CBDCannabidiol

2-[(1R,6R)-3-méthyl-6-prop-1-én-2-ylcyclohex-2-én-1-yl]-5-pentylbenzène-1,3-diol

Aliases.Cannabidiol

The major non-intoxicating cannabinoid. Modulates CB1 activity without binding to it directly.

Updated on 1 May 2026

Level of detail

Identifiers

Formula: C₂₁H₃₀O₂
Molar mass: 314.46 g·mol⁻¹
CAS: 13956-29-1
PubChem CID: 644019
First described: 1940
Origin: Plant
InChIKey: QHMBSVQNZZTUGM-ZWKOTPCHSA-N

In plain terms

CBD does not get you high. It eases anxiety and inflammation without altering cognition, which makes it the most studied and the most widely legal cannabinoid - permitted in every EU country.

Receptors and activity

CB1
MAN · Ki > 10 µMModulator
CB2
agoniste/antagoniste faiblePartial agonist
5-HT1A
Ki ≈ 16 µMAgonist
TRPV1
EC50 ≈ 3,5 µMAgonist
GPR55
antagonisteAntagonist
PPARγ
agonisteAgonist

Agonist
Partial agonist
Antagonist
Modulator
Inverse agonist

Hover over a row for the precise value (Ki, EC50…)

Subjective signature

Hover over an axis to read its definition.

Calm
90
Clarity
65
Sleep
55
Appetite
25
High
40

Editorial estimate, not clinical.

Pharmacology

The major non-intoxicating cannabinoid. Unlike THC, CBD does not bind orthosterically to CB1: it acts as a negative allosteric modulator (Laprairie, BJP 2015) with a direct affinity above 10 µM. Its polypharmacology is broad - 5-HT1A agonist (Russo 2005, Ki ≈ 16 µM), TRPV1 agonist (EC50 ≈ 3.5 µM), GPR55 antagonist - which explains why its effects cannot be reduced to the endocannabinoid system alone.

Key sources.

Epidiolex / EpidyolexFDA 2018 · EMA 2019 - Dravet, LGS, TSC