Archives

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of THCA

Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) is a cannabinoid produced by the cannabis flower.  It is a relatively unstable compound that is easily decarboxylated by heat.  While it does not have any psychoactive properties itself, when decarboxylated, it forms into tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis.  THCA may play an important role in the treatment of neurological […]

Read More

Analytical vs preparative chromatography in cannabis processing

Chromatography is a method of separating mixtures in a laboratory setting using two distinct phases, a mobile phase and a stationary phase.  While analytical chromatography helps gather specific information on the compounds in a mixture, preparative chromatography isolates and purifies the sample.1 In the cannabis industry, both analytical and preparative chromatography are important for the […]

Read More

Cannabis and the necessity for USP standards

The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that provides official standards for identity, strength, quality, and purity in medicines. As well, they also produce standards for food ingredients and dietary supplements.1 For medicine, food, and dietary supplements, the USP publishes reference standards to ensure accuracy and reproducibility of laboratory procedures. For cannabis, […]

Read More

THC vs. CBD for pain

For thousands of years, humanity used cannabis as a medical treatment for a variety of ailments, pain relief being one of the most common reasons. In the medical community, scientists study cannabis for pain relief, not only to understand the mechanisms of the components of cannabis, but also to provide the most safe and effective […]

Read More