Minor cannabinoid

A minor cannabinoid is any phytocannabinoid present in typical cannabis cultivars at concentrations well below those of the "major" cannabinoids THC and CBD — conventionally below ~1% dry weight, though the threshold is unofficial. The category includes CBG, CBC, CBN, THCV, CBDV, CBL, CBT, and the homolog series THCP, THCH, CBDP, as well as degradation products. Interest in minor cannabinoids has grown with advances in selective extraction, biosynthetic yeast production, and cannabinoid-specific chemotype breeding (e.g., Type IV CBG-dominant lines). Pharmacology is often distinct from THC and CBD — CBG's α2-adrenergic activity, CBC's TRPA1 agonism, β-caryophyllene-like CB2 selectivity for some analogs — making minor cannabinoids targets for drug development even where historical data are thin. Evidence level varies by compound; most claims derive from in vitro and rodent studies. → See also: CBG, CBC, THCV, CBDV, THCP.