Green News Now : Scientists in Italy Discover New Cannabinoids
Posted by Heather Wiskes on Mar 17th 2021
Green News Now : Scientists in Italy Discover New Cannabinoids
Now that Marijuana is actively being studied again after years of being a banned substance due to it being listed as an illicit drug for decades, we are discovering new traits and benefits from this plant at unprecedented levels.
On December 30, 2019 a research group in Italy discovered 2 new compounds in the Marijuana plant; THCP (tetrahydrocannabiphorol) and CBDP (cannabidiphorol). The study suggests that THCP has 30 times the potency of THC. What that means for science, medicine or recreational is still unclear but this does demonstrate how much we still need to learn about the marijuana plants and its cousin hemp.
According to Scientific Reports (link below) “In the cannabinoid tetrad pharmacological test, Δ9-THCP induced hypomotility, analgesia, catalepsy and decreased rectal temperature indicating a THC-like cannabimimetic activity. The presence of this new phytocannabinoid could account for the pharmacological properties of some cannabis varieties difficult to explain by the presence of the sole Δ9-THC.”
These finding support the claims of different benefits from different strains and formulations of the marijuana and hemp plant. For example it was found in previous studies that Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), may be able to regulate obesity. However, this compound is found in such low doses in plants studied that regular use of products available today would show little benefit. That is not to say with all of the knowledge we are gathering that specific strains will not be developed to isolate specific cannabinoids for specific benefits.
Scientific Reports suggest with the number of clinical trials and a growing body of literature real evidence is being provided as to the pharmacological potential of cannabis and cannabinoids on a wide range of disorders from sleep to anxiety, multiple sclerosis, autism and neuropathic pain to name a few. This scientific research is slowly chipping away at the “bad reputation” marijuana has endured for years.
While the marijuana and hemp are being studied all over the world, the strains being studied have been noted to be of lesser quality than the recreational product you can by off the street. This may very well open the door for all those closet growers to bring their knowledge out into the open. However, despite the growing efforts to decriminalize and educate many private growers still fear the repercussions of law enforcement.
The biological formulations of these compounds found in marijuana and hemp are like no other plant studied leaving much room for protentional not only on the medical spectrum but on planet health as well.
Resources:
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/akwd85/scientists-discover-two-new-cannabinoids
