HPLC Method for Better Separation of THC Isomers to Ensure Safety and Compliance in the Hemp Market.

The 2018 Farm Bill dictates that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) concentrations must not exceed 0.3% in hemp and hemp-derived products in order to be "compliant." This narrow margin of error necessitates very precise testing methods throughout every facet of the hemp industry. Though gas chromatography has become the industry's gold standard, many hemp laboratories still use high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to quantify cannabinoids, and thus there exists a need for HPLC methods that can separate delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ8-THC) and Δ9-THC-a notoriously difficult task. This article details one such method, while simultaneously acknowledging the inevitable limits of using HPLC to separate cannabinoids. The method was also used to test Δ8-THC samples that were marketed as compliant, and it was found that all of the samples contained well over 0.3% Δ9-THC. The use of refined testing methodologies is crucial for hemp companies to ensure compliance, prevent adverse health effects, and provide consumers with accurate cannabinoid profiles of the products that they purchase.

Ultrasonic or Microwave Modified Continuous Flow Chemistry for the Synthesis of Tetrahydrocannabinol: Observing Effects of Various Solvents and Acids.

Synthesizing tetrahydrocannabinol is a lengthy process with minimal yields and little applicability on an industrial scale. To close the gap between bench chemistry and industry process chemistry, this paper introduces a small-scale flow chemistry method that utilizes a microwave or ultrasonic medium to produce major tetrahydrocannabinol isomers. This process produces excellent yields and minimal side products, which leads to more efficient large-scale production of the desired cannabinoids.

Saturated Cannabinoids: Update on Synthesis Strategies and Biological Studies of These Emerging Cannabinoid Analogs.

Natural and non-natural hexahydrocannabinols (HHC) were first described in 1940 by Adam and in late 2021 arose on the drug market in the United States and in some European countries. A background on the discovery, synthesis, and pharmacology studies of hydrogenated and saturated cannabinoids is described. This is harmonized with a summary and comparison of the cannabinoid receptor affinities of various classical, hybrid, and non-classical saturated cannabinoids. A discussion of structure-activity relationships with the four different pharmacophores found in the cannabinoid scaffold is added to this review. According to laboratory studies in vitro, and in several animal species in vivo, HHC is reported to have broadly similar effects to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), the main psychoactive substance in cannabis, as demonstrated both in vitro and in several animal species in vivo. However, the effects of HHC treatment have not been studied in humans, and thus a biological profile has not been established.