THCVA
THCV's raw precursor
Cannabinoid
What is THCVA?
THCVA (tetrahydrocannabivarinic acid) is the raw, acidic precursor to THCV — the compound the plant stores before heat converts it. It appears in small amounts in some strains, alongside the better-known THCV.
Effects
THCVA is non-intoxicating in its raw form. Interest in it follows THCV, which has shown early potential for appetite regulation and energy in research. THCVA itself is rarely studied on its own, though it was among the compounds identified in the original isolation of the THCV-family cannabinoids from Thai cannabis, and it's been explored as a marker of THCV consumption.
- https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/cpb1958/25/9/25_9_2306/_article/-char/en
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21454026/
Research note
Seeing THCVA on a COA is mainly a marker that the strain carries THCV genetics — heat it and it becomes THCV before you consume it.