Cannabinoids

Better, accurate and more reliable analytical testing is needed in the industry. The author discusses one such method that goes well beyond the current contaminant testing done today in most laboratories.

Some hemp-based products are mislabeled regarding their level of CBD. The authors explain why and how that happens.

Here we review the current and pertinent literature in utilizing cannabis derivatives in animals and discuss the future forecast of cannabis in veterinary medicine.

At a glance, modern extraction machines can seem a little mysterious: plant material is added to an extraction chamber, processing parameters are chosen, the extraction process is carried out, and an output of material is collected. Part I of this series examines the two main biologically-inherent starting-material influences.

Laboratories are challenged with highly regulated and difficult sample schematics, sample preparation, extraction, and testing procedures that try to ensure accuracy and precision of testing. Accuracy in analytical testing starts at the very beginning with sampling and sample preparation prior to testing.

Josh Blacher, Chief Business Officer at InMed Pharmaceuticals, recently spoke to us about the groundbreaking researching his company is doing using biosynthesis to create cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical products.

A look at how TD-GC–MS analysis eliminates conventional sample preparation regimes and can be used as a good rapid screening technique.

Here the LC–UV separation of 16 cannabinoids of interest was performed while the potential impact from minor cannabinoids and terpenes on reported potency values was monitored.

Reference standard qualifications are discussed and techniques for qualifying incoming reference standards are suggested.

A primary impediment to cannabinoid research is the fact that materials possessing psychoactive Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are considered Schedule I drugs as defined in the U.S. Controlled Substances Act. An alternative source of cannabinoids may be found in hemp oil extracts. Hemp contains a low percentage of THC by weight but relatively high amounts of nonpsychoactive cannabinoids. The liquid chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC–TOF-MS) method presented herein allows for the accurate, precise, and robust speciation, profiling, and quantification of cannabinoids in hemp oil extracts and commercial cannabinoid products for research and development laboratories. The method was determined to chromatographically separate 11 cannabinoids including differentiation of Δ8-tetrahdrocannabinol and THC with excellent linear dynamic range, specificity, and sensitivity.

Compact mass spectrometry, in combination with suitable sample introduction techniques-such as the atmospheric solids analysis probe, thin-layer chromatography, and classical liquid chromatography techniques-can be used effectively for the detection and quantification of cannabinoids and pesticides in cannabis-related material and contraband.

An investigation of C18 and phenyl-hexyl column chemistries for definitive identification of 13 synthetic cannabinoid metabolites in patient samples.

An interview with Jeff Dahl, an applications scientist at Shimadzu Scientific Instruments; Joe Konschnik, a business development manager for the food and beverage market at Restek Corporation; Andre Santos, the Americas market development manager at Agilent Technologies; Alicia D. Stell, the CEM product development lab manager; and Xiaoyan Wang, a research scientist at UCT

QuEChERS is introduced to the discipline of forensic testing as a viable method for the extraction of pesticides and cannabinoids in various complex sample matrices

Other techniques for monitoring cannabinoids, such as GC–MS and LC–MS, are limited to screening known species and are therefore always one step behind the designer drug market-where new, previously unknown variations of analogs of cannabinoids are constantly being synthesized. The method presented here addresses this problem by providing accurate masses for all detected species, thus allowing postanalysis identification of initially untargeted compounds.

An interview with Cindy Orser

An interview with Sue Sisley

An interview with Montel Williams

An interview with Uma Dhanabalan

An interview with Jeffrey C. Raber

Efficient synthesis of complex cannabinoids is possible while avoiding marijuana cultivation.

David Fulper, PhD, director of technology support at Catalent, shares insights on the challenges and opportunities for cannabis-based therapeutics.