Pharmacokinetics of the dimethylheptyl homolog of cannabidiol in dogs

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the major nonpsychoactive cannabinoids produced by Cannabis sativa L. Recent studies have shown that a dimethylheptyl homolog (DMH) of CBD is more active as an anticonvulsant than is the naturally occurring CBD. In considering DMH as a potential antiepileptic agent, its pharmacokinetics was studied in dogs (N = 8) after both iv (20 mg) and oral (80 mg) administration. After iv administration, DMH was rapidly distributed. DMH has a mean terminal half-life of 2 hr, its plasma levels decline in a biphasic fashion, and its total body clearance is 8.3 liters/hr. This clearance value, after being normalized to blood clearance by the use of mathematical equations, was less than on half of the value of the hepatic blood flow and its extraction ratio (E) by the liver is 0.39, DMH was observed to have a mean volume of distribution of 10 liters (or 0.5 liters/kg). In four of the eight dogs studied, DMH could not be detected in the plasma after oral administration. In the other four, the oral bioavailability was 3, 21, 39, and 43%, respectively. Ater oral administration, DMH has a low and variable bioavailability, due to a liver first-pass effect and imcomplete absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. In comparison with CBD, DMH has a shorter half-life and lower clearance and volume of distribution values, and its liver extraction ratio is about one half that of CBD.