mechoulam and Shvo)
- Does it cause a high?
- No. The WHO found no effects in humans that point to abuse or dependence potential (2018 review).
- Medicine status
- As of October 2026, one CBD medicine (Epidyolex) is authorised in the EU, for certain rare forms of epilepsy. CBD oils sold in shops are not medicines.
- Our CBD oils
- As of October 2026: full-spectrum (THC below 0.2%) and THC-free broad-spectrum oils, sold as cosmetics for use on the skin
What does CBD stand for?
CBD is short for cannabidiol. It is a cannabinoid, one of a group of compounds that the cannabis plant produces. More than 100 cannabinoids have been isolated from cannabis, and CBD and THC are the two best known (Crocq 2020). Hemp varieties grown for CBD are bred to contain a lot of CBD and very little THC.
The CBD molecule has the formula C21H30O2 (PubChem). THC has exactly the same atoms (PubChem), but they are arranged differently, and that difference is why the two act so differently in the body.
In the living plant, most cannabinoids occur as acids. CBD forms from its acid, CBDA, when the plant material is heated (Wang 2016). Our guide What is CBDA? explains the raw form.
Who discovered CBD?
The American chemist Roger Adams and his colleagues isolated CBD in 1940 from an extract of wild hemp from Minnesota (Adams 1940). Its full chemical structure was published in 1963 by Raphael Mechoulam and Yuval Shvo in Israel (Mechoulam 1963).
Because CBD does not cause a high, research largely ignored it for decades and focused on THC instead, whose structure the same group described in 1964 (Crocq 2020). Read more in The history of THC.
Does CBD get you high?
No. CBD does not cause the intoxication that THC does. In its 2018 review, the World Health Organization concluded that "in humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential" (WHO 2018).
Non-intoxicating does not mean that CBD has no effect on the brain. THC activates the CB1 receptor in the brain, which causes the high. In cell studies, CBD did not activate CB1 and instead reduced how strongly other compounds activated it (Laprairie 2015). For a side-by-side comparison, read CBD vs THC, and for other cannabinoids, which cannabinoids are psychoactive?
What is CBD oil?
CBD oil is a hemp extract that contains CBD, diluted in a carrier oil such as hemp seed oil or MCT oil to a stated strength. The percentage on the label shows how much CBD is in the oil: 1% equals 10 mg of CBD per ml. Our CBD content per drop guide converts each strength into milligrams per drop. Formula Swiss CBD oils are cosmetic products for use on the skin; follow the directions on the label.
CBD oils come in three types. The difference is which other hemp compounds stay in the extract:
| Type | What the extract contains | THC | In our range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-spectrum | CBD plus other hemp cannabinoids such as CBG, CBC and CBN, and the natural terpenes | Natural traces; our specification is below 0.2% | Yes |
| Broad-spectrum | CBD plus other cannabinoids and terpenes, without THC | THC-free; our specification is 0% | Yes |
| Isolate | CBD only; other plant compounds are removed | None | No |
We keep the hemp's natural terpenes in our oils, and every label prints the THC content to two decimals next to the batch number. The batch report shows which type you have. For the full comparison, read full spectrum vs broad spectrum vs isolate. CBD oil is not the same as hemp seed oil, which is pressed from the seeds; see hemp oil vs CBD oil.
CBD is also used in skincare such as creams, balms and serums, which are applied to the skin. You can see our range in CBD skincare.
How does CBD work in the body?
The body has its own cell-signalling network, the endocannabinoid system. Its two main receptors are CB1, found mainly in the brain and nervous system, and CB2, linked mainly to the immune system (Crocq 2020). THC acts directly on CB1. CBD acts on these receptors only indirectly and on several other targets, and how it acts is still being studied.
Findings from cell and animal models help researchers understand the molecule. They do not show what a particular CBD product does in people. Read more in the endocannabinoid system explained.
What is CBD being studied for?
The clearest result so far is in medicine: Epidyolex, a prescription medicine containing purified CBD, received an EU marketing authorisation on 19 September 2019. It is used together with other medicines for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, Dravet syndrome and tuberous sclerosis complex, rare forms of epilepsy that begin in childhood (EMA).
Researchers are also studying CBD in areas such as anxiety, sleep and pain, but the evidence in people is limited or mixed, and much of it comes from small or short studies. Our guide What does CBD oil do? sums up what the trials show and what they don't.
Is CBD safe?
The WHO described CBD as "generally well tolerated with a good safety profile" and noted that reported side effects may come from interactions between CBD and other medicines (WHO 2018). That assessment is about CBD itself, not about every product on the market.
- If you take medicines, read CBD drug interactions and talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.
- Our guide to CBD side effects explains what studies have reported and who should be careful.
- Check what is actually in a product. A certificate of analysis shows the measured CBD and THC; see how to read a CBD certificate of analysis. The reports for our batches are in our test results.
From our production
Through the EIHA novel-food consortium, we and the other owners have funded three research projects, €3.6 million combined, on the safety limits of CBD and THC in humans, so that lawmakers can decide on evidence. The results are not published yet. We test every batch in Switzerland, and we have never had a failed test since 2013.
— Robin Roy Krigslund-Hansen, co-founder and CEO
Frequently asked questions
What does CBD stand for?
CBD stands for cannabidiol, a cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant, including hemp. It is one of more than 100 cannabinoids isolated from cannabis, and it does not cause a high.
Does CBD get you high?
No. CBD does not cause the intoxication that THC does. A 2018 WHO review found no effects in humans indicating abuse or dependence potential. It can still act in the brain, so non-intoxicating does not mean it has no effect at all.
What is CBD oil?
CBD oil is a hemp extract containing CBD, diluted in a carrier oil such as hemp seed oil or MCT oil to a stated strength; 1% equals 10 mg CBD per ml. It comes as full-spectrum, broad-spectrum or isolate. Formula Swiss CBD oils are cosmetic products for use on the skin.
Are CBD oil and hemp seed oil the same thing?
No. CBD oil is made from an extract of the hemp plant that contains cannabinoids such as CBD. Hemp seed oil is pressed from hemp seeds and typically contains little or no CBD.
Who discovered CBD?
The American chemist Roger Adams and his colleagues isolated CBD in 1940. Raphael Mechoulam and Yuval Shvo described its chemical structure in Israel in 1963.
Is CBD a medicine?
Only in one specific form. Epidyolex, a prescription medicine with purified CBD, has been authorised in the EU since 2019 for certain rare forms of epilepsy. CBD oils and cosmetics sold in shops are not medicines.
Related guides
This article is general information, not medical advice. Formula Swiss CBD oils are cosmetic products for use on the skin and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk to your doctor if you have a health condition or take medicines.
Last reviewed:
Sources
- Crocq MA. History of cannabis and the endocannabinoid system. Dialogues Clin Neurosci 2020;22(3):223–228. PMID 33162765
- National Library of Medicine. Cannabidiol (CID 644019) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (CID 16078). PubChem
- Wang M et al. Decarboxylation study of acidic cannabinoids. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2016;1(1):262–271. doi:10.1089/can.2016.0020
- Adams R, Hunt M, Clark JH. Structure of cannabidiol, a product isolated from the marihuana extract of Minnesota wild hemp. I. J Am Chem Soc 1940;62:196–200. doi:10.1021/ja01858a058
- Mechoulam R, Shvo Y. Hashish. I. The structure of cannabidiol. Tetrahedron 1963;19(12):2073–2078. doi:10.1016/0040-4020(63)85022-x
- World Health Organization, Expert Committee on Drug Dependence. Cannabidiol (CBD): critical review report. Geneva, 2018
- Laprairie RB et al. Cannabidiol is a negative allosteric modulator of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor. Br J Pharmacol 2015;172(20):4790–4805. doi:10.1111/bph.13250
- European Medicines Agency. Epidyolex: EPAR. ema.europa.eu
