The legalization of the therapeutic use of cannabis In Colombia has generated interest for pharmacological use despite its ban for recreational use. The major compound from cannabis D9-THC has been registered for medical application but is known as a psychotropic. The aim of this study was to reduce the amount of THC in the original botanical material, so it could be used with medicinal purposes, thereby obtaining THC purified for forensic purposes. The present study focused on the optimization of the cannabinoid extractive process at a laboratory level by SFE using response surface methodology (RSM) optimization. The variables optimized with respect to the extraction yield and cannabinoid content in the extract were temperature (40, 60 and 80°C), pressure (15, 24 and 33 MPa) and the ethanol (EtOH) percent (0, 2 and 5%). Extraction experiments were carried out using a composite central designed (CCD). A second-order polynomial equation was used to express both the extraction yield and the cannabinoid content in the extract as a function of these variables using multiple regression. The resultant extracts were compared with extracts obtained by the Soxhlet method. The extraction residual after SFE was macerated with EtOH and analyzed for cannabinoid content. Characterization and quantification of the different extracts were performed using GC-MS and GC-FID analysis. The maximum extraction yield (26.4%) was obtained at 33 MPa, 80°C and 5% EtOH, and the major cannabinoid content in the extract was 42% ( 33 MPa, 60°C, and 2%EtOH). Related with the vegetal material the major cannabinoid content was 0.2% CBD, 7.0%THC and 0.6%CBN, and the remaining THC content in that extract was 0.04. In general a 90-100% removal of the cannabinoids was obtained.

Obtaining a plant sample with low cannabinoid content using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE)

255th National Meeting (2018)

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