Discovering the body’s hidden network
The endocannabinoid system, or ECS, was discovered surprisingly late in medical history, especially considering how long humans have been using cannabis for therapeutic purposes. Ancient civilizations such as the Chinese, Indians, and Greeks used cannabis in medicine thousands of years ago, without knowing why it worked. They didn’t yet know that their bodies contained a system specifically designed to interact with compounds in the cannabis plant.
It wasn’t until 1964 that Israeli scientist Dr. Raphael Mechoulam first isolated THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis. This marked the beginning of scientific cannabinoid research. Following this discovery, scientists began to uncover other cannabinoids, such as CBD, and started to question how these compounds could have such diverse effects on the human body.
In the early 1990s, researchers identified the endocannabinoid system (ECS): A complex cell-signaling system found throughout the human body. They discovered that the body produces its own cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids, which interact with receptors in the brain, immune system, and other organs. This system helps regulate essential functions such as mood, memory, sleep, stress, pain, and inflammation.
Cannabinoids are divided into three groups:
‘Phyto’ means plant-based, produced by plants like cannabis
‘Endo’ means ‘inside’, produced by the human body
Artificially created in a laboratory
The ECS plays a major role in maintaining homeostasis, the body’s internal balance. When this balance is disrupted due to illness or stress, the ECS works to restore harmony. The discovery of the ECS helped explain why cannabinoids like CBD and THC can influence such a wide range of physical and mental processes.
Although the ECS wasn’t identified until recent decades, its presence and importance have been part of human biology all along. Today, the ECS is at the center of research into natural therapies and plant-based medicine, especially when it comes to CBD and hemp.
Understanding the ECS helps us better appreciate the full potential of cannabinoids and why they’ve been used in healing practices for thousands of years.
