Cannabis was approved in Canada in 2000 for medical use for the treatment of various clinical ailments. Several chemical constituents in this plant exhibit anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, anticancer activities; they have shown efficacy in neuropsychological disorders as well. To date, 564 compounds were characterized in <i>Cannabis sativa L.</i>, including the unique pharmacologically-active cannabinoids, which act primarily through the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors. In their natural state within the cannabis plant, the cannabinoids carry a carboxylic acid moiety, and are physiologically almost inactive. In their decarboxylated forms, these phytocannabinoids such as Δ<sup>9</sup>-THC and CBD, either alone or in combination with other phytocannabinoids, exhibit a variety of physiological activities. We were interested in characterizing different commercially available strains of Canadian medical cannabis in order to understand their chemical composition, hence, potentially their therapeutic benefits. Cannabis resin was extracted from a commercial sample of medical cannabis and was subsequently subjected to decarboxylation. We employed UPLC-MS to analyze the extracted chemicals prior to and post-decarboxylation. Within the pre-decarboxylated extract, 63 compounds including the characteristic phytocannabinoids, sesquiterpenes and plant fatty acids were observed. Changes in the chemical composition of the post-decarboxylated cannabis extract were revealed through the disappearance of 26 compounds and the emergence of 22 new ones found, including the neutral cannabinoids. Subsequently, we extracted and activated two additional strains of medical cannabis, and performed similar analysis. The decarboxylated cannabis extracts, possessing the neutral cannabinoids and other plant components may serve as a starting point for development of potential lead compounds. This serves as a stepping stone to implement the analyses of commercial medical cannabis samples available in the country, and to understand their chemical composition, hence, potential pharmacological profiles.

Chemistry of Canadian medical cannabis

254th National Meeting (2017)

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