Other cannabinoids

Today over 100 compounds called cannabinoids, typical for Cannabis sativa, have been identified in the plant. The levels of the individual constituents in the plant differ depending on the soil, weather conditions and genetics of the plant. Over the last few years cannabis plants with up to 20–30% (by dry weight) Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) have been grown by illegal cultivation, leading to high-potency marijuana (ElSohly and Slade, 2005; Ross et al., 2005; Ahmed et al., 2008a, 2008b; Radwan et al., 2008, 2009; Appendino et al., 2008; and see Chapter 4). The pharmacology of only a few of the plant cannabinoids has been studied so far – mostly THC, cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (Δ9-THCV) – hence today we have no information about the pharmacology of the overwhelming majority of these compounds. In view of the interesting properties of some of the constituents investigated over the last few years, the cannabis plant may actually represent a pharmacological treasure trove (Mechoulam, 2005).