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1 June, 2021
Come si formano i cannabinoidi nella pianta di marijuana?
9 June, 2021Among the most attractive compounds in the cannabis plant are the so-called cannabinoids, molecules that produce different effects and that have made this ancient plant so famous.
Here we explain how these compounds are created and what they are for.
What are cannabinoids?
The cannabinoids found in cannabis, which in fact to be more specific we should call “phytocannabinoids” (since they are those produced by plants unlike endocannabinoids, which are generated in our body), are molecules present in the composition of the Cannabis Sativa plant. L., and are compounds that are characterized by having 21 carbon atoms.
Marijuana has been found to produce over a hundred cannabinoids, however the following are among the most commonly discussed today:
- THCa
- THC
- CBDa
- CBD
- CBNa
- CBN
- CBGa
- CBG
- CBC
- CBDVa
- CBDV
- THCVa
- THCV
THCV is one of the hundred cannabinoids.
Among them, THCa and CBDa are the most abundant cannabinoids found in cannabis, however the two most commonly known are THC and CBD.
When we consume cannabis, these cannabinoids are responsible for the psychoactive and therapeutic effects we observe.
Today numerous scientific studies are carried out aimed at discovering therapeutic potential of cannabinoids.
Why does the Cannabis plant produce Cannabinoids?
Beyond the benefits that we personally obtain from cannabinoids, they are also useful for the marijuana plant itself and, in reality, this is the reason why it produces them in the first place.
The reason cannabis produces cannabinoids is simple: survival. This controversial plant has adapted successfully to diverse climates, from humid and tropical to arid and dry. One of the keys to this adaptation to the environment has been cannabinoids. These compounds play a fundamental role in the defense of the plant against various threats from nature:
- Repel insects
- They serve as a defense against cold climates.
- Prevent dehydration
- They attract pollinating insects thus ensuring the perpetuation of the species.
The main cannabinoid in cannabis, THCa, serves to scare off potential insect pests and thus prevents the plant from being attacked. In addition, this cannabinoid acts as an antimicrobial and thus keeps it healthy and free from possible diseases.
In addition, there are studies that suggest that THC protects the plant from the effects of ultraviolet rays. This type of defense is very useful for cannabis because we remember that for its proper development, the plant needs a great deal of exposure to sunlight (or to the light of spotlights in indoor crops).
How does the marijuana plant produce cannabinoids?
Cannabinoids are synthesized and accumulated in the “trichomes” of the plant, which are found in greater concentration in the flowers, that is, in their buds.
In these structures, along side the production of cannabinoids is the production of terpenes – the molecules responsible for the aroma and flavor of cannabis.
Together, they form a sticky substance that emits a powerful odor and is commonly called “resin.”
How is THC produced?
The process of biosynthesizing THC is complex, and in fact – THC is not produced by the cannabis plant. Futhermore, THC is not “natural.”
THCa is the cannabinoid produced by the cannabis plant that we eventually convert to THC, and to produce it involves a series of molecular combinations that trigger its synthesis.
It all starts with two chemical compounds, olivetolic acid and geranyl pyrophosphate, which when combined become CBGa and CBGVa. Some of the CBGa (which is the acid form of the cannabinoid that we know as CBG), is later synthesized into THCa, the acid form of THC.
You may be wondering … What is THCa? What do you mean that THC isnt natural?
In trichomes what is created is THCa. For this to be transformed into THC and cause a psychoactive effect, it must go through the decarboxylation process, that is, it must be exposed to heat or oxidation.
When we roll a joint and place a flame to the joint, we are creating a device which will convert the THCa into THC, the form in which it enters our lungs. In this way, because human intervention is required for its creation, it would be a fallacy to call THC natural. This being said – decarboxylation, converting THCa to THC, also occurs naturally over time.
Old or badly preserved cannabis may have little THCa left – most of it might be converted into to THC or CBNa.
Why does the cannabis plant produce different cannabinoids depending on the variety?
As we have mentioned above, the production of cannabinoids was created by the adaptation of marijuana to the environment. Although it is true that the origins of this plant are located in the Himalayas, thanks to humans, this plant spread throughout the planet hundreds of years ago.
Due to different climates forcing needs for acclimatization, the cannabis plant adopted different morphological and genetic characteristics; the plants that had to survive in humid and tropical environments became what today we understand by sativas; and those that had to do so in arid and dry environments at high altitudes became indica.
These days, almost all cannabis seed available on the market is a hybridization of these original Sativa and Indica varieties and will commonly express characteristics and produce cannabionids from both ancestral lines.
Super Skunk Feminized.
Due to different climates forcing needs for acclimatization, the cannabis plant adopted different morphological and genetic characteristics; the plants that had to survive in humid and tropical environments became what today we understand by sativas; and those that had to do so in arid and dry environments at high altitudes became indica.
Often we refer to genetics which demonstrate more Sativa characteristics as sativa dominant, and those which demonstrate more Indica characteristics as indica dominant.
The production of cannabinoids is also related to the adaptation needs of the plant to its immediate environment, as well as the growing conditions. That is why different varieties of marijuana produce different cannabinoid profiles, and even two phenotypes that belong to the same genetics can produce slightly different levels of cannabinoids in their composition.
Each plant is unique and grows under certain conditions, although it is true that the stabilization of a genetics through breeding processes causes greater homogeneity between individuals, and this is also reflected in their production of cannabinoids.
What should you know about cannabinoids?
Although there is still a lot of scientific research to be done in order to discover all the properties and potential of cannabinoids, today we already have quite a bit knowledge about these molecules.
Here is a short summary of the main facts you should know about cannabinoids:
- They are compounds produced by the cannabis plant and are produced by the trichomes.
- Not all cannabinoids produce psychoactive effects, although they do all have properties that affect our body in one way or another.
- They serve to protect the cannabis plant against pests, diseases and inclement weather.
- The most abundant cannabinoid is THCa and most of it is found on cannabis flowers like the rest of cannabinoids; They need to go through the decarboxylation process to transform into THC and produce a psychoactive effect.
There is still much to discover about these interesting compounds that have made the cannabis plant famous. Although the legal framework has limited scientific research in this regard, little by little, and as we move towards regulation, knowledge about cannabinoids is expanding.
We are convinced that in the future, thanks to this, we will be able to take advantage of their full potential.
