Cannabis, from plant to pill

Abstract

The therapeutic application of cannabis is attracting substantial public and clinical interest. The cannabis plant has been described as a veritable ‘treasure trove’, producing more than 100 different cannabinoids, although the focus to date has been on the psychoactive molecule delta‐9‐tetraydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Other numerous secondary metabolites of cannabis, the terpenes, some of which share the common intermediary geranyl diphosphate (GPP) with the cannabinoids, are hypothesized to contribute synergistically to their therapeutic benefits, an attribute that has been described as the ‘entourage effect’. The effective delivery of such a complex multicomponent pharmaceutical relies upon the stable genetic background and standardized growth of the plant material, particularly if the raw botanical product in the form of the dried pistillate inflorescence (flos) is the source. Following supercritical CO2 extraction of the inflorescence (and possibly bracts), the secondary metabolites can be blended to provide a specific ratio of major cannabinoids (THC : CBD) or individual cannabinoids can be isolated, purified and supplied as the pharmaceutical. Intensive breeding strategies will provide novel cultivars of cannabis possessing elevated levels of specific cannabinoids or other secondary metabolites.

Cannabis and Canabidinoids on the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Going Beyond Misuse

“…Finally, it is important to consider that CS has already been described as a very rich source of bioactive compounds and, despite producing more than 100 cannabinoids, the focus has been on THC and CBD. However, numerous secondary metabolites, especially terpenes, share the common intermediate geranyl diphosphate with cannabinoids, which may contribute synergistically to the beneficial effects of the plant and its compounds [48]. This effect, called entourage (initially described by Ben-Shabat et al [49]), is a type of synergism that would explain the hypothesis that in some cases, the plant would be better than the isolated compounds.…”

Prospects for the use of herbal medicines in relation to progressing environmental pollution

“…Thus, the pollution and degradation of the environment will automatically reflect on the pollution of plant raw materials from which herbal medicines are obtained. The selection of the appropriate plant varieties and the cultivation of special strains of plants can play an important role in the process of obtaining the best plant materials, as is the case with 'medical marijuana' [7,34]. Growers of' 'medical marijuana' select and cultivate only those strains of Cannabis sativa that have high content of cannabimimetic substances activating cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, with a small amount of psychoactive substances [38][39][40].…”

“…Pharmacognosy specialists are looking for plants containing high concentrations of bio-active substances that can be used in the therapy of various human diseases and illnesses [4,5]. There is no doubt that plant materials are the best source for the production of medicines [6,7].…”

Cannabinoid use in practice in Australasia—Better guidance and new drug information systems will be essential for prescribers

“…This variability in products and standards can make international health and regulatory guidance difficult, although the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction has recently developed advice for Governments and other policymakers taking such issues into future discussions . The issues of taking a plant and agricultural practice to development of a pharmaceutical grade medicine, which are uncommonly encountered in other drug development processes, are common in this setting and require prescribers to be cogniscent of the complexities.…”