CBDACannabidiolic acid

(1R,6R)-3-methyl-6-(prop-1-en-2-yl)-4-pentyl-2-(2,4-dihydroxybenzoyl)cyclohex-3-en-1-ol carboxylic acid

Aliases.Acide cannabidiolique · CBD-A

The acidic precursor of CBD, dominant in the fresh plant and converted by heat.

Updated on 1 May 2026

Level of detail

Identifiers

Formula: C₂₂H₃₀O₄
Molar mass: 358.47 g·mol⁻¹
CAS: 1244-58-2
PubChem CID: 160570
First described: 1955
Origin: Plant
InChIKey: WVOLTBSCXRRQFR-DLBZAZTESA-N

In plain terms

CBDA is what a raw hemp flower actually contains. Heat turns it into CBD - which is why a certificate of analysis reports both lines.

Receptors and activity

COX-2
Antagonist
5-HT1A
Agonist
GPR55
Modulator

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
65
Clarity
55
Sleep
40
Appetite
35
High
30

Editorial estimate, not clinical.

Pharmacology

Cannabidiolic acid is the form the living plant synthesises: decarboxylation, by heat or time, removes the carboxyl group and yields CBD. This is why an HPLC certificate reports CBDA and CBD separately, and why a raw-flower reading cannot be read as if it were a decarboxylated product. Its own pharmacology is distinct - notably a 5-HT1A agonism more potent in vitro than CBD's.

Key sources.