When we talk about cannabis and health, the conversation quickly turns to CBD and THC. But the cannabis plant is far more complex than these two well-known cannabinoids. The lesser-known compounds may have surprising biological properties.

This is becoming increasingly apparent in research on CBD and cannabidivarin (CBDV). Peter Vermeul, founder and owner of CBD Spain, discusses research in his article ‘CBDV against biofilms – An important step in cannabis research’that examines the antifungal effects of various phytocannabinoids. CBDV stands out in particular.

For Peter, this research is interesting for a broader reason. In his view, it shows why it is worth looking not only at individual cannabinoids but also at the cannabis plant as a whole.

This brings us to a topic that is central to his vision and to how we at CBD & Herb view CBD Spain oil: the power of a full-spectrum extract does not necessarily lie in a single compound, but in the natural synergy of many plant components.

From fungal growth to biofilms

The research focused, among other things, on Cryptococcus neoformans, a fungus that can cause serious infections, especially in people with weakened immune systems. The researchers examined various phytocannabinoids and found that both CBD and CBDV could inhibit the growth of this fungus. Notably, in the experiments conducted, both compounds not only inhibited growth but also demonstrated antifungal activity. In a so-called time-kill test, a clear effect was observed for both CBD and CBDV after just about thirty minutes.

But perhaps even more interesting is what happened with biofilms.

A biofilm can be seen as a protective environment in which microorganisms can organize themselves. This allows them to better protect themselves from their surroundings and can make infections more persistent. The research showed that CBD and CBDV could significantly inhibit the formation of biofilms produced by Cryptococcus neoformans. CBDV also showed activity against pre-existing, mature biofilms.

This makes CBDV particularly interesting to Vermeul. When a microorganism does not behave merely as an individual cell but organizes itself into a protective structure, the challenge of influencing it also changes.

Why CBDV stands out

CBDV – cannabidivarin – is still a relatively unknown cannabinoid to many people. CBD receives by far the most attention, while CBDV and its acidic precursor CBDVa are much less well known.

This is precisely why Peter Vermeul finds the research results interesting. CBDV proved effective against all tested strains of Cryptococcus neoformans and also showed activity against various dermatophytes. These are fungi that can cause skin infections, including athlete’s foot and ringworm.

The research thus raises questions about the role lesser-known cannabinoids may play. After all, not every cannabinoid behaves the same way. The research results also revealed differences between CBD and CBDV. According to Vermeul, this underscores the importance of taking a broader view of the cannabis plant: not only looking at the best-known molecule but also investigating what the different components can do individually and together.

Even more fascinating: the protective layer of the fungus

Another part of the research is particularly compelling.

Cryptococcus neoformans has a capsule that protects the fungus and helps it evade the immune system, among other things. The researchers found that CBDV affected not only cell size but also this protective capsule, which clearly became smaller.

This suggests that the effect of CBDV is not simply to ‘inhibit fungal growth’. It influences several biological processes.

Changes were also observed at the fungal cell level, including in the cell membrane, ergosterol, metabolism, stress responses, and mitochondria. Ergosterol plays an important role in stabilizing the membranes of fungal cells. The research findings thus point to several possible targets for CBD and CBDV.

This is precisely the kind of complexity that Peter Vermeul considers so characteristic of cannabinoids.

From a single cannabinoid to the whole plant

And this is where Peter Vermeul makes an important point in his article.

The research was conducted using isolated cannabinoids. This is logical from a scientific perspective: if you want to know what a specific compound does, you must be able to study it separately.

But the question that follows is at least as interesting:

What happens when cannabinoids are not used in isolation but are present together in a complete cannabis plant extract?

After all, a real cannabis plant contains much more than CBD and CBDV. A full-spectrum extract may contain cannabinoids, cannabinoid acids, terpenes, flavonoids, cannabiflavones, and sterols, among other things. Peter mentions CBDa, CBDVa, CBGa, CBCa, and THCa, among others.

According to Vermeul, this natural combination is precisely what matters. The plant does not produce its various components as separate, isolated molecules, but as part of a single biological system.

This is also why he takes a critical view of products made from isolated compounds or distillates and then presented as ‘full spectrum’. His view is that the natural synergy of a plant cannot simply be reproduced by combining individual compounds afterward. In his view, the plant’s genetics, the natural proportions of its components, and the way the plant is extracted all play a role.

What does this mean for full-spectrum CBDa?

It is important to make a distinction here.

The research discussed does not prove that full-spectrum CBDa oil treats fungal infections or biofilms in humans. The research Peter Vermeul writes about examined isolated cannabinoids and specific fungi under laboratory conditions.

According to Vermeul, the value of the research lies precisely in the new questions it raises.

If individual cannabinoids such as CBD and CBDV already show such interesting biological effects in laboratory research, is it not logical to investigate the plant’s complete natural composition more thoroughly?

That is the next step he would like to see.

This is an important starting point for CBD & Herb. When advising on CBD Spain, we do not just look at the percentage of CBD on a label, but rather at the quality and completeness of the extract. CBD Spain uses organic cannabis plants and an extraction process that preserves as many of the plant’s natural components as possible. The goal is to obtain an extract in which the focus is not on a single isolated compound, but on the plant’s natural complexity.

This aligns with Peter Vermeul’s broader vision: do not study the cannabis plant merely as a collection of individual molecules, but also as a whole.

An interesting question arises particularly with skin and topical applications

The results concerning dermatophytes also make the research interesting from a skin perspective.

Fungi can cause various skin problems, and some infections can recur. In the laboratory research, CBD and CBDV showed activity against various dermatophytes. The researchers therefore also describe the topical application of cannabinoids as an interesting direction for further research.

This does not mean that CBD or CBDa oil should be considered a proven treatment for a fungal infection. Further research is needed to establish this.

But it does make it clear why the skin is an interesting area of research for cannabinoids and complete cannabis extracts.

And this is precisely where the question of the complete plant matrix becomes relevant again. For what happens when CBDV, CBD, CBDa, CBDVa, CBGa, terpenes, and flavonoids are not studied individually, but as a natural combination?

We do not yet know enough about this.

The next step in cannabis research

Perhaps that is ultimately the most important message of this research.

It is not that CBDV has suddenly become the new miracle cure. Nor that a single laboratory study answers all questions about cannabis and health.

The opposite is actually more interesting.

The research shows that cannabinoids can affect fundamental fungal processes and that CBDV, in particular, has properties that deserve further investigation. It also shows that biofilms present an interesting target and that cannabinoids can affect cell membranes, metabolism, and mitochondrial processes, among other things.

For Peter Vermeul, this is an opportunity to look even further: at the complete cannabis plant, at the natural proportions of the various cannabinoids and cannabinoid acids, and at the possible role of the entourage effect.

As he puts it in his article: if individual cannabinoids already show such interesting properties, it is all the more important to investigate what happens when the plant is studied in its natural synergy.

From CBD to the full story of cannabis

The cannabis plant is much more than CBD alone.

CBDV shows us once again how much more there is to discover about the lesser-known cannabinoids. At the same time, research on biofilms opens a new door to questions about fungi, skin, microorganisms, and the complex interaction between plant compounds and biological systems.

For us at CBD & Herb, this development is precisely what interests us. We do not just want to tell people what CBD oil is, but especially to show what is increasingly being discovered scientifically and practically about the complete cannabis plant.

That is why we have compiled the articles and research of Peter Vermeul, founder and owner of CBD Spain on this page, so that you can continue to read, research, and discover for yourself.

Would you like to know how Peter Vermeul interprets the complete research on CBDV, CBD, and biofilms, and why he places so much value on complete full-spectrum cannabis extracts? Then read the full article: ‘CBDV against biofilms – An important step in cannabis research’.

• CBDVa against biofilms - An important step in cannabis research - pdf NL
• CBDVa against biofilms - An important step in cannabis research - pdf EN

Important: the research results discussed in this article come from laboratory research and should not be interpreted as proof that CBDa oil can treat a fungal infection, biofilm, or other condition. CBD & Herb provides information about natural products and therefore does not replace a medical diagnosis or treatment.