THCA is considered non-psychoactive, meaning that you don't experience a “high” when you drink it. This is due to the fact that THCA does not bind to CB1 receptors, the receptors that have a high binding affinity for THC. THCA is short for tetrahydrocannabinol acid, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid. It is one of hundreds of chemical compounds in the marijuana plant.
THCA is the acidic form of THC, but unlike THC, it doesn't produce a euphoric effect. THC and THCA have many similar effects. Either option works as an antiemetic or anti-nausea remedy. However, THCA is more effective at minimizing inflammation than THC and may help people with seizure disorders.
As mentioned above, THCA could have anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and antiemetic properties. THCA isn't intoxicating (it won't get you high), which some may also consider a benefit. THCA is one of those compounds where its law is not so clear. On the one hand, it's not psychoactive.
On the other hand, it is derived from cannabis and is converted to THC when heated. Fortunately, all the THCA in the raw herb is not decarboxylated and is converted to THC when heat is applied. Because THCA has an extramolecular carboxylic ring, it cannot bind to receptors in the brain to produce the euphoric effect associated with THC. The first Israeli research on the benefits of THCA compared to THC has yielded some very interesting initial conclusions.
THCA powder contains a very high amount of cannabinoids compared to similar products, but you shouldn't expect this cannabinoid-rich compound to get you high. Courtney said that the action of THCA on the body's endocannabinoid system is one of its most outstanding therapeutic qualities. Because THCa molecules are physically larger than THC molecules, they cannot bind to the receptors of the endocannabinoid system. These reported effects are based on word-of-mouth reports from patients and on inconclusive experiments; researchers need to conduct more studies to establish the therapeutic benefits of THCA.
Another study, also published in the British Journal of Pharmacology that same year, analyzed the antiemetic effects of THCA and found that THCA “could be a more powerful alternative to THC in the treatment of nausea and vomiting. THCA, you'll see that the most notable difference between the two chemical compounds is the ability to produce intoxicating effects. Now you know everything about THC versus THCA, and you have all the information you need to make the best decision about which one to consume. You may have even read about CBD, terpenes, potency, and other terms related to cannabis, but you might not know that THC comes from a compound known as THCA.
