The tetrahydrocannabinols from marihuana were found to have moderate analgesic activity in mice by the hot-plate test (sc administration). Of the several metabolites of these two compounds tested, only the 11-hydroxy derivatives were more potent than the parent compounds. Analogs 1 and 2 (9-demethyl relatives which cannot be metabolized to 11-hydroxy compounds), both of which produce a pharmacological profile generally similar to that of delta8- and delta9-THC, were analgesically inert. This suggests that metabolism to 11-hydroxy congeners may be necessary for the mediation of analgesic activity in the mouse hot-plate test but not for other pharmacologic effects produced by these substances which we have examined.

The racemic mixture and levo isomer of both 9-nor-9alpha-hydroxyhexahydrocannabinol and its 9beta-hydroxy isomer were prepared. Both alpha-and beta-hydroxy compounds were active in the dog ataxia test and depressed spontaneous activity in mice. However, only the beta-hydroxy compound was an analgesic in mice morphine-like potency. The behavioral and analgesic properties of these compounds may be mediated through different sites or mechanisms and may, therefore, be separable.

(-)-3-Isothujone and (+)-3-thujone were examined for antinociceptive activity using the hot-plate and Nilsen tests. In the hot plate test (-)-3-isothujone (ED50 = 6.5 mg/kg) was found to be codeine-like and equipotent with (-)-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol while the racemic material was essentially half as potent as the levoratatory isomer. (+)-3-Thujone was inactive in both antinociceptive tests as were several structural analogues of the 3-thujones. As with the THC's less antinociceptive activity was observed in the Nilsen test than in the hot-plate assay. Acute toxicities for the 3-thujones were determined and vastly improved synthetic procedures have been developed for two long-known but difficulty accessible 3-thujanols.

For a homologous series of N-alkylnorketobemidones a statistically significant correlation was found between the relative abilities to bind mouse brain homogenate in vitro and their in vivo mouse hot-plate analgesic potencies. The correlation between in vitro binding in the presence of 100 mM sodium and analgesic potency was not as good AS THAT as that found in the absence of sodium. A statistically significant correlatin was found between thir analgesic potencies and their abilities to antogonize electrically induced contractions of the guinea pig ileum.

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