CBGVA (cannabigerovarinic acid) is the raw acid at the head of the varin family of cannabinoids, often called the "varin mother acid," and it doesn't intoxicate. Heat decarboxylates it to CBGV. The chemistry is well established; what the molecule does in people has barely been looked at.
C20H28O4 · MW ≈ 332.44 · CAS 64924-07-8 · raw acid, non-intoxicating · the varin "mother acid" · acid form of CBGV · decarboxylates to CBGV (~110–130 °C) · precursor of THCVA / CBDVA
Starts the series. Becomes THCVA, CBDVA, CBCVA, CBGV.
41 questions, and 23 of them earn a verified grade on the six-rung evidence ladder. 14 carry an evidence state instead of a rung, and most of those read no primary evidence: our registry has no study on the question, a different finding from not supported and marked differently. The other 4 use an author qualifier still waiting to enter the controlled vocabulary. They appear without a grade chip until it does, rather than wear a guessed one.
CBGVA has a formula, a CAS number and a secure place in the plant's chemistry, and very little else. It heads the varin branch, turns into CBGV under heat, and has barely been studied in people, which leaves a molecule whose chemistry is settled and whose biology is almost blank. So the chemistry is given as fact, with a grade: what CBGVA is, how it forms, what heat does to it, and why the raw acid won't get anyone high. Anything about effects or benefits is a claim made by others, reported with its limits; CBG Atlas does not make, adopt, or affirm these claims. Where the evidence runs out, you will see "catalogue in progress." Not medical or legal advice.
CBGVA (cannabigerovarinic acid) is the raw acid at the head of the varin family of cannabinoids, often called the "varin mother acid," and it doesn't intoxicate. Heat decarboxylates it to CBGV. The chemistry is well established; what the molecule does in people has barely been looked at.
Cannabigerovarinic acid. Read it from the end: the "-ic acid" names the carboxylic-acid form of cannabigerovarin (CBGV), itself the varin, or propyl-side-chain, cousin of CBG, and the final "A" marks the carboxyl group the living plant builds first. Formula C20H28O4, molecular weight ≈ 332.44, CAS 64924-07-8. A name records chemistry, Established here, and promises nothing about effects.
The plant builds it on the varin pathway, attaching a prenyl group to divarinic acid in the propyl twin of the step that makes CBGA on the main line. Varin synthases then turn CBGVA into THCVA and CBDVA, so one molecule feeds both. This upstream enzymology is general biochemistry.
Yes. CBGVA occurs naturally in raw, unheated cannabis, mostly in varin-rich chemotypes, and it is the form the living plant actually makes. Neutral CBGV arrives later, once heating, drying or age has driven CO₂ off the acid.
No. Cannabinoid acids don't switch on the CB1 receptor the way THC does, and CBGVA is one of them. Heat it and you get CBGV, which leaves users just as sober. The verified record holds no case of CBGVA causing a high.
As far as anyone knows, it isn't intoxicating, and neither is CBGV, its heated form. Subtler effects on mood or alertness are another matter. Nobody has run a controlled human study of CBGVA in either direction, so that half of the question is untested rather than ruled out, and it stays catalogue in progress.
Its effects in the body are not established. The one verified in vitro finding that touches it covers cannabinoid acids as a class, which inhibit the enzyme DAGLα (De Petrocellis 2011, PMID 21175579). A cell-level observation tells us nothing yet about effects in people. Catalogue in progress.
Unverified: nobody knows what unheated CBGVA does in people. It is a non-intoxicating acid, and although "raw cannabinoid" products are on the market, its raw effects are not established (not medical advice). Converting it to neutral CBGV takes heat. Catalogue in progress.
It depends on where the CBGVA comes from and where you are, more than on the molecule itself. Where hemp-derived cannabinoids under 0.3% Δ⁹-THC are permitted, CBGVA generally sits inside that framework; elsewhere it may be restricted. A general snapshot as of 2026-07-11, not legal advice, so check local law.
Generally yes, with one limit that matters. Under the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp-derived CBGVA in a product at or below 0.3% Δ⁹-THC by dry weight is generally legal federally as a hemp product. The catch is the FDA, which has not authorised cannabinoids as foods or dietary supplements, and being a lawful hemp derivative doesn't make CBGVA a lawful food ingredient. Anyone putting it in a gummy or a capsule meets that wall first. Dated 2026-07-11; general information, not legal advice.
That turns on your state's own law. State laws vary, and some restrict hemp cannabinoids more tightly than federal law does. Statutes rarely name CBGVA at all, so it usually falls under the state's general hemp and THC rules. Check the current statute or ask a qualified attorney. Dated 2026-07-11; informational only, not legal advice.
Generally not as a freely sold food or supplement. The EU and UK treat extracted cannabinoids as novel foods that need authorisation, and CBGVA holds none of its own. Canada regulates isolated phytocannabinoids under the Cannabis Act. Rules differ by product class and move often, so confirm the current national position before relying on this. Dated 2026-07-11; general information, not legal advice.
None has been established. The varin acid turns up in marketing for raw and full-spectrum products, but the claims run ahead of the science: CBGVA has no verified human or preclinical evidence for any benefit, and CBG Atlas does not affirm them (not medical advice). Catalogue in progress.
Mostly as an ingredient in raw-cannabinoid or full-spectrum products, and as a reference compound for research labs. Its established role is biochemical rather than therapeutic: as the varin mother acid, it becomes CBGV and sits upstream of the other varin acids. Catalogue in progress.
Nothing in people. The verified data stop at the cell dish, with in vitro observations on cannabinoid acids in general such as DAGLα inhibition (De Petrocellis 2011). Anything further, CBG-like activity included, comes from marketing (not medical advice). Catalogue in progress.
No. No controlled human trial of CBGVA is known, and the verified data end at cell-level work on cannabinoid acids. Its safety and efficacy in people are therefore unstudied, which is why CBG Atlas lists CBGVA as catalogue in progress, with a blank where benefits would go.
Nobody knows yet. CBGVA's safety is not established: no human safety studies, defined dose or long-term data. Being sober and being safe are separate questions. Talk to a qualified professional before use, especially if you take other medications (not medical advice). Catalogue in progress.
They are unknown. No controlled study has documented CBGVA's adverse effects, and an empty file is a different thing from a clean bill of health. Products may also carry other cannabinoids or contaminants. If you feel unwell, stop and get advice (not medical advice). Catalogue in progress.
Nobody can say. Neither a safe nor an effective CBGVA dose has been established, and overdose data are absent, so the evidence gives "too much" no definition. As with any unstudied compound, more isn't better. Catalogue in progress. This is not dosing or medical advice.
Nobody knows, because nobody has studied CBGVA interactions, in people or in the lab. Cannabinoids as a class can affect drug-metabolising enzymes, which makes an interaction plausible, though for CBGVA it remains unverified. If you take any medication, ask a clinician or pharmacist first. Catalogue in progress. (Not medical advice.)
None. No study has given isolated CBGVA to a person, for any purpose. A raw acid that doesn't intoxicate is still a long way from a characterised safety profile, and with nothing tested, nothing about its safety can be called established.
Probably not. Standard drug tests look for THC's metabolite (THC-COOH), and CBGVA is neither that nor a route to THC, so direct interference is unlikely. The variable that matters is trace THC in the hemp product. Cross-reactivity data specific to CBGVA are limited, so a current third-party certificate of analysis is the only way to see what a product contains.
No. CBGVA is a different molecule from THC, and heating it gives non-intoxicating CBGV. Pure CBGVA is THC-free. Hemp-derived products can still carry trace Δ⁹-THC unless they are made from isolate, so check the product's certificate of analysis (COA) for its THC figure.
Unlikely, at least directly. Tests are built to find THC, and CBGVA never forms it. The risk sits in trace THC in the hemp product itself, so if you are drug-tested, choose products whose COA shows non-detectable THC.
Mostly in raw or full-spectrum hemp preparations, or as a reference isolate, because heat turns it into CBGV. It may be taken sublingually or in a raw-cannabinoid blend. Those are notes on format; CBGVA has no studied route or dose (not medical advice).
Few, because CBGVA is scarce. It turns up in some raw or full-spectrum extracts, in varin-focused blends and as reference isolates for labs, while standalone consumer products are uncommon. Any heated product will have converted its CBGVA to CBGV. Potency and purity swing widely from seller to seller, so a current third-party certificate of analysis (COA) is the only reliable check on what is in the bottle.
No dose has been established. Without a clinical study that defines a safe or effective amount, CBG Atlas offers no dosing guidance, and the number on a label is the manufacturer's choice rather than evidence. Consult a qualified professional (not medical or dosing advice). Catalogue in progress.
Only if you want CBGV. Heat decarboxylates CBGVA and drives off CO₂; left raw, it stays a non-intoxicating acid. Which form belongs in a product depends on the product, and the raw acid's own effects are still unstudied. Catalogue in progress.
One carboxyl group. CBGVA is the raw plant acid and CBGV its neutral form, and the difference leaves as CO₂ when CBGVA is heated to roughly 110–130 °C. Neither intoxicates, and both are largely unstudied in people.
Both are "mother" acids, heading different branches. CBGVA leads the varin (propyl) series and CBGA the main pentyl series, so CBGA→(THCA/CBDA/CBCA) mirrors CBGVA→(THCVA/CBDVA/CBCVA). Two carbons of side chain make the whole structural difference, and both are non-intoxicating precursor acids. The biosynthetic relationship is Established; what either acid does in a person has barely been tested.
CBGVA is their parent. Synthase enzymes convert it into THCVA (→THCV) and CBDVA (→CBDV), the same way CBGA precedes THCA and CBDA on the pentyl line. All three share the varin scaffold and none intoxicates raw. The pathway is Established, but the varin synthases themselves are less fully characterised, so that step remains catalogue in progress.
Yes. Raw means the CBGVA acid is intact and non-intoxicating; decarbed means heat has taken its carboxyl group and left neutral CBGV. They are distinct molecules, and only decarbed material is CBGV, an Established relationship. Neither is an approved or established treatment for anything, and human evidence on CBGVA is catalogue in progress. (Not medical advice.)
CBGVA's molecular formula is C20H28O4, with a molecular weight of ≈ 332.44 g/mol (CAS 64924-07-8). It is the carboxylic-acid precursor of CBGV (C19H28O2) and the varin analog of CBGA, carrying the carboxyl group CBGV lacks; heat removes it as CO₂ and leaves CBGV. The chemistry is Established. CBGVA's biology is a separate question, with little data behind it.
From raw, unheated, varin-rich cannabis, using gentle methods that keep heat away, since heat would turn it into CBGV, followed by chromatography to purify it. The plant makes little and heat destroys what there is, so stable CBGVA comes out of demanding, low-yield work.
Yes. As the varin mother acid, CBGVA is the shared starting point that varin synthase enzymes convert into THCVA (→THCV) and CBDVA (→CBDV), just as CBGA yields THCA/CBDA/CBCA. The varin synthases themselves are less characterized, so that enzymology stays catalogue in progress.
Roughly 110–130 °C. Gentle heat applied over time drives off CO₂ and leaves CBGV. For cannabinoid acids in general, about 130 °C for ~30 minutes converts nearly all of the acid, and hotter settings (150–160 °C) work faster at the risk of degrading it. CBGVA's own kinetics are thinly published (catalogue in progress).
From a handful of specialty hemp, cannabinoid and reference-chemical suppliers, usually as raw-cannabinoid extracts or reference isolates. Stock comes and goes. CBG Atlas endorses no brand; buy only from vendors that publish third-party lab results.
Supply and handling. CBGVA occurs in small amounts, only in certain varin-rich chemotypes, and heat turns it into CBGV, so isolating it in stable form is low-yield, technically demanding work. Cold handling, cold storage and extra purification all add cost, which is why it prices well above common cannabinoids such as CBD. The price tag tracks scarcity and says nothing about potency.
Ask for a current certificate of analysis (COA) from an accredited third-party lab. It should confirm the CBGVA content, report the THC level and show screening for pesticides, solvents and heavy metals, and the label should match it. A missing or mismatched COA is a red flag.
Your call, but no evidence yet supports trying it. CBGVA has no established benefit and has never been tested in a controlled human trial, so any value it has is speculative. Catalogue in progress. If you try it anyway, pick lab-tested products with a current certificate of analysis and keep your expectations in line with the evidence. (Not medical advice.)
A third-party COA that matches the label, a compliant and clearly declared THC level, stated cannabinoid amounts, contaminant screening and transparent sourcing. Be sceptical of any health or "CBG-like" claim: none has been verified for CBGVA, its evidence is catalogue in progress, and CBG's own record stays with CBG. Testing and transparency are what you can actually check at the point of sale. (Not medical advice.)
Informational only, not medical advice. CBG Atlas is a scientific reference. Nothing here diagnoses, treats, cures or prevents any disease. Every claim on the page carries the grade of the evidence behind it, and the grade sets the words the claim may use. How we grade evidence.
Educational, not medical or legal advice. Statements about effects, benefits or uses report claims made by third parties. CBG Atlas does not make, adopt or affirm them. Legal status depends on jurisdiction, product class and date, and it changes, so check it against the official source. See how we grade and the safety page.
Cardiovascular note. CBG is a potent α2-adrenoceptor agonist in vitro, and α2 agonism can lower blood pressure. Anyone taking blood-pressure or other cardiovascular medication should consult a clinician before use. This is educational information, not medical advice.
Funding and independence. Peregrine Biopharma funds the platform and holds no editorial authority.
Report a safety event →Its acid or neutral form
Its varin or pentyl analogue
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