Elucidation of Cannabis composition is required to evaluate the potential of this plant for pharmacological uses, but also for implementation in breeding programs with agronomical purposes. The aim ...of the present study was to develop a method for untargeted analysis of polar and non-polar Cannabis extracts. For this purpose, extracts from 17 cultivars of Cannabis sativa L. were analyzed by gas chromatography–time-of-flight/mass spectrometry (GC–TOF/MS) and liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (LC–QTOF MS/MS) in high resolution mode. One hundred sixty-nine compounds were identified in the extracts by searching MS and MS/MS information. Among identified families, there were mainly cannabinoids, terpenoids, lipids and flavonoids, but also some interesting compounds such as amino and organic acids, among others. Relative contents of terpenoids and cannabinoids in the same cultivars grown in greenhouse and field were compared. Compositional differences in the profile of terpenoids and cannabinoids between both types of grown conditions were found.
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•Cannabis characterization by GC–TOF/MS and LC–QTOF MS/MS.•Untargeted metabolomics analysis of Cannabis sativa L.•Platforms for identification of polar and non-polar compounds in Cannabis.•Comparation of secondary metabolites in Cannabis produced in field and greenhouse.•Profile of different cultivars of medicinal cannabis.
The purpose of present study was to improve the antioxidative activity and explore the potential biotransformation mechanism in hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) inflorescences pretreated with Ganoderma ...lucidum. Ganoderma lucidum, Rhizopus oryzae and Aspergillus oryzae were applied to the transformation of bioactive substances in hemp inflorescences, and the results showed that G. lucidum was the most suitable strain for pretreatment of hemp inflorescences.The optimum time and temperature of G. lucidum pretreatment was 28 ℃ and 7 days respectively. Under the optimum conditions, the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH·) and hydroxyl radical (-OH) scavenging ratio were increased by 1.73 and 1.46-fold respectively than that of untreated hemp inflorescences. The total polyphenols (TP) and total flavonoids (TF) were significantly decreased. The metabonomic analysis indicated that, after pretreatment, flavonoids were methoxylated to O-methylated flavonoids. In addition, cinnamic acids hydroxylated to hydroxycinnamic acids. Moreover, flavonoid O-glycosides were rapidly metabolized to release aglycones. Our results showed that pretreatment by G. lucidum exerts significant changes on the polyphenols composition of hemp inflorescences, thus modifying their antioxidative properties.
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•G. lucidum is the optimal fungi to pretreat hemp inflorescences.•The antioxidative activities of hemp inflorescences increased up to 3.92 fold.•G. lucidum exerts significant changes on the polyphenols composition.•G. lucidum modifies the antioxidative properties of hemp inflorescences.
Cannabis sativa L. (C. sativa) is an annual dioecious plant, which shares its origins with the inception of the first agricultural human societies in Asia. Over the course of time different parts of ...the plant have been utilized for therapeutic and recreational purposes, for instance, extraction of healing oils from seed, or the use of inflorescences for their psychoactive effects. The key psychoactive constituent in C. sativa is called Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (D9-THC). The endocannabinoid system seems to be phylogenetically ancient, as it was present in the most primitive vertebrates with a neuronal network. N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) are the main endocannabinoids ligands present in the animal kingdom, and the main endocannabinoid receptors are cannabinoid type-1 (CB1) receptor and cannabinoid type-2 (CB2) receptor.
The review aims to provide a critical and comprehensive evaluation, from the ancient times to our days, of the ethnological, botanical, chemical and pharmacological aspects of C. sativa, with a vision for promoting further pharmaceutical research to explore its complete potential as a therapeutic agent.
This study was performed by reviewing in extensive details the studies on historical significance and ethnopharmacological applications of C. sativa by using international scientific databases, books, Master’s and Ph.D. dissertations and government reports. In addition, we also try to gather relevant information from large regional as well as global unpublished resources. In addition, the plant taxonomy was validated using certified databases such as Medicinal Plant Names Services (MPNS) and The Plant List.
A detailed comparative analysis of the available resources for C. sativa confirmed its origin and traditional spiritual, household and therapeutic uses and most importantly its popularity as a recreational drug. The result of several studies suggested a deeper involvement of phytocannabinoids (the key compounds in C. sativa) in several others central and peripheral pathophysiological mechanisms such as food intake, inflammation, pain, colitis, sleep disorders, neurological and psychiatric illness. However, despite their numerous medicinal benefits, they are still considered as a menace to the society and banned throughout the world, except for few countries. We believe that this review will help lay the foundation for promoting exhaustive pharmacological and pharmaceutical studies in order to better understand the clinical relevance and applications of non-psychoactive cannabinoids in the prevention and treatment of life-threatening diseases and help to improve the legal status of C. sativa.
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The Cannabis sativa L. ssp. indica (Lam.) plant has been historically utilized as a natural herbal remedy for the treatment of several ailments. In Lebanon, cannabis extracts have long been ...traditionally used to treat arthritis, diabetes, and cancer.
The current study aims to investigate the anti-cancer properties of Lebanese cannabis oil extract (COE) on acute myeloid leukemia using WEHI-3 cells, and a WEHI-3-induced leukemia mouse model.
WEHI-3 cells were treated with increasing concentrations of COE to determine the IC50 after 24, 48 and 72-h post treatment. Flow cytometry was utilized to identify the mode of cell death. Western blot assay was performed to assess apoptotic marker proteins. In vivo model was established by inoculating WEHI-3 cells in BALB/c mice, and treatment commencing 10 days post-inoculation and continued for a duration of 3 weeks.
COE exhibited significant cytotoxicity with IC50 of 7.76, 3.82, and 3.34 μg/mL at 24, 48, and 72 h respectively post-treatment. COE treatment caused an induction of apoptosis through an inhibition of the MAPK/ERK pathway and triggering a caspase-dependent apoptosis via the extrinsic and intrinsic modes independent of ROS production. Animals treated with COE exhibited a significantly higher survival rate, reduction in spleen weight as well as white blood cells count.
COE exhibited a potent anti-cancer activity against AML cells, both in vitro and in vivo. These findings emphasize the potential application of COE as a chemotherapeutic adjuvant in treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.
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•Lebanese cannabis oil demonstrated potent cytotoxicity against WEHI-3 leukemic cells.•Cannabis oil induces apoptosis through partial inhibition of the MAPK/ERK pathway.•Cannabis oil triggers a caspase-dependent apoptosis via the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways.•Cannabis oil treatment significantly increased survival rate, reduced spleen weight and WBC count in WEHI-3-induced leukemia mouse model.
•Comprehensive characterization of seized cannabis flowering tops by means of multiple GC-based approaches.•Simultaneous enantiomeric and isotopic characterization of target terpenes by means of ...multidimensional gas chromatography.•GC-FID and GC–MS analysis for the quali-quantitative characterization of the target volatiles.•Statistical analysis in order to group the twenty-five samples investigated, according to experimental data and place and data of seizure.
This research aimed to support police forces in their battle against illicit drug trafficking by means of a multi-technique approach, based on gas chromatography. In detail, this study was focused on the profiling of volatile substances in narcotic Cannabis sativa L. flowering tops. For this purpose, the Scientific Investigation Department, RIS Carabinieri of Messina, provided 25 seized samples of Cannabis sativa L. The content of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), useful to classify cannabis plant as hemp (≤ 0.2 %) or as marijuana (> 0.2 %), was investigated. Essential oils of illicit drug samples were extracted using a microwave-assisted hydro-distillation (MAHD) system; GC–MS and GC-FID analytical techniques were used for the characterization of the terpenes and terpenoids fingerprint. Furthermore, the enantiomeric and carbon isotopic ratios of selected chiral compounds were investigated using a heart-cutting multidimensional GC (MDGC) approach. The latter exploited a combination of an apolar column in the first dimension, and a chiral cyclodextrin-based column in the second one, prior to parallel isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (C-IRMS) and MS detection. Finally, all the data were gathered into a statistical model, to demonstrate the existence of useful parameters to be used for the classification of seized samples.
Flowers of Cannabis sativa L. are densely covered with glandular trichomes containing cannabis resin that is used for medicinal and recreational purposes. The highly productive glandular trichomes ...have been described as ‘biofactories.’ In this review, we use this analogy to highlight recent advances in cannabis cell biology, metabolomics, and transcriptomics. The biofactory is built by epidermal outgrowths that differentiate into peltate-like glandular trichome heads, consisting of a disc of interconnected secretory cells with unique cellular structures. Cannabinoid and terpenoid products are warehoused in the extracellular storage cavity. Finally, multicellular stalks raise the glandular heads above the epidermis, giving cannabis flower their frosty appearance.
The poor corrosion resistance of carbon steel (CS) has long been an urgent challenge to its industrial applications. Green corrosion inhibitors are among the most widely used and economically viable ...methods to protect metals and alloys against corrosion. In the present work, a new green corrosion inhibitor formulation (CIF) based on Cannabis sativa L. seed oil (noted CSL) was prepared for protecting E24 carbon steel against corrosion in 1.0 mol/L HCl. Experiments were carried out using weight loss (WL), and electrochemical methods at different concentrations of CSL and immersion times. The surface morphology of corroded and inhibited CS was investigated using the scanning electron microscope (SEM), while Density Functional Theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation were used to assess the reactivity of CSL’s components and their interactions with Fe(110) plane. The gas chromatographic analysis of the CSL indicated that the Linoleic acid (C18:2) is the most abundant fatty acid (51.3%), followed by Oleic acid ((C18:1) (20.3%)), α-Linolenic acid (C18:3 (15.7%)) and saturated Palmitic acid (C16:0 (7.9%)). According to WL and electrochemical results, an inhibition efficiency of over 92% was achieved using 1 g/L of CSL, indicating higher corrosion mitigation properties. Electrochemical results revealed that the tested formulation had a mixed-type inhibition effect, with a cathodic predominance. In addition, the charge transfer resistance of the CS electrode increased from 46 Ω cm2 in blank solution to 1115 Ω cm2 in HCl solution inhibited with 1 g/L of CSL and 24 h immersion. SEM images showed the formation of a protective barrier on CS surface, which prevented the corrosion attack. DFT and MD studies showed that CSL’s components have excellent donor-acceptor properties and exhibited a close contact with Fe(110) surface upon adsorption.
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•Compounds of industrial interest can be extracted from Cannabis sativa L. by supercritical CO2.•Clinical-based results are opening the way to numerous applications of ...cannabinoids.•Cannabinoids-based formulations improve cannabinoids bioavailability and performance.
In this work is proposed a critical review of the scientific literature about the extraction of products of industrial interest from Cannabis sativa L., like cannabinoids, essential oil and seed oil, using supercritical and subcritical CO2. Traditional techniques are also reviewed and critically discussed to evidence the advantages of CO2 processing. The extracts can be also used in pharmaceutical and biomedical formulations, in form of co-precipitates and capsules, to improve active compounds bioavailability and performance. Further studies can be required, mainly based on the analysis of mass transfer resistances during extraction and on solubility data of the compounds to be extracted, to improve process selectivity and the purity of the extracts obtained.
•The cultivar effect on stem and seed yield was determined mainly by flowering time.•A large variation in bast fibre content of commercial cultivar was found. Harvesting at seed maturity increased ...stem yield only of monoecious varieties.•Modelling can aid design of production strategies for dual-purpose hemp.
Interest in hemp as a multi-purpose crop is growing worldwide and for the first time in 2015 it was cultivated in Europe on more than 20.000ha as a dual-purpose crop, for the seeds and for the fibre. In the present study, fibre and seed productivity of 14 commercial cultivars were tested in four contrasting European environments (Latvia, the Czech Republic, France, Italy). At full flowering, the stem yield ranged from 3.7Mgha−1 to 22.7Mgha−1, the bast fibre content ranged from 21% to 43%, and the bast fibre yield ranged from 1.3Mgha−1 to 7.4Mgha−1. When harvesting was postponed from full flowering until seed maturity, the stem yield of monoecious cultivars significantly increased but in dioecious cultivars it decreased at all tested sites, except for Italy. Only the early cultivars Fedora 17 and Markant produced seed in the most northern location Latvia. The seed yield ranged from 0.3Mgha−1 to 2.4Mgha−1 in Italy, France and the Czech Republic. The cultivar effect on stem and seed yield was mainly determined by the genetic variation in time of flowering. Stem yield at full flowering was strictly related to the duration of the vegetative phase while seed yield was lowest in the late flowering cultivar. The late cultivar CS is suitable for stem and fibre production as it had the highest stem yield at full flowering in all locations. Both Fedora 17 and Futura 75 are candidate cultivars for dual-purpose production in Italy, France and the Czech Republic, with Fedora 17 being more suitable for seed production and Futura 75 for fibre production.
The application of modelling to design production strategies for dual-purpose hemp is promising. However, accurate parameterisation is needed based on large data sets and diverse genetic background.
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•A new HPLC method for non-psychoactive cannabinoids analysis in hemp is proposed.•The fused-core stationary phase remarkably improved the HPLC performance.•The extraction procedure ...was optimized to obtain a high yield.•The method was fully validated in agreement with ICH guidelines.•Hemp inflorescences and derivatives were analysed for the content in cannabinoids.
The present work was aimed at the development and validation of a new, efficient and reliable technique for the analysis of the main non-psychoactive cannabinoids in fibre-type Cannabis sativa L. (hemp) inflorescences belonging to different varieties. This study was designed to identify samples with a high content of bioactive compounds, with a view to underscoring the importance of quality control in derived products as well. Different extraction methods, including dynamic maceration (DM), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and supercritical-fluid extraction (SFE) were applied and compared in order to obtain a high yield of the target analytes from hemp. Dynamic maceration for 45min with ethanol (EtOH) at room temperature proved to be the most suitable technique for the extraction of cannabinoids in hemp samples.
The analysis of the target analytes in hemp extracts was carried out by developing a new reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method coupled with diode array (UV/DAD) and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI–MS) detection, by using an ion trap mass analyser. An Ascentis Express C18 column (150mm×3.0mm I.D., 2.7μm) was selected for the HPLC analysis, with a mobile phase composed of 0.1% formic acid in both water and acetonitrile, under gradient elution. The application of the fused-core technology allowed us to obtain a significant improvement of the HPLC performance compared with that of conventional particulate stationary phases, with a shorter analysis time and a remarkable reduction of solvent usage.
The analytical method optimized in this study was fully validated to show compliance with international requirements. Furthermore, it was applied to the characterization of nine hemp samples and six hemp-based pharmaceutical products. As such, it was demonstrated to be a very useful tool for the analysis of cannabinoids in both the plant material and its derivatives for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.
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