CBD crystal form isolate corrected
January 10th, 2022
By Dr. Gigi Nieto and Dr. Silvia Mireles
CBD isolate in crystal form is the purest form of Cannabidiol, the CBD isolate is a crystalline powder containing 99% pure Cannabidiol. The extraction process eliminates all the active compounds of the cannabis plant, later a refining process is carried out in which all the phytocannabinoid elements are eliminated, including THC (1). Cannabidiol is a chemical substance that is found in dermatological creams and is the main component that is being studied as an aid in various pathologies. This substance does not contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient found in the cannabis plant which can cause intoxicating effects.
There are several ways to extract CBD from the cannabis plant, one of the oldest techniques, but with little efficiency, is the distillation of CBD. The process is carried out with hot water that produces steam and rises towards the glass that contains the plant, the vapors are captured in a tube that condenses them into oil and water. Once the mixture is obtained, it is distilled again to separate the oil and generate CBD water crystals. The reason this technique is inefficient is that the vapor gets too hot, and this can damage the chemical properties of the cannabidiol. The optimal process by which we can obtain isolated CBD is through 6 steps: extraction, winterization, filtration, decarboxylation, distillation, and crystallization (2).
Step 1: Extraction
To make a CBD concentrate, it must first be extracted. Solvents such as butane or propane are used for this step. Then a centrifugation system is used to help separate the CBD concentrate from the rest of the cannabis components. The centrifugation process is necessary since this process is responsible for separating the CBD from the cannabis plant. Centrifuges are medical machines used in laboratories which rotate rapidly creating a centrifugal force which helps separate liquids of different densities or also liquids from solids.
Paso 2: Winterization
This process seeks to separate and eliminate from the concentrate any molecule other than CBD, such as fats, waxes, and chlorophyll. If they are not removed, the purity of the CBD isolate decreases. The process is mainly based on cooling the extract at temperatures below zero, it is kept at these temperatures for a while so that the fats, waxes, and chlorophyll separate from the oil that contains the CBD.
Step 3: Filtration
After the separation is carried out during the winterization, the mixture is quickly filtered with a vacuum pump to extract the CBD mixture. This mixture is passed through filter plates that collect the fats, waxes, and chlorophyll in one container and in another one, the desired filtered CBD mixture.
Step 4: Decarboxylation
In this step, carboxylic acid and CO2 are removed from the mixture since these components are present in cannabis extracts. This step ensures that the final product contains the benefits that CBD offers in its purest form.
Step 5: Distillation
Distillation is the process by which the mixture passes through a rotating plate that is hot and elevates the mixture’s temperature enough to produce vapor. The vapor then passes through a mesh that completely cleans it and after this, it cools down and returns to its liquid form.
Step 6: Crystallization
The crystallization process ensures that the final product contains 99.9% CBD. The final mixture is heated once again while being stirred constantly. Finally, the temperature is lowered as well as the stirring speed. Then the mixture gets cooled down and when it is finally cool the stirring speed is drastically increased, and this change causes the crystals to separate from the solution.
This crystal isolate is the purest form of CBD and the type used in the production of MGC Derma products, this is one of the reasons we claim that our products are made from the highest quality ingredients.
References:
- Filer CN. Cannabinoid crystal polymorphism. J Cannabis Res [Internet]. 2022;4(1):23. Disponible en: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s42238-022-00131-2
- Teräsvalli H. Extraction and Purification of Cannabidiol [Internet]. Lut.fi. 2020 [cited December 27, 2022]. Available in:https://lutpub.lut.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/161311/Kandidaatintyo_Heini_Terasvalli.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
