Glossary
The words of medical cannabis, made simple.
In articles and mini-courses, terms with a dotted underline show their meaning when tapped. Here they all are, in order.
- Anvisa
- Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency. It regulates medicines and cannabis products in Brazil and authorizes personal imports.
- Bioavailability
- How much of a substance actually reaches the bloodstream. It varies with the form of use (oil, capsule, inhalation) and even with food.
- Broad-spectrum
- An extract with several plant compounds, but with THC removed or present only in trace amounts.
- Cannabinoids
- Substances that act on the receptors of the endocannabinoid system. They can come from the plant (phytocannabinoids, such as CBD and THC), be made by the body itself (endocannabinoids) or be made in a lab.
- CB1 and CB2 receptors
- The main “locks” of the endocannabinoid system. CB1 is mostly found in the nervous system; CB2, in immune cells and tissues outside the brain.
- CBD (cannabidiol)
- One of the plant's main cannabinoids. It doesn't cause THC's psychoactive effect and is studied in epilepsy, anxiety, pain and sleep, among other conditions.
- CBD isolate
- A product made only with purified CBD, without THC or other plant compounds.
- Dosing instructions
- How to take a medicine: how much, how many times a day, at what time and for how long.
- Drug interaction
- When one medicine changes the effect of another. CBD, for example, can change blood levels of some anti-seizure medications and blood thinners. That's why your medication list matters so much in the consultation.
- Endocannabinoid system
- A network of receptors, substances and enzymes the body uses to regulate functions such as pain, sleep, mood, appetite and inflammation. It's where cannabinoids act.
- Endocannabinoids
- Cannabinoids made by the body itself, such as anandamide and 2-AG. They help keep body functions in balance.
- Entourage effect
- The idea that the plant's compounds act differently together than on their own. It's plausible, but not yet well proven in studies with people.
- Full-spectrum
- An extract that keeps several plant compounds, including small amounts of THC, as well as terpenes and other cannabinoids.
- Notificação de Receita (A and B)
- An official form required for controlled products in Brazil, kept by the pharmacy. For cannabis products, the type depends on THC content: B (blue) up to 0.2% and A (yellow) above that.
- Patient associations
- Organizations that, in some cases with a court authorization, produce and supply cannabis derivatives to their members, with a medical prescription.
- Psychoactive effect
- A change in perception, mood or consciousness. With cannabis, it's mainly linked to THC and depends strongly on the dose.
- RDC 327/2019
- The Anvisa resolution that created the “cannabis products” category, sold in pharmacies with a prescription.
- RDC 660/2022
- The Anvisa resolution that regulates personal imports of cannabis-derived products, for one's own use, with a prescription. The authorization is valid for 2 years.
- Sublingual use
- Placing the oil under the tongue and waiting a moment before swallowing. It's the most common way to take cannabis oils.
- Terpenes
- Aromatic compounds found in cannabis and many other plants, responsible for their smell. Some may have effects of their own, still under study.
- THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)
- The cannabinoid behind cannabis's psychoactive effect. At carefully adjusted medical doses, it may help with pain, spasticity, nausea and appetite.
- Titration
- Adjusting the dose gradually: starting low and increasing slowly until finding the lowest dose that helps and is well tolerated.
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