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 Cannabis sativa L., 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<br/>acid moiety, and are physiologically almost inactive. In their decarboxylated forms, these phytocannabinoids such as Δ9-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 predecarboxylated extract, 63 compounds including the characteristic phytocannabinoids, sesquiterpenes and plant fatty<br/>acids were observed.

Chemistry of Canadian medical cannabis

255th National Meeting (2018)

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