HCFSE is a Full Spectrum, High Cannabinoid Extract

High Cannabinoid Full Spectrum Extract (HCFSE) delivers the full spectrum of medicinal components in cannabis.

Anyone looking for a truly therapeutic experience needs the full spectrum of beneficial plant compounds. A full-spectrum extract, like HCFSE, distills the entire range of beneficial plant compounds with a high concentration of cannabinoids.

What is HCFSE?

High Cannabinoid Full Spectrum Extract is what it says: a form of full-spectrum extract. The definition of a full-spectrum extract is an extraction of the full range of potentially therapeutic compounds from the cannabis plant trichomes. Full-spectrum extracts do not contain non-therapeutic molecules such as waxes, lipids, and fats.

As the name suggests, HCFSE extracts have high cannabinoid concentrations. Concentrations may not always be present in the same ratios as they exist in the raw flower. However, it’s still considered full-spectrum if it captures all of the available compounds.

In HCFSE extracts, the plant compounds extracted do not undergo chemical alterations via decarboxylation or oxidation. This means that the extracts still require heat in order to activate compounds, such as THC through decarboxylation.

HCFSE vs HTFSE: What’s the Difference?

Terpenes and cannabinoids are the two most talked about sets of compounds in the cannabis plant. Their tremendous therapeutic potential is the result of the host of complex synergies that play out between the two. Taming THC, a study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology (2011), reveals just how these potent synergies work. The interdependence between many different terpenes and cannabinoids is responsible for many of the medicinal effects of cannabis. And it’s this fact that is leading many to seek ever more specialized extractions.

High Terpene Full Spectrum Extract (HTFSE) and High Cannabinoid Full Spectrum Extract are the terms used to describe the dominant compounds within the full-spectrum extract made from cured flower.

HTFSE Profiles

HTFSEs have a lower cannabinoid content than HCFSEs; but terpene profiles are higher, usually around forty percent. THCa,  the acid form of THC prior to decarboxylation, will generally be present at levels up to fifty percent.

High Cannabinoid Full Spectrum Extract Profiles

In HCFSEs, the principal difference is the cannabinoid concentrations. THCa levels of around ninety percent are commonly present.

Both HCFSE and HTFSE are essentially two sides of the same coin. At the time of extraction, the resulting solution will separate naturally into two mediums — one oily; one viscous. The oily section consists of high terpene content, while the viscous — or “sugars” — go by the name “high-cannabinoid.” Separation of both solutions is easy, so they form two similar yet distinct products.

How to Make HCFSE

HCFSE extracts are among the best cannabis products on the market. As a result, the processes behind their creation tend to be a closely guarded industry secret.

In short, the process involves extraction in a closed-loop system. A mixture of hydrocarbon solvents are generally present to enhance selectivity; something that helps ensure the extraction of the entire profile of terpenes and cannabinoids.

Extractions then go through a single-solvent dewaxing phase to remove the less therapeutic plant compounds. After this is the slow purging of the solvents in use — a step that’s common to most other types of cannabis concentrates.

HCFSE Sauce

The word “sauce” describes concentrates with very high levels of THCa and terpenes. The philosophy behind it is the preservation of the uniqueness of each chemovar. The aim is to ensure that the cannabinoid profile of the extract resembles that of the plant.

Commercially available HCFSE sauce may fetch in excess of fifty dollars per gram. It’s a luxury product at many dispensaries and is most commonly consumed by dabbing. The presence of the full-plant extract helps ensure a flavorful experience each time.

Much of the HCFSE sauce available from reputable sources comes from high-grade fresh frozen flower. This helps ensure that the starting plant material is minimally devoid of any therapeutic terpenes or cannabinoids and thus leads to a superior extract.

Where to Source Quality High Cannabinoid Full Spectrum Extracts

A high-quality extract is hard to come by. The technology in many ways is still in its infancy and few have truly mastered the art of extraction. When it comes to making full-spectrum extracts, extensive scientific expertise and some hi-tech equipment are necessary.

The U.S.-based company Extractioneering is a leader in the field of high-quality full-spectrum extracts and offer both HCFSE and HTFSE products.

Verify the Spectrum

Full-spectrum is a term generally used by online cowboys to mislead customers. By definition, full-spectrum means that the extract contains all of the therapeutic compounds present in the original plant. Many manufacturers using suboptimal extraction techniques may destroy many of the original plant compounds.

The best way to verify is to seek lab test results. All competent producers will have thoroughly tested their brand of extract to ensure the preservation of the essential compounds.

In the coming years, as science comes to understand the role of minor cannabinoids and terpenes, HCFSE extracts may well become the next big thing. After all, nature knows best, let’s allow her to pick the spectrum.