CANNABINOID PROFILE ANALYSIS IN CANNABIS SP TISSUES. EVALUATION OF SEVERAL PROCEDURES AND PRODUCTION STAGES OF PHYTOMEDICINAL PRODUCTS USUALLY EMPLOYED IN TREATMENT WITH CANNABIS

DANTE SALAS; JULIETA CABRERA; JULIAN CIMA; ANDRINOLO DARIO; LUCIANO MALAISSI; ANA GARRONI; ANA MARCHESINI; VACCARINI CRISTIAN; MARIA COLMEIRO; LORENA ZUÑIGO; DANIELA SEDAN

Berlin

Conferencia; 10th Conference on Cannabinoids in Medicine; 2019

International Asociation of Cannabis Medicinal

The use of Cannabis-based preparations to complement the treatment of diseases such as refractory epilepsy, Parkinson?s, Cancer, Fibromyalgia and Chronic pain has currently increased in Argentina. Many of these are homemade preparations that are made using different varieties of Cannabis sp. and several extraction methods; which generates great variability in their composition. Therefore it is necessary to standardize crops and production processes of cannabis byproducts. We have worked with three varieties of Cannabis sp. denominated Therapeutic Argentine Strains (CAT1, 2 and 3) maintained under culture conditions in the CIM laboratory. Cannabinoid profile determination was carried out on samples of seeds, roots, leaves, flowers and stem of CAT3. The cannabinoid profile on CAT1 flowers was determined before and after heat treatment. Similarly, the cannabinoid profile was analyzed in samples of alcoholic extract, resin and oil obtained from CAT2 flowers, which are used in basic science studies.Methods: The Therapeutic Argentine Strains (CAT 1, 2 and 3) were cultivated under the following conditions: vegetative growth chamber (22 ºC, humidity: 45%, light/dark cycle: 18/6 hours, mercury lamps: 530 μmol/m2. sg); Flowering chamber (25 ºC, humidity: 60%, light/dark cycle: 12/12 hs, Sodium lamps: 1007 μmol/m2.sg). CAT1 flowers subjected to heat treatment were placed in an oven at 145ºC during 7 min. The procedure used for cannabis oil production consisted of an alcoholic extraction of CAT2 flowers, followed by low temperature evaporation (rotary evaporator BUCHI) to obtain the resin and subsequent dilution in the edible oil. Cannabis tissue samples were extracted with ethanol and, after a clean-up process, the cannabinoid profile was analyzed by HPLC-UV/DAD using analytical standards to identify and quantify (Cerilliant).Results: THC-A and CBD-A were found in all plant tissues studied, while CBN was not observed in any tissue. Flowers and leaves, the two richest tissues in cannabinoids, presented a different THC/CBD ratio (Flowers: 23:1, Leaves: 3.5:1). The heat treatment of flowers produced a quantitative decarboxylation of the acidic cannabinoids in THC and CBD respectively, without degradation due to the absence of CBN. The analysis of alcoholic extract, resin and oil indicated the existence of small losses of cannabinoids (17% and 12%) between the different stages; however the THC/CBD ratio (22:1) was maintained in all the products analyzed.Conclusions: We conclude from these findings, that the leaves are an adequate source to produce extracts with different THC/CBD ratio with respect to flowers of the same variety; and it is necessary to advance in these studies in order to optimize processes and adjust variables such as the tissue and the variety used in the extraction, the temperature and time used to obtain the best cost/benefit ratio in terms of the THC/CBD ratio required. These studies will make a contribution of necessary data for the dosage and the reduction of damages.