Cannabidiol (CBD) has a lot of potential health benefits. It is one of the main cannabinoid compounds found in the hemp plant and has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antipsychotic, and anticonvulsant properties that may help in the treatment of many health problems.
CBD is extracted from the hemp plant using various extraction processes. Depending on the extraction process, the concentration of CBD varies in different hemp extracts. This may also result in different standards of quality. CO2 and BHO extractions are the most common extraction methods of CBD.
BHO Extraction
This extraction method is one of several solvent-based extraction methods. Butane hash oil or BHO is a type of cannabis oil that is produced when butane is used as a solvent. Butane preserves the flavors, scents, and active properties of the cannabis strain and removes the trichomes from the plant. The end result of the BHO extraction is a soft yellowish wax, which is heated to make the oil.
During the extraction process, the plant material is washed using butane. This is an important step in the extraction process. The butane will extract the terpenes, cannabinoids, and lipids from the plant. After the extraction of the compounds butane should be removed from the extract. The yellowish wax is heated at a particular temperature for removing the butane solvent.
Pros And Cons
BHO extraction is very fast and cost-efficient. This extraction method can also be done at home. The finished product tends to come out with high CBD content. Even though this method can be tried at home, it can be dangerous if you are not using proper safety measures. If butane is not removed completely from the extract, it may cause many severe health hazards when consumed.
CO2 Extraction
In this type of CBD extraction, Carbon dioxide is used to separate the trichomes from the plant material. During the extraction process, CO2 is converted into liquid form and this solvent is washed through the cannabis plant material. This will remove the trichomes from the plant. After this step, CO2 is vaporized to separate it from the plant material. The extract that is left behind will be completely clean.
Pros And Cons
The CO2 extraction method is better at preserving the CBD and terpenes of the plant. It is a natural way of CBD extraction and is completely safe because the solvent is not toxic. But CO2 extraction method is very time consuming and expensive. The cost of making CBD extract can be reduced if you recycle the CO2.
BHO Vs CO2
While BHO extraction is fast and cheap, the end results are not so pleasant for the consumers. So CBD manufacturing companies often prefer the CO2 extraction method for making CBD oil because it is safer and more desirable for the consumers.