Understanding the endocannabinoid system
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a network of chemical signals and cellular receptors that helps regulate bodily functions like learning and memory, emotional processing, sleep, temperature control, pain control, immune responses, and hunger. You've probably heard of one famous cannabinoid: THC, the active ingredient in cannabis . But cannabinoids don't just come from plants. Our bodies naturally produce tons of endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids for short). These molecules interact with receptors and enzymes to help the body maintain a balanced state called homeostasis. Exogenous cannabinoids like THC work by "hijacking" this natural system.
Endocannabinoids
Endocannabinoids are molecules that send signals to the body by binding with endocannabinoid receptors. The first known endocannabinoid was named anandamide after the Sanskrit word for bliss: ananda.
Receptors
Two types of receptors interpret endocannabinoid signals.
CB1 receptors are mostly found in the central nervous system.
CB2 receptors are mostly found in the peripheral nervous system.
THC works by activating both receptors.
Enzymes
Lastly, enzymes help accelerate biochemical reactions and break down endocannabinoids once they've carried out their signaling function.
The evidence behind our active ingredient
At Soft Landing, nothing is more important to us than the effectiveness of our product. That's why we asked Dr. Oren Levy, a noted medical researcher and cannabinoid expert, to conduct a review of the peer-reviewed literature on BCP, spanning over 50 studies. His review found that BCP counteracts the psychoactive effects of THC, improves cognitive function and memory, alleviates anxiety, reduces neuroinflammation, and mitigates oxidative stress. A few examples from these studies are included below:
Cognitive function & memory
% of maze entries that were "novel"
One study used rats and mazes to study spatial recognition memory. Rats first had their memories impaired, and then some were given BCP to fix it. The latter performed twice as well in the maze as the impaired rats, even outperforming the control group.
Source: Youssef, D. A., El-Fayoumi, H. M., & Mahmoud, M. F. (2019). Beta-caryophyllene alleviates diet-induced neurobehavioral changes in rats: The role of CB2 and PPAR-γ receptors. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 110, 145–154.
Anxiety & paranoia
Time spent digging (seconds)
Another study analyzed digging in mice as an example of anxiety-induced behavior. Compared to a control group, mice treated with beta-caryophyllene reduced the amount of time they spent digging by 70% during the experiment.
Source: Bahi, A., Al Mansouri, S., Al Memari, E., Al Ameri, M., Nurulain, S. M., & Ojha, S. (2014). β-Caryophyllene, a CB2 receptor agonist produces multiple behavioral changes relevant to anxiety and depression in mice. Physiology & Behavior, 135, 119–124.
Oxidative Stress
MDA (microns per mg protein)
A third study examined BCP's effect in reducing oxidative damage, a driver of neurodegenerative diseases. Mice received oxidative damage; some were then given BCP. Those given BCP saw a dramatic reduction in MDA, a biomarker for oxidative damage, with levels below the control .
Source: Ojha, S., Javed, H., Azimullah, S., & Haque, M. E. (2016). β-Caryophyllene, a phytocannabinoid attenuates oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, glial activation, and salvages dopaminergic neurons in a rat model of Parkinson disease. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 418(1–2), 59–70.
The Evidence Behind Our Formula
With our active ingredient identified, we set out to develop the optimal recipe to maximize its effects. We experimented, sampled and sourced the highest quality ingredients to develop our proprietary Canna-Calm™ mix. And then we tested it. An independent cannabis nurse, Jessilyn Dolan, conducted a study of Soft Landing's effectiveness and confirmed it really works.
80%
of study participants found it effective in reducing their high
40%
avg. decrease in high intensity, reported on a scale of 1-10
2
pieces on average to return to comfortable levels
Meet the Researchers Behind Soft Landing
Oren Levy, PhD MBA
Oren Levy is an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at a world-renowned medical school, studying neurodegenerative diseases. He also served as Vice President of R&D at Parallel, one of the largest cannabinoid therapeutics companies in the US, leading the clinical development of cannabinoid therapeutics for pain management disorders. His research has yielded 5 patents, 27 invited lectures, and 37 published manuscripts with over 4,000 citations in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Levy produced an independent report for us on the peer-reviewed evidence behind Soft Landing's active ingredient.
Jessilyn Dolan, RN
Jessilyn Dolan is a registered nurse who specializes in helping patients through cannabis. She is the founder of the Vermont Cannabis Nurses Association and the wellness director at the Higher Standards education and consulting group. Previously, Jessilyn served as a Director for the American Cannabis Nurses Association and President of the Vermont chapter of the American Nurses Association. Jessilyn was instrumental in running Soft Landing's initial pilot study testing the effectiveness of our product with cannabis users.
