Anyone taking a walk through an American city will be surprised to see the number of billboards that encourage the purchase of cannabis derivatives, including THC delta-8, THC delta-10 and CBD (cannabidiol). They are everywhere: at gas stations, in vape shops, and of course, on the internet.
Faced with their rapid proliferation, many people wonder which of these compounds are legal, whether they are safe to consume, and which of their purported medicinal benefits stand up to scientific scrutiny.
We are immunologists who have spent more than two decades studying the effects of marijuana cannabinoids about inflammation and cancer. We see great promise in these products in medical applications. But we are also concerned that there are still many unknowns about its safety and its psychoactive properties.
Differences between marijuana and hemp
Cannabis sativahe most common type of cannabis planthas more than 100 compounds called cannabinoids.
The most studied cannabinoids extracted from the cannabis plant include delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or delta-9 THC, which is psychoactive. A psychoactive compound is one that affects the functioning of the brain, thus altering mood, consciousness, thoughts, feelings, or behavior. THC delta-9 is the main cannabinoid responsible for the stoned associated with marijuana. CBD, on the other hand, is not psychoactive.
Marijuana and hemp are two different varieties of the cannabis plant. In the USA., Federal regulations state that Cannabis plants that contain more than 0.3% THC delta-9 should be classified as marijuana, while plants that contain less should be classified as hemp. Marijuana grown today has high levels – 10-30% – of THC delta-9, while hemp plants contain 5-15% CBD.
In the European Union (EU), varieties of hemp that are cultivated and used for food must be listed in the “Common Catalog of Varieties of Agricultural Plant Species”. According to Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, the maximum THC content in these strains is limited to 0.2%.
When growing hemp became legal
In 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of CBD extracted from the cannabis plant. to treat epilepsy. In addition to being a source of CBD, hemp plants can be used commercially for develop a variety of other products such as textiles, paper, medicines, food, feed, biofuel, biodegradable plastic and construction material.
Recognizing the wide potential applications of hemp, when the United States Congress passed the Agricultural Improvement Act, called farm bill, in 2018, removed hemp from the category of controlled substances. This made it legal to grow hemp.
When hemp-derived CBD saturated the market after the passage of the farm bill, CBD manufacturers began to take advantage of their technical prowess to derive other forms of cannabinoids from CBD. This led to the appearance of delta-8 and delta-10 THC.
The chemical difference between delta-8, delta-9 and delta-10 THC is the position of a double bond in the chain of carbon atoms that they share structurally. Delta-8 has this double bond at the eighth carbon atom in the chain, delta-9 at the ninth carbon atom, and delta-10 at the tenth carbon atom. These small differences cause them to exert different levels of psychoactive effects.
Properties of delta-9 THC
THC delta-9 was one of the earliest forms of cannabinoid which was isolated from the cannabis plant in 1964. The highly psychoactive property of THC delta-9 is based on its ability to activate certain cannabinoid receptors, called CB1, in the brain. The receptor, CB1, is like a lock that can only be opened with a specific key – in this case, delta-9 THC – allowing it to affect certain cellular functions.
THC delta-9 mimics cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids, which our body produces naturally. Thus, it also affects the same brain functions that they regulate, such as appetite, learning, memory, anxiety, depression, pain, sleep, mood, body temperature, and immune responses.
The FDA approved delta-9 THC in 1985 to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients and in 1992, to stimulate the appetite in patients with HIV/AIDS.
The National Academy of Sciences has reported that cannabis is effective in relieving chronic pain in adults and to improve muscle stiffness in patients with multiple sclerosis. That report also suggested that cannabis may help sleep and fibromyalgia patients.
In fact, a combination of THC delta-9 and CBD has been used to treat muscle stiffness and spasms in multiple sclerosis. This drug, called Sativex, is approved in many countries but not in the US yet
THC Delta-9 can also activate another type of cannabinoid receptor, called CB2, which is primarily expressed on immune cells. Studies in our laboratory have shown that delta-9 THC may suppress inflammation through the activation of CB2. This makes it very effective in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and colitis, as well as inflammation of the lungs caused by bacterial toxins.
However, THC delta-9 has not been approved by the FDA for ailments such as pain, sleep, sleep disorders, fibromyalgia, and autoimmune diseases. This has led people to self-medicate against such ailments for which there are currently no effective drug treatments.
Delta-8 THC, a chemical cousin of delta-9
THC delta-8 is found in very small amounts in the cannabis plant. The THC delta-8 that is widely marketed in the US is a derivative of CBD from hemp.
THC delta-8 binds to CB1 receptors less strongly than THC delta-9which is what it does less psychoactive than THC delta-9. People seeking THC delta-8 for medicinal benefits seem to prefer it to THC delta-9 because the THC delta-8 doesn’t give them a big buzz.
However, THC delta-8 binds to CB2 receptors with similar strength to THC delta-9. And since CB2 activation plays a critical role in suppressing inflammationTHC delta-8 could potentially be preferable to THC delta-9 for treating inflammation, as it is less psychoactive.
Until now, no clinical studies have been published on whether THC delta-8 can be used to treat clinical disorders such as chemotherapy-induced nausea or appetite stimulation in HIV/AIDS that are responsive to THC delta-9. However, animal studies in our laboratory have shown that THC delta-8 is more effective than THC delta-9 in treating inflammation and is also effective in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
The sale of THC delta-8 in the United States, especially in states where marijuana is illegal, it has become very controversial. Federal agencies consider all compounds isolated from marijuana or synthetic forms, similar to THC, Schedule I controlled substanceswhich means that they currently have no accepted medical use and have considerable potential for abuse.
However, hemp manufacturers argue that delta-8 THC should be legal because it is derived from CBD isolated from legally grown hemp plants.
The appearance of delta-10 THC
THC delta-10, another chemical cousin of delta-9 and delta-8, has recently entered the market.
Scientists still don’t know much about this new cannabinoid. THC Delta-10 is also derived from hemp CBD. People have anecdotally reported feeling euphoric and more focused after consuming THC delta-10. Also, anecdotally, people who consume THC delta-10 say that causes less of a stone than THC delta-8.
Virtually nothing is known about the medicinal properties of delta-10 THC. However, it is marketed in a similar way to the other more studied cannabinoids, with claims of a number of health benefits.
The future of cannabinoid derivatives
Research and clinical trials with marijuana or THC delta-9 to treat many medical conditions have been hampered in the United States because of their classification as Schedule 1 substances. Furthermore, the psychoactive properties of marijuana and delta-9 THC create side effects on brain function; the high makes some people feel bad or don’t like the feeling. This limits their usefulness in the treatment of clinical disorders.
Instead, we believe that THC delta-8 and THC delta-10, as well as other potential cannabinoids that could be isolated from the cannabis plant or synthesized in the future, hold great promise. With their strong activity against CB2 receptors and their lesser psychoactive properties, we believe they offer new therapeutic opportunities to treat various medical conditions.
Prakash NagarkatiProfessor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina and Mitzi NagarkatiProfessor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina
This article was originally published on The Conversation. read the original.
