Researchers In South Korea Isolate A New Cannabinoid

The cannabis plant contains dozens of cannabinoids, each possessing its own characteristics. Scientists have spent decades isolating cannabinoids and trying to better understand their properties. The first cannabinoid to be isolated, tetrahydrocannabinol, was isolated in the mid-1960s by famed cannabis researcher Dr. Raphael Mechoulam.

A team of health and academic investigators based in the Republic of Korea recently conducted a study involving “a chemical investigation of the flowers of C. sativa.” The team’s findings were published in the academic journal Pharmaceuticals.

“In this study, a chemical investigation of the flowers of C. sativa isolated by using a variety of chromatographic techniques led to the isolation of eleven compounds.” the researchers stated about their methodology. “The compounds were isolated by using chromatographic techniques. Their structures were identified by the examination of spectroscopic methods, including 1D (1H, 13C, and DEPT) and 2D (COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra and mass spectrum, together with the comparison to those reported previously in the literature.”

“Eleven compounds were isolated from the flowers of C. sativa, including two new compounds, namely cannabielsoxa (1), 132-hydroxypheophorbide c ethyl ester (2), and six known cannabinoids (6–11), together with the first isolation of chlorin-type compounds: pyropheophorbide A (3), 132-hydroxypheophorbide b ethyl ester (4), and ligulariaphytin A (5) from this plant.” the researchers stated.

The isolation and identification of the two new compounds are particularly exciting and provide researchers with new elements of the cannabis plant to focus on in future investigations. It will likely be a while before more is known about the new compounds and how their properties may be harnessed to benefit humans.

“The evaluation of the biological activities of compounds showed that compounds 4–10 could be considered as the potential compounds for antitumor effects against neuroblastomas. This is also highlighted by using docking analysis. Additionally, the results of this study also suggest that these compounds have the potential to be developed into antineuroblastoma products.” the researchers concluded.