Scientists isolated seven previously unknown hydroxylated cannabinoids from high-potency cannabis, with one compound showing the highest CB1 receptor affinity and the most potent THC-like effects in mice.
Read this if you are interested in cannabis chemistry and what compounds beyond THC contribute to cannabis effects.
7 new cannabinoids discovered in high-potency cannabis
What the researchers found
Researchers isolated and characterized seven new naturally occurring cannabinoids from high-potency Cannabis sativa, all of which were hydroxylated (oxygen-containing) variants of known cannabinoids.
When tested for binding to cannabinoid receptors, compound 3 (10-alpha-hydroxy-delta-8-THC) showed the highest affinity for CB1 receptors and produced the most potent cannabimimetic effects in mice (reduced movement, lowered body temperature, reduced pain sensitivity, and catalepsy). Compound 4 showed partial cannabimimetic actions, while compound 2 only produced reduced movement.
The discovery that high-potency cannabis contains novel psychoactive compounds beyond THC expands understanding of what users are actually consuming and what contributes to the effects of modern cannabis products.
Why it matters
High-potency cannabis is not simply "more THC." This study revealed that it contains novel cannabinoids with their own receptor binding profiles and behavioral effects, complicating assumptions about what users are exposed to.
The numbers in context
7 new cannabinoids isolated; 1 known compound (cannabiripsol) also studied; compound 3 had highest CB1 affinity and most potent behavioral effects; 10 compounds tested total
How the study worked
Natural products chemistry study isolating cannabinoids from high-potency Cannabis sativa using chromatography. Structures determined by NMR, GC-MS, and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Binding affinity measured at CB1 and CB2 receptors. Behavioral effects tested in mice using the tetrad assay.
What this study cannot tell us
Structural characterization and receptor binding are preliminary steps. In vivo testing was limited to a standard mouse behavioral battery. The concentrations of these new compounds in typical cannabis products were not quantified. Only one cannabis variety was studied.
How to read the evidence
Novel natural products chemistry with receptor binding and behavioral data. Important discovery, but clinical significance of these compounds is unknown.
When this study was published
Published in 2015. Cannabis chemistry research has continued to identify additional novel compounds.
The bigger picture
Cannabis pharmacology is more complex than often assumed. The discovery of new psychoactive compounds in high-potency cannabis suggests that the health effects of modern cannabis products may be driven by more than just THC content.
Questions still open
- How much do these novel cannabinoids contribute to the effects of high-potency cannabis? Are they present in significant amounts in consumer products? Do they interact synergistically with THC? Could they have therapeutic applications?
Common questions
Are there cannabinoids besides THC and CBD?
Does high-potency cannabis have different compounds than regular cannabis?
Read the original research
Isolation and Pharmacological Evaluation of Minor Cannabinoids from High-Potency Cannabis sativa.
Journal of natural products, 78(6), 1271-6
Citation
Radwan, Mohamed M; ElSohly, Mahmoud A; El-Alfy, Abir T; Ahmed, Safwat A; Slade, Desmond; Husni, Afeef S; Manly, Susan P; Wilson, Lisa; Seale, Suzanne; Cutler, Stephen J; Ross, Samir A. (2015). Isolation and Pharmacological Evaluation of Minor Cannabinoids from High-Potency Cannabis sativa.. Journal of natural products, 78(6), 1271-6. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jnatprod.5b00065
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