While cannabis research is gaining speed, there is a huge demand for more detailed information on this powerful little plant. And one platform is making it their mission to educate cannabis consumers–StrainRx.
StrainRx started as a concept to combine pharmacology and cannabis. Founder and CEO Alec Perelman saw the many potential benefits cannabis medicine holds.
“Hundreds of cannabinoids and terpenes align themselves to become nature’s medicine cabinet,” he explains. “And the endocannabinoid system is so central to the human body [and] governs so many functions that it’s not really a surprise this plant can deliver so many solutions when properly utilized.”
While most of us understand the basic therapeutic potential of cannabis, many don’t take the time–or even know where to begin–to dig deeper to figure out which phytocannabinoids within the plant are best suited for a particular ailment.
This is where StrainRx comes in. At its root, every cannabis experience come down to its ever-growing list of strains, or cultivars, which contain a unique set of phytocannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. The idea behind StrainRx is “to help people identify and locate optimal cannabis strains for purposeful consumption.”
In many ways, StrainRx is a database for cannabis cultivars. The platform allows users to search for these cultivars depending on their needs to help them find an appropriate one tailored to the cannabinoid and terpene levels that might be right for them.
This tool can process this information in a few different ways:
- Advanced Search: Beyond choosing certain cultivars, StrainRx’s advanced search gives you the ability to search for desired percentages of phytocannabinoids and terpenes.
- Strain Wizard: Not sure how different cannabinoids and terpenes affect your brain and body? This is no problem for StrainRx. By using the Strain Wizard analysis, all you have to do is answer a few questions concerning what you’re looking for:
- Which type of strain are interested in?
- What type of effects are you trying to achieve?
- What type of ailments do you want to alleviate?
- Which possible side effects do you you want to minimize?
Each of these questions can be optimized in terms of how important a certain trait is to you. For example, if you want to minimize the side effect of anxiety, you can indicate this as a top priority.
Admittedly, StrainRx isn’t the first platform of its kind. There have been other attempts to create the ultimate cannabis search engine. But StrainRx stands out for one specific reason–its attention to detail.
“We provide information on a particular strain from a 360-degree perspective,” Perelman notes. “We have the full core and story about a strain. We want to capture the cultivators and what those people represent–their growing methodology. And, ultimately, the goal after educating is to help users find these particular products.
StrainRx is connected to a large number of growers and dispensaries across the US and Canada. And, as cannabis becomes more accessible in various states and other countries, StrainRx plans to expand, ensuring that all new players that come on the scene get proper recognition.
“We want to give the consumer an absolute and holistic view of what [a particular] product is, where it comes from, and where they can get it.”
However, StrainRx’s relationships with other organizations go further beyond the source of cannabis.
“Our aspirations as an organization include diving into the science of the plant and exploring the full medical potential,” said Perelman. “[That means] partnering with universities and academia as a whole in order to participate and further our understanding of cannabis.”
The full circle of knowledge–from how a particular product is cultivated to how it can potentially help as a medicine–makes StrainRx stand out for sure. And if you’re looking for testimony as to how true that statement is, look no further than the people who have given the site a try.
“People have found a lot of value from our platform,” Perelman says. “It’s helped them find products they really love. Things that have helped them do what they set out to do.”
As new cultivars continue to be developed and as more research is published on how various cannabinoids and terpenes work within the body, StrainRx will be on the frontlines allowing you to access this information through their sophisticated search engine.
“We aspire to take this in a global direction,” Perelman concludes. “I think that the whole world is shifting perspectives in terms of the applications of cannabis, THC [tetrahydrocannabinol], and CBD [cannabidiol]. I definitely think it’s something that’s going to be all over the world.”
If you’re interested in giving StrainRx a try for yourself, the platform is openly available to the public. Truly, the world of cannabinoids and terpenes is far richer and more diverse than most of us realize.
