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Decoding Medical Cannabinoids: A Cannabis Component Guide
The therapeutic and psychoactive properties commonly attributed to cannabis arise from specific chemical compounds known as cannabinoids, inherent to the plant itself. To date, 86 such naturally occurring cannabinoids have been identified, while others have been chemically synthesized. This article aims to provide an exhaustive overview of the active constituents of medical cannabis.
The primary psychoactive component in cannabis is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, colloquially recognized as THC. It is worth noting that varying nomenclature systems may ambiguously refer to it as delta-t-THC. Besides THC, additional cannabinoids exhibit medicinal and/or psychoactive attributes.
Among the myriad of endogenous cannabinoids are Cannabidiol (CBD), Cannabinol (CBN), Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), Cannabigerol (CBG), Cannabichromene (CBC), Delta-8-THC, Cannabicyclol (CBL), Cannabitriol (CBT), and Cannabielsoin.
Most of these compounds are understood to possess psychoactive and/or pharmacological effects, akin to their synthetic cannabinoid analogs.
THC
Due to the psychoactive attributes of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in cannabis, it is commonly employed as a metric for assessing the plant’s potency. In terms of concentration, THC is generally present at less than 0.5% in inactive hemp, ranges between 2 to 3% in the foliage of cannabis, and escalates to 4 to 20% in higher-grade variants of the plant.
In the seedless floral clusters, colloquially referred to as sinsemilla, THC concentrations are notably elevated, typically ranging from 10 to 20% or even higher. More concentrated forms of THC are encountered in extracts, tinctures, and hashish, which is a form of concentrated cannabis resin.
For therapeutic applications, oral administration of THC varies from doses of 2.5 to 20 milligrams. A conventional cannabis cigarette, comprising 1 gram of 2.5% leaf or 0.5 grams of 5% higher-grade leaf, usually contains approximately 25 milligrams of THC. It is important to note that over half of this dosage is typically lost due to combustion processes or escapes as side-stream smoke.
In a standard cannabis cigarette, an estimated 15 to 50% of the THC is actually absorbed into the bloodstream. This renders the effective inhaled dose to be in the range of approximately 3 to 12 milligrams.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) does not naturally manifest in its activated form within the cannabis plant. Instead, it is initially present in an acidic precursor state, referred to as tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA). Upon exposure to heat, as in the combustion process of smoking or during culinary preparation, THCA swiftly undergoes a heat-driven transformation known as decarboxylation, converting it into active THC.
In contrast to THC, our understanding of THCA is notably limited. Although it does not possess psychoactive properties, preliminary research has indicated that THCA exhibits immunomodulatory attributes, similar to other cannabinoids in the cannabis plant.
Consuming raw cannabis is unlikely to yield significant psychoactive effects, owing to the essentially inactive state of THCA. However, as the cannabis plant ages, a portion of its THCA is naturally subjected to decarboxylation. Consequently, the resin extracted to produce hashish often contains elevated concentrations of activated THC.
CBD
Cannabidiol (CBD) stands as the second most prevalent cannabinoid, predominantly found in hemp variants of cannabis. Unlike THC, CBD does not exhibit psychoactive properties nor does it significantly interact with the body’s endocannabinoid receptors.
Nonetheless, an expanding body of empirical data indicates that CBD harbors substantial medicinal attributes. It functions synergistically with THC, enhancing its therapeutic benefits while tempering its psychoactive impact. Some scientific studies propose that CBD possesses anti-psychotic qualities, which could potentially mitigate anxiety and panic responses associated with THC consumption.
Furthermore, CBD is believed to contribute to alertness and augment THC’s efficacy in ameliorating pain and muscular spasticity. Initial studies conducted on animal subjects indicate that administering CBD prior to THC exposure significantly amplifies the concentration of THC in the brain. This data posits that CBD could serve as a catalyst, enhancing the efficacy and activity of other medicinal compounds. Within the realm of scientific discourse, there is a growing consensus that cannabinoids function synergistically to produce targeted therapeutic effects.
When administered in isolation, CBD demonstrates anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, antiepileptic, sedative, and neuroprotective properties. It also acts as a potent antioxidant, offering protection against oxidative chemical damage.
Laboratory and animal-based studies have suggested that CBD may confer protection against a variety of conditions, including diabetes, specific forms of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and neuronal damage resulting from stroke. Additionally, CBD has been implicated in combating alcoholism, Huntington’s disease, and even prion infections such as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, commonly known as “Mad Cow Disease.” It has been observed that CBD exhibits a biphasic profile; its therapeutic efficacy diminishes when the administered dose falls outside an optimal range.
Cannabidiol (CBD) serves as a principal component in Sativex, a cannabis-based spray developed by UK-based GW Pharmaceuticals. This spray is formulated with an equimolar concentration of CBD and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and has received approval in Canada for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis.
GW Pharmaceuticals is spearheading research efforts on CBD, with a focus on assessing its therapeutic potential in conditions such as arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases, psychotic disorders, and epilepsy.
Both CBD and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) are biosynthetically derived from a common precursor, cannabigerolic acid, within the cannabis plant. Specific enzymes act on this precursor to yield either CBD or THCA, making it challenging to find plant strains with high concentrations of both cannabinoids. Hemp plants are typically deficient in the enzyme responsible for THCA production, making CBD predominantly abundant in these plants.
Regrettably, the majority of commercial cannabis has been selectively bred to contain reduced levels of CBD in favor of higher THC content. However, given the burgeoning understanding of CBD’s medicinal properties, it is plausible that future cannabis cultivars may feature enhanced CBD concentrations.
CBN
The cannabinoid recognized as the third most prevalent in cannabis plants is cannabinol (CBN). This particular compound largely emerges as a degradation product resulting from the chemical decomposition of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Unlike THC, CBN does not possess robust psychoactive or medicinal attributes and is most commonly detected in cannabis that has been improperly stored or has deteriorated over time.
While cannabinoids often dominate public discourse and scientific investigation, it’s important to note that the cannabis plant also contains an array of over 100 terpenoids. These are aromatic compounds that share similarities with other scent-producing plants, such as pine trees and citrus species. Terpenoids are responsible for the distinct olfactory and gustatory characteristics of cannabis.
Although terpenoids are generally less explored than cannabinoids, a growing body of scholarly research suggests that they may possess their own set of noteworthy medicinal properties. Therefore, despite their current overshadowing by cannabinoids, terpenoids in cannabis may hold significant therapeutic potential that merits further rigorous investigation.
Flavanoids
In addition to its rich profile of cannabinoids and terpenoids, the cannabis plant is also characterized by the presence of more than 20 flavonoids, a class of chemicals ubiquitously found in the plant kingdom. Notably, a subset of these flavonoids, specifically identified as cannaflavins, is unique to the cannabis species.
Flavonoids are largely recognized for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, offering potential benefits that could aid in the prevention of cancer and other serious medical conditions. Experienced users of cannabis have frequently reported varying psychoactive and medicinal effects across diverse strains of the plant. This variation is principally attributed to the distinct concentrations of cannabinoids, terpenoids, and flavonoids inherent to each individual strain of cannabis.
