Flavonoids protect plants and attract pollinators, and also have therapeutic value. They are present in cannabis and can magnify the benefits of individual plant components, known as the “entourage effect.” Flavonoids serve a unique purpose, as they are beneficial antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. They also act as antibacterials and attract pollinators, protecting plants from disease. There are over 6,000 known flavonoids in nature, many of which are present in cannabis. By combining with cannabinoids and terpenes, flavonoids help increase the therapeutic benefits of CBD products by acting as anti-inflammatories and providing antioxidant properties. This spectrum of benefits can help stave off certain diseases and conditions due to their antioxidant properties. When all these individual components work together synergistically, it can magnify the therapeutic effects of the product even further.
Flavonoids are a big part of this equation, as they play a role in the flavor of cannabis and may even have allergy benefits. Flavonoids, along with other essential compounds, including cannabinoids and terpenes, are found in the female hemp plant and form an aromatic character. Flavonoids also deliver therapeutic benefits and increase hemp compounds’ benefits, which add to the therapeutic value of CBD products. When you perceive the cannabis plant, you know that it has some kind of flavoring or flavor profile associated with it. That is because flavonoids make up that flavor profile and play a crucial role in your senses when consuming any CBD product. Many different types of flavonoids are found in various parts of cannabis plants, such as their leaves and buds.
In addition to the two most widely known phytocannabinoids, THC and CBD, more than four-hundred additional compounds have been identified in cannabis sativa plants. Out of these additional phytocannabinoids, a few other classes of plant chemicals such as terpenes and flavonoids are found in hemp and marijuana plants. Out of these flavonoids, roughly twenty have been found to offer medicinal benefits. These active flavonoids are responsible for various functions within the plants such as protection from disease, odors and flavors, pigmentation and protection from insects. They also protect the plant from UV radiation damage.
In addition to flavor protection, research suggests that some flavonoid compounds may even help reduce cancer potential by enhancing bioactivities that can eliminate cancer cells while allowing healthy cells to survive. Thus flavonoids are incredibly important when it comes to medicinal benefits that can be found in cannabis products like CBD oil.