Cannabis produces numerous unique secondary metabolites that contribute to its distinct aroma. While terpenes have historically been considered the primary origins of the unique aroma of cannabis, our group recently reported the discovery of a new family of prenylated volatile sulfur compounds responsible for the skunk-like, gasoline scent of this plant. Due to the ubiquity of these compounds in cannabis, as well as their importance toward the characteristic scent of this plant, we henceforth propose to refer to this new class of compounds as cannasulfur compounds (CSCs). We describe the steps taken to uncover these CSCs in the complex matrix of cannabis, their potential health or medicinal applications, as well as provide insights into new fundamental and applied research projects our team has initiated centered around this novel class of compounds, including the possibility of varietal specific CSCs.

Cannasulfur compounds: New paradigm for understanding the chemistry of cannabis

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