CBG Confirmed as Non-Intoxicating Even at High Blood Concentrations | Research

The takeaway

Comprehensive testing in mice confirmed cannabigerol (CBG) produces no intoxicating effects via any route of administration, even at high blood concentrations — supporting its growing use in wellness products.

CBG product consumers, cannabis researchers, regulators evaluating minor cannabinoids, and healthcare providers advising on cannabinoid supplements.

What the researchers found

CBG showed no cataleptic, hypothermic, anti-nociceptive, or locomotor effects at any tested blood concentration or route of administration (oral, intraperitoneal, intravenous), confirming it lacks THC-like intoxicating properties.

Why it matters

CBG is increasingly marketed in wellness products, but its pharmacology has been poorly characterized. This study confirms CBG won't produce a high even at concentrations exceeding what consumers would achieve, providing a safety baseline.

The numbers in context

Blood sampling at 10 min, 30 min, 1h, 3h, 6h, 12h, 18h, and 24h post-administration. Tested oral, intraperitoneal, and intravenous routes. Quantified by HPLC-MS/MS.

How the study worked

Pharmacokinetic profiling of CBG via oral, intraperitoneal, and intravenous administration in C57BL/6Crl mice with blood sampling at 8 time points, plus pharmacodynamic testing for catalepsy, hypothermia, pain response, and locomotion.

What this study cannot tell us

Mouse pharmacology may not perfectly translate to humans. Therapeutic effects (like anxiolytic potential) were not the focus of this study. Does not assess long-term safety.

How to read the evidence

Thorough preclinical characterization across multiple routes and endpoints, though mouse-to-human translation has inherent limitations.

When this study was published

Recent study addressing the growing need for pharmacological data on minor cannabinoids entering the consumer market.

The bigger picture

As the cannabis market diversifies beyond THC and CBD, minor cannabinoids like CBG need proper pharmacological characterization. Confirming CBG's non-intoxicating status supports informed consumer choices and regulatory decisions.

Questions still open

What therapeutic benefits does CBG actually provide? How does CBG interact with THC or CBD when used together in full-spectrum products?

Common questions

Can CBG get you high?

No — this study tested multiple routes of administration and blood concentrations and found zero intoxicating effects. CBG does not produce the catalepsy, hypothermia, or locomotor changes characteristic of THC.

What is CBG used for?

CBG has shown promising properties including potential anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects in preliminary research, but its therapeutic applications are still being established. This study focused on confirming its safety profile.

Read the original research

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of cannabigerol (CBG) in the C57BL/6Crl mouse.

Frontiers in pharmacology, 16, 1672098

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Zagzoog, Ayat; Halter, Kenzie; Ha, Nini; Jones, Alayna M; Andres, Rachel; Kim, Andy; Michel, Deborah; Alcorn, Jane; Laprairie, Robert B. (2025). Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of cannabigerol (CBG) in the C57BL/6Crl mouse.. Frontiers in pharmacology, 16, 1672098. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2025.1672098